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Jodie Manthei

Album Review: BEARTOOTH Releases Their Fifth Studio Album, The Surface.



On Friday, October 13th, hard rock/metalcore heavyweights BEARTOOTH released their fifth

studio album, The Surface. The album gives listeners an in depth and deeply personal look into

frontman Caleb Shomo’s journey to improve his mental health which includes overcoming

alcohol addiction. 


The record weaves themes of self love and acceptance into the reality of realizing mindsets

need to change and how much those changes affect the people around us. In true Beartooth

fashion the album opens with a blistering title track that sets the tone for the rest of the

record.  “The Surface” is an unrelenting look at the darkness surrounding oneself as they realize

they’ve hit rock bottom. The next five tracks have been released as singles with “Riptide

leading the charge with one of the biggest, catchiest choruses that Shomo has written. But

don’t let the undercurrent of the driving bass, ferocious guitar, and driving rhythm of the drums

fool you. The singles’ lyrical content are noticeably more positive in nature compared to

previous albums prompting fans to coin the term “positivity-core”. And for good reason. When

Shomo belts out, “I’m exactly who I wanna be,” during “Might Love Myself”, it’s difficult not to

believe him. 


The next couple of tracks transition into more difficult topics such as loss and carrying the

burden of struggling alone and this where Shomo is at his most vulnerable lyrically. Written for

his wife, the raw emotion of “Look The Other Way” showcases his ability to balance vulnerable

vocals with powerful lyrics.


The album culminates in messages of hope for the future with “My New Reality” and in what

Shomo stated in a recent Spotify listening party is his favorite track, “I Was Alive”. He leans

heavily into his pop influences in the swells of the chorus of “My New Reality” while “I Was

Alive” urges listeners to live their lives to the fullest because life is short.


Which brings us to the runtime of the album. At just under 38 minutes Shomo and company

waste no time in making an impact with their messaging and every track packs a punch, not just

lyrically, but sonically. Easily transitioning from the growls Beartooth fans know and love to

emotional clean vocals, Shomo hits every note ushering in a new era not just for himself, but

for Beartooth and their fans.


Track Listing


The Surface

Riptide

Doubt Me

Better Me

Might Love Myself

Sunshine

What’s Killing You

Look The Other Way

What Are You Waiting For

My New Reality

I Was Alive


Beartooth recently announced a massive U.S. tour with The Plot In You, Invent Animate, and

Sleep Theory in support. Click here to see to see a list of dates:

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Guest
Dec 09, 2023
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

great analysis that includes reasoning behind change in musical direction

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