Below
Studio album by
Beartooth
ReleasedJune 25, 2021 (2021-06-25)
StudioCapital House Studio, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Genre
Length44:36
LabelRed Bull
Producer
Beartooth chronology
Disease
(2018)		 Below
(2021)		 The Surface
(2023)
Singles from Below
  1. "Devastation"
    Released: March 19, 2021
  2. "The Past Is Dead"
    Released: March 26, 2021
  3. "Hell of It"
    Released: April 23, 2021
  4. "Fed Up"
    Released: May 21, 2021
  5. "Skin"
    Released: June 25, 2021
Deluxe edition cover
Artwork used for the deluxe edition cover.

Below is the fourth studio album by American rock band Beartooth. The album was released on June 25, 2021, through Red Bull Records. It was produced by Caleb Shomo and Oshie Bichar.[3][4] A deluxe edition of Below was released on March 18, 2022, with an additional 20 tracks.[5]

Background and promotion

On June 23, 2020, Shomo said that the band's fourth album, which he referred to as "LP4", was being recorded at Capital House Studio in Ohio. On December 8, Shomo stated on a Twitch stream in that he was "aiming for an album release by spring 2021" and that singles would "definitely" be released before then.[6] On March 19, 2021, the band surprise released a new song called "Devastation" which saw their sound deviate from their metalcore roots, in favour of a hard rock/heavy metal feel.[7][8]

On March 26, a week after the release of "Devastation", the band released the second single "The Past Is Dead" along with a corresponding music video. At the same time, the band announced the album itself, the album cover, the track list, and release date.[9][10] On April 23, the band released the third single "Hell of It".[11][12] On May 21, two weeks before the album release, the band unveiled the fourth single "Fed Up" which frontman Caleb Shomo revealed "was written mid lockdown" in 2020 during, and about the COVID-19 lockdowns.[13][14] On June 25, the album's release date, the band debuted the fifth single "Skin" along with an accompanying music video.[15][16]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic88/100[17]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[18]
Clash8/10[19]
Dead Press!9/10[20]
Distorted Sound9/10[2]
Kerrang![21]
Louder Sound[22]
New Noise[23]
Rock Sins9/10[24]
Wall of Sound10/10[1]

The album received critical acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 88 out of 100 based on 4 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[17] AllMusic gave the album a positive review but saying, "Combining those catchy flourishes with the band's trademark heaviness creates a great balance, and Below winds up being one of Beartooth's most enjoyable and immediate releases to date."[18] Clash was positive towards the release stating, "Unapologetically heavy, with some spell-binding riffs and addictive hooks, Below takes us across twelve gritty tunes all reflective of the turbulence of fourteen months spent in isolation."[19] Dead Press! rated the album positively, stating: "After three records of refining their hard rock driven metalcore, Caleb Shomo and co. have returned with Below. Displaying a confidence and an aptitude for mixing in various influences, Below sees Beartooth yet again deliver a collection of consistent, passionate, and at times surprising set of tracks."[20] Distorted Sound scored the album 9 out of 10 and said: "Below is a true tour de force for BEARTOOTH. While the album isn't perfect in that one or two tracks are interchangeable, we let it slide. Below drains us of our negativity and leaves us feeling spent in the best possible way. The one thing we lack now is a live arena where we purge ourselves to the sound of madness."[2]

Kerrang! gave the album 4 out of 5 and considered the release to be "The proof that Caleb Shomo is one of his generation's most remarkable songwriters: the deeper he dives, the higher Beartooth climb."[21] Louder Sound gave the album a positive review and stated that "Below is the kind of album we can all believe in."[22] Caleb R. Newton from New Noise praised the album saying, "On Below, Beartooth sound like they'd fit well anywhere from a festival-size setting to a cramped rock club, as their energy alone seems poised to provide a compelling hook for observers."[23] Simon Crampton of Rock Sins rated the album 9 out of 10 and said: "With Below it feels like they have made an album that showcases everything that made them such a great band in the first place, but it also feels like a love letter to their fans and the struggles they have battled and overcome together. It's a highly potent, powerful and ultimately uplifting album that will leave you wanting to hit the repeat button over and over again."[24] Wall of Sound gave the album a perfect score 10/10 and saying: "And that brings us to the end of Beartooth's new opus Below. It's safe to say it sounds like Caleb is no longer trying to chase the metalcore sound that made Tooth a household name, instead, he's venturing into heavy metal/hard rock territory, showcasing a talent that's just dying to be heard by a vast array of heavy music fans who are yet to discover them. It seriously won't be long before these guys are playing with the big boys of metal and as a long term fan, I'm so bloody proud!"[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Caleb Shomo

