Confronting weighty subject matter with weighty riffs, Beartooth have become known for their refreshingly candid and cathartic approach to songwriting. A metalcore band quite unlike any other, Beartooth rose to prominence quickly with ex-Attack Attack! frontman Caleb Shomo’s distinctively nerve-hitting vocal style and unabashed lyrical prose. Of course, backed with a band mastering the rigidity and fluidity of the metalcore genre, Beartooth have been able to offer a totally new experience for the metalcore fan.
Disease catches the audience off-guard with Greatness Or Death’s mellow start and abrupt burst into life – and the unexpected is the theme of the day. Unashamed lyrics “I’m beginning to think I can’t outrun these demons, but you know what they say sickness is in season” will reacquaint the listener with previous themes explored by Beartooth. However, surprising doses of motoring verses, bell chimes, and reinforcing vocals gives an impression that Beartooth have rekindled and adapted old-school sounds - something explored less-so on a lukewarm title-track, but more so on a fist-pumping ‘Fire’, foot-tapping ‘You Never Know’ and head-banging ‘Bad Listener’. From here, the audience is unsure what to expect next. Between a Jeremy McKinnon-reminiscent ‘Afterall’, a frenzied riff bonanza ‘Manipulation’ and adrenaline-junkie ‘Enemy’ - it’s ironically not surprising that the shockingly vibrant ‘Believe’ emerges and ‘Infection’ largely follows suit – if affording of outbursts harking back to the Disgusting days. A fair share of Disease discernibly feels like intentional experimentation with mixed success, however it’s on closer ‘Clever’ where Beartooth reap the most benefit for their bravery. Uncharacteristically solemn but undeniably Shomo in “clever”, cathartic lyrical and vocal presence.
Playlist: Bad Listener; Clever
Released: October 2018, Red Bull Records