Disgusting (album)

Disgusting
Studio album by Beartooth
Released	June 10, 2014
Genre	Hardcore punk, metalcore
Length	42:25
Label	Red Bull Records
Producer	Caleb Shomo, John Feldmann
Beartooth chronology
Sick (2013) Disgusting (2014)
Singles from Disgusting
"Beaten in Lips" Released: May 13, 2014

Disgusting is the debut album by American hardcore punk band Beartooth. It was released on June 10, 2014. The single "Beaten in Lips" was released on May 13, 2014 along with the pre-order for the album.

Background

This album was released a year after the bands debut EP Sick was released. Before the announcement, the band toured with metalcore band Of Mice & Men in the UK, and also played a headline show in London on April 17, 2014.^[1] The album was announced by the band a month prior to its release on May 13 and stated that the album would be released on June 10 through Red Bull Records.^[2]

Composition

In an interview with the lead singer Shomo, he explained that the album was written to "...get my head on straight. I’m not trying to write songs to change the world," and went on to say that "This band is just me being honest with myself. I put in a whole lot of effort and time and more honesty and emotion than I’ve ever put into a record. I’m super-excited for people to hear that and for people to understand where I’ve been in the last year."^[3] He also continued to say that he was writing these lyrics while he was in a miserable state during his time with his former band Attack Attack! and that Beartooth was his means of escapism and therapy.^[3]

The lyrics themselves seek to convey strong messages: "Beaten in Lips" for example tackles the topic of child abuse, encouraging victims to “keep living loud and proud”, while "Relapsing" and "I Have a Problem" deal with alcoholism, an issue Shomo has publicly commented on before.^[4]

Release and promotion

The first new track to be heard from the album was 'Dead' on April 30 as it was released with a live music video.^[5] As the band announced the album on May 13, the band also released a music video for the albums first official single 'Beaten in Lips', which was also released on that day, along with the album made available for pre-orders.^[2][6] The single was featured in an article by Altpress titled '2 Songs You Need To Hear Before May 2014 Ends', promoting the band and the album.^[7] After the announcement, they started to stream each individual song on YouTube in order to promote the albums final release, with the entire album available by June 9, a day before the albums release.^[8] RollingStone issued out an online article titled '10 New Artists You Need to Know: June 2014', of which Beartooth where mentioned with a statement saying; "Their debut full-length, Disgusting, follows a 2013 EP, Sick, and tours with August Burns Red and The Word Alive, and captures Shomo's knack for incisive, depressive lyrics with matchstick-thin silver linings."^[9] The final video released from the album was for the song "Body Bag" in celebration for 2015.^[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Altpress.com	[4]
HM magazine	[11]
Rocksound	8/10[12]
Ultimate Guitar	5/10[13]

The album was met with a positive response from critics. Scott Heisel from Altpress stated that the bands sound is nothing like Shomo's previous band Attack Attack!; instead of a metalcore influence, the band appear to have a more hardcore punk influence, which shows on this album, stating it was a mixture of sounds from bands A Day to Remember and Every Time I Die. The album is praised for having double-time passages, straightforward verses and plenty of breakdowns.^[4]

Justin Mabee of HM magazine expressed that the intensity of this album surpasses that from their EP, stating that "...even “I Have a Problem,” with the double kick furious in your ears, is tighter than before.", labeling the album having a mixture of thrash and hardcore music and praising Shomo's ability to create catchy chorus', great guitar riffs and how deep and meaningful the lyrics are.^[11] Rocksound reviewer David McLaughlin applauded Shomo's instinctive and not stylised screams and complimented the lyrics, stating that they "...are like bloodstained diary entries." and went on to say that it was Shomo's best work he has ever created so far.^[12]

The Review from Ultimate Guitar has so far given the album its lowest rating of 5/10, expressing that despite it avoiding the overly-chuggy riffs and throwing away the cheesy synths that Attack Attack! used, it still isn't all that different as it sticks to a metalcore formula, although further expressing that is certainly is better in comparison.^[13]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Caleb Shomo except where noted.^[14]

^ I "I Have a Problem" was rerecorded from Beartooth's EP Sick, released one year prior.

Personnel

Charts

Release history

References