Album Review
Beartooth - The Surface
If 'Below' was Caleb Shomo's death notes from rock bottom, 'The Surface' are his postcards from recovery.
When Beartooth booted us in the face with the unapologetically heavy, arena-invading 'Below' during a pandemic, it was like the world was their oyster. Built on vocalist Caleb Shomo confronting his demons during his basement sessions, 'Below' was an introspective exorcism we all needed.
Its follow-up 'The Surface' shoots for stadiums, and while it's ready-for-the-radio synths and sing-along choruses are bigger than ever, it sounds like Beartooth are too afraid to swim out the shallow end.
'The Surface' starts strong, suggesting it's the WrestleMania 3 of 'Below': 'bigger, better, badder!', 'Riptide' and 'Doubt Me' are undeniable bangers, anthemic sing-alongs shifting effortlessly into crushing, crunching riffs that slam so hard, they might as well shout "finish them!" But the Hardy-featuring, country-core of 'The Better Me', and the sold-out, sun-soaked, radio-rock of 'Might Love Myself' drop the ball. Later on, closer 'I Was Alive' sounds like State Champs stole Caleb Shomo's car and took it for a ride.
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