Beartooth Signal Departure from Depressive Themes with New Track ‘Riptide’
Hot diggity dog this is totally unexpected, but Beartooth have just released a brand new song that isn’t connected to their masterpiece 2021 album Below, or its Deluxe Edition which was released back in March. No, this is a brand new song and video with an empowering message of hope and letting go of the past in order to welcome the newfound positivity that follows an intense struggle.
For those unfamiliar with the Beartooth/Caleb Shomo journey (listen to our Up Against The Wall podcast for a thorough version) – but for the time poor, let’s see if I can wrap it up in one paragraph.
Caleb, the mastermind behind the band’s music and lyrical messaging has openly shared his struggles with mental health and depression through this project, which dates back to the debut Sick EP in 2013, and later lead to inspirations behind both the Disgusting (2014) and Aggressive (2016) albums. The raw and confronting emotions shared in songs like ‘In Between‘, ‘I Have A Problem‘, ‘Sick of Me‘ and ‘Sick and Disgusting‘ painted a harrowing picture of a man on the verge of giving up, with his last ditch efforts resulting in creating music to vent his frustrations and find solace in others going through similar battles. On 2018‘s Disease, Caleb came to terms with his illness and vowed to push through the pain to make it out the other side alive, then on Below, he referenced no longer dwelling on past grievances, reaffirming and continuing the journey of his rebirth as a new and improved version of himself.
That journey has now lead to Shomo living a sober lifestyle, looking after his body/mind (FYI he’s looking like such a RIG these days too) and evidence of that is witnessed in Beartooth‘s new track and corresponding video for ‘Riptide‘ – out today – which marks the dawn of a new era for the Tooth and a new purpose in life for the man behind the music. Shomo proudly belts out the lines ‘I’m done explaining my pain, this is way too much/I wanna feel euphoria/give me the rush/cuz it’s the last time that I romanticised/the riptide that’s trying to drown me’ during the melodic chorus and you can hear how much he’s grown from that first initial release with this band. He continues with ‘threw out excuses for way too long/don’t want to sing another hopeless song’ and if that doesn’t make you understand how far he’s come and how he’s never going back to that time, then you’re not paying close enough attention. As a fan (and someone who bounced back from their own struggles through Beartooth‘s back catalogue), I cannot commend Shomo enough for regaining control of his life.
“Riptide is about trying to start a new chapter in life and trying to stop focusing on all of the negative things that have been surrounding my life for quite some time and me focusing on being healthier, happier, and having a better time with my life,” explains frontman Caleb Shomo.
In terms of sound, the song throws back to the radio/rock vibes of the Disease era, while still touching on the hard rock elements that made Below a huge standout (and my own personal album of the year last year). Super fans in particular can hear a nod to ‘The Answer‘ in the song’s structure amongst the chuggy riffs, harmonic pinching, and thumping drums.
Caleb’s mentioned in interviews that the new Beartooth album is done, and he’s also hinted on his socials that the new era has begun (with a new colour scheme it seems too) so it’s only a matter of time before all of that info get released upon the world. Until then, savour the moment and sink into this brand new, empowering anthem that’ll certainly get you stoked on living life to its fullest again.
Words by Paul ‘Browny’ Brown @brownypaul
Stream ‘Riptide‘ here
