Ahead of Beartooth’s upcoming 2024 shows, Caleb Shomo joined an interview with Metal Hammer to answer some fan questions about his music. He shared his thoughts on heavy metal when someone asked what was the biggest misunderstanding about the genre:
“I think to a lot of people from the outside, it just looks like it’s one note. It’s very angry; it’s loud; it’s this really violent expression of people screaming, yelling, and turning their amps as loud as they can or whatever. But while for some people it is incredibly angry and violent, for some people it’s really therapeutic. It can be almost calming, in a way, of hearing somebody else letting that expression out that you’re feeling. I think that’s one of the things that can be pretty misconstrued.”
In October 2023, Beartooth released a new album called ‘The Surface.’ Although this new record took a more positive approach in its themes, the singer used his years of work with the band to reflect his mental and emotional struggles.
Music Is Therapy For Shomo
Starting his career with Attack Attack! at 15, Shomo released eight albums through the years. But he referred to his musical work as more like a therapy rather than a career.
Talking to Metal Hammer shortly before the release of Beartooth’s debut, ‘Disgusting,’ the vocalist revealed:
“Beartooth is more grown-up, and I now know what I want to do with my music. I don’t have any stress about whether people are going to like the record or not because I’m just writing for my own therapeutic reasons. If you don’t like it, fine; I don’t expect everyone to understand it. But it’s awesome that someone else can get it.”
The Singer’s Struggles Reflect On Beartooth’s Works
Beartooth’s later records continued to follow this idea. Their music got gradually heavier, eventually resulting in the release of 2021’s ‘Below.’
The band’s fourth album came after a period of pain and anger for Shomo, focusing on these themes in its twelve tracks. Delving into this in an interview with NME, the singer said:
“I went as real, as deep and as dark as I could go because that’s what I was feeling, but I just want it to be something we can look back on and think, ‘What an insane thing we got through as humanity.’ I want people to know it’s OK to feel pain and it’s OK to feel these emotions. That’s something I really tried to depict on this record. You’re not alone in anything, no matter how dark you think it is.”
You can check out Caleb Shomo’s recent chat here.
