Beartooth was founded in the year of our lord known as 2012 by former revered two-tone ska act Attack Attack!’s multi-instrumentalist Caleb Joshua Shomo and ensured that the cesspool of Columbus, Ohio isn’t just going to be known for a sub-par university. Beartooth actually has two more full-length studio albums than Attack Attack! and thus wins the screamo/metalcore arms race war because more is always better. We objectively and subjectively ranked all five Beartooth albums perfectly from worst to best below, and we know, we know, Oi! Superstar act Section 5 deserves a piece here so much more than caniform dentists do, actually they most certainly don’t.
5. Aggressive (2016)
Weezer’s “Pinkerton” is the blueprint for the ultimate sophomore full-length album, and sadly “Aggressive” just isn’t. However, it was sort of doomed to be almost hated from the start as Beartooth’s debut album “Disgusting” was beyond difficult to follow, and that’s putting it mildly. To put it aggressively in all caps: DISGUSTING WAS BEYOND DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW! Honestly, however you want it said, Beartooth has no bad albums, and this shouldn’t make you sick of the band. Maybe Caleb, who recorded ALL of the instruments on this record and its predecessor, should’ve taken more time here, unintentionally making the process less aggressive, but far more succinct and deliberate. Happily, Beartooth’s follow up records were all solid in every manner that matters.
Play it again: “Sick of Me”
Skip it: “However You Want It Said”
4. The Surface (2023)
Does the word “the” count as a word? We mean, if we’re alphabetizing THE Beatles, it goes under “B,” right? Don’t look the other way about this issue and leave your thoughts in the comments. Seriously! Anyway, we are concerned about Beartooth breaking THE cycle by having three letters before a singular word. Regarding “The Surface,” Beartooth’s most recent record as of now is as pop as they’ve ever been and that’s not a bad thing, despite what you all think of Metallica’s “Load” and “Reload,” and Caleb Shomo’s new positive outlook, newly toned bod, knack for writing incredible melodies, and many shirtless pics from live shows and beyond all ensure that his new reality doesn’t attack a snack. Also, a Hardy feature is a badass move from a scene band and this is the last time we will romanticize said utilization.
Play it again: “Riptide”
Skip it: “My New Reality”
3. Disease (2018)
Beartooth’s third studio LP “Disease” features their coolest sans hyperbole actual album cover by Nicole Valentina Angel, and yes that is the actual name of the artist unless it’s a nickname, a return to form vibe that destroys its predecessor, twelve extremely solid tracks, and is the act’s first recording with other band members not named Caleb Shomo on it: Zach “Angelica” Huston on guitar, Connor “Clarence” Thomas on drums, Oshie “Cool Name Unless It’s A Nickname But It’s Still Cool To Say Out Loud Just Try It” Bichar on bass, and Kamron “Ray” Bradbury on guitar. Eventually, Kamron left the band and was replaced by Will “Will Deely” Deely of Heavy Things/Light Containers on rhythm guitar; if you don’t memorize all of these individual names you’re a real bad listener.
Play it again: “Greatness or Death”
Skip it: “Believe”
2. Below (2021)
Now we’re at the silver medal winning and runner-up section verbalizing our unbiased love for “Below,” Beartooth’s second-best and fourth LP, and without question their most superior effort since their strong AF debut. This record may be the band’s heaviest from front to back, which makes sense in that it’s the band’s first post-Covid release. Lockdown changed a lot of peoples’ perspectives on life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and general socialization, and the album’s title/opening track “Below” set the tone for its eleven subsequent ones and justified its metal as metal can be, unless we are discussing specific rocks from our eighth grade Earth Science class taught by Mr. Wertovich album cover. Critics from inferior publications lauded “Below,” and reviews for such were more favorable than most bands in the scene.
Play it again: “Devastation”
Skip it: “I Won’t Give It Up”
1. Disgusting (2014)
Wanna know what isn’t disgusting in any way, shape, form, or shmegegge? Obviously, it’s Alex Ploegsma’s extensive t-shirt collection featuring late ‘90s/early aughts yelling and screaming acts with cool yet faded in the most epically vintage in the best way designs. Anyway, we’re at the end here, so let’s go back to the beginning and say one truly kind and truthful thing about Beartooth’s debut LP “Disgusting”: There are no “skip it” tracks here. None. Zilch. Zero. Nein. They say a band or artist has their whole life to make their first album, and in a unique twist, this record was created by an artist moonlighting as an actual band. In closing, if you want to cry in a similar fashion as you likely did Korn’s self-titled debut album closer “Daddy,” check out the final track “Sick and Disgusting”.
Play it again: Eating healthy
Skip it: Not showering