Beartooth have returned and they’re making a big statement with their new album Below. They’re here to bring the moshpits to 2021.
It’s been about three years since the release of their album Disease, and I was 50/50 in liking it. It had a few heavy hitters on it such as “Bad Listener” and “Used and Abused”, but that was the extent of it’s heaviness. The whole album felt very emo in lyrics and music writing, I felt sad or in a breakup that wasn’t there. It was a good album, and I know it connected with others who were going though hard times, but for me it was just too melancholy.
“Below” is definitely a 180 to that sound. This album is full octane of breakdowns and riffs. Even the slowest song on the album “ The Answer” throws in a two step breakdown, but it works incredibly well.
Kicking off with the album tilted track “Below”, a thunderous chant of drums leads in while Caleb is screaming “I feel the rage, something starting to grow” , and guitars drop in with the opening riff. This energy does not stop for the entire album. Songs such as “Devastation”, “Hell Of It”, and “ Dominate” will be mosh pit openers when played live.
And for those who love the more slow paced, radio friendly touch of Caleb, “The Past Is Dead”, “The Answer”, and “The Skin” cater to you, but as I mentioned before, those even have breakdowns as well.
The album ends beautifully and unexpectedly with “The Last Riff”, which is exactly what it is. The track is an instrumental song, no lyrics whatsoever but is actually one of my favorites on the album.
“Below” is your summer rock anthem, with each song being a radio banger.