Below track listing[25]
No.TitleLength
1."Below"3:49
2."Devastation"3:41
3."The Past Is Dead"3:35
4."Fed Up"3:21
5."Dominate"3:37
6."No Return"3:49
7."Phantom Pain"3:51
8."Skin"3:18
9."Hell of It"3:23
10."I Won't Give It Up"3:46
11."The Answer"3:39
12."The Last Riff"4:41
Total length:44:36
Deluxe edition bonus tracks[5]
No.TitleLength
13."Skin" (alternate universe edition)3:42
14."Fighting Back"3:21
15."Permanently Sealed"3:08
16."Below" (live from the Journey Below)4:32
17."Devastation" (live from the Journey Below)3:39
18."Hated" (live from the Journey Below)3:51
19."Sick of Me" (live from the Journey Below)3:14
20."Fed Up" (live from the Journey Below)3:48
21."Dominate" (live from the Journey Below)3:55
22."The Lines" (live from the Journey Below)3:46
23."Beaten in Lips" (live from the Journey Below)3:50
24."Body Bag" (live from the Journey Below)3:50
25."Hell of It" (live from the Journey Below)3:42
26."Skin" (live from the Journey Below)3:31
27."You Never Know" (live from the Journey Below)3:44
28."Bad Listener" (live from the Journey Below)3:54
29."Disease" (live from the Journey Below)3:44
30."In Between" (live from the Journey Below)3:39
31."The Past Is Dead" (live from the Journey Below)4:10
32."The Last Riff" (live from the Journey Below)6:51
Total length:122:00

Personnel

Credits adapted from Discogs.[26]

Beartooth

  • Caleb Shomo – lead vocals, engineering, mixing, mastering, production
  • Zach Huston – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Will Deely – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Oshie Bichar – bass, backing vocals, production
  • Connor Denis – drums, backing vocals

Additional personnel

  • Nick Ingram – engineering
  • Brandon Rike – art direction, creative direction
  • Tnsn Dvsn – creative direction, design
  • Joel Cook – creative direction
  • Dedy Badic Art – illustration
  • Caleb Davis and Nathaniel Utesch – art direction

Charts

Chart (2021) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[27] 42
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[28] 18
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[29] 100
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[30] 10
Scottish Albums (OCC)[31] 16
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[32] 36
UK Albums (OCC)[33] 39
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[34] 3
US Billboard 200[35] 30
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[36] 2
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[37] 2
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[38] 4

References

  1. 1 2 3 Brown, Paul (June 20, 2021). "Beartooth – Below (Album Review)". Wall of Sound. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Brown, Tasha (June 24, 2021). "ALBUM REVIEW: Below – Beartooth". Distorted Sound Mag. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Beartooth announce new album 'Below', share new single". NME. March 26, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Beartooth announce fourth album Below; unleash new single/video, The Past Is Dead". Kerrang!. March 26, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Beartooth Debut Below (Deluxe) with Two New Songs + Alternate Universe Version of 'Skin' & More!". Wall of Sound. March 18, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Caleb Shomo Teases A Heavy Snippet Of New Beartooth Music". Kerrang!. June 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Beartooth return with heavy-hitting new single "Devastation"—listen". AltPress. March 19, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  8. ↑ "OMFG!!! Beartooth Unleash Surprise Song 'Devastation'". Wall of Sound. March 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Beartooth Have Announced The Details Of Their Brand New Album 'Below'". Rock Sound. March 26, 2021. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Beartooth Drop Anthemic 'The Past Is Dead' + Announce Fourth Album 'Below'". Loudwire. March 26, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Beartooth Unveil Another HEAVY Belter Titled 'Hell of It'". Wall of Sound. April 23, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Beartooth share anguished new single 'Hell Of It'". NME. April 23, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Listen To New BEARTOOTH Song 'Fed Up'". Blabbermouth.net. May 21, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Beartooth are Fed Up with everything on new single". Kerrang!. May 21, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  15. ↑ "BEARTOOTH Releases Music Video For New Song 'Skin'". Blabbermouth.net. June 25, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Beartooth Celebrate Below's Release with New Single 'Skin'". Wall of Sound. June 25, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  17. 1 2 "'Below' on Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  18. 1 2 Z. Yeung, Neil. "Beartooth Below". AllMusic. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  19. 1 2 Thomas Laviea (June 28, 2021). "Beartooth - Below". Clash. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  20. 1 2 Taylor, Damon (June 27, 2021). "ALBUM REVIEW: Beartooth – Below". Dead Press!. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  21. 1 2 Law, Sam (June 25, 2021). "Album review: Beartooth – Below". Kerrang!. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  22. 1 2 Leivers, Dannii (June 21, 2021). "Beartooth's Below: gnarly noise meets life-affirming anthems". Louder Sound. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  23. 1 2 R. Newton, Caleb (June 22, 2021). "Album Review: Beartooth – Below". New Noise. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  24. 1 2 Crampton, Simon (June 23, 2021). "Beartooth – Below". Rock Sins. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Below by Beartooth". Apple Music. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Beartooth Below". Discogs. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  27. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. July 5, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Beartooth – Below" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  29. ↑ "Beartooth Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  30. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Beartooth – Below" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  32. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Beartooth – Below". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  33. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  34. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Beartooth Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Beartooth Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  37. ↑ "Beartooth Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  38. ↑ "Beartooth Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.