Est.1987 went to check them out at Manchester Ritz. Click below to read our review…
It may be Beartooth’s first
outing in the UK and they may be the first band on the bill this evening, but
the Ohio quintet’s set certainly makes its mark. ‘Set Me On Fire’ is the
perfect opener; its slow musing beginnings make way for front-man Caleb Shomo’s
dominant and aggressive vocals which set the stage alight. A burst of energy,
unclean screaming vocals are effortlessly blended with a high octane soaring
chorus, culminating in a huge instrumental breakdown and a screaming finale. It’s
only the first song of the night and already the crowd is electric.
Shomo is a dominant force on stage – the audience aren’t getting off
lightly and nor would they want to, it would seem. Circle pits reign supreme as
the bustling crowd through themselves into the metalcore five-piece’s set.
Highlight of the show comes in the form of ‘Pick Your Poison’ taken from Beartooth’s debut EP, ‘Sick’. Anthemic
and building, ‘Pick Your Poison’ is unrelenting; “I’m not useless, I’m just the
King of excuses” echoes Shomo over and over. A catchy refrain set against
gritty unclean vocals, the track is epic amongst the grandeur of Manchester
Ritz.
Shomo seems reinvigorated since his days in Attack Attack! and although Beartooth
aren’t as polished in their performance as some of the other bands on the
bill , they’re just as captivating to watch. Raw and electric, their
performance is all consuming and they confidently hold the room. Their set may
only be short but it gets the night off perfectly to a flying start. Vocally
Shomo is on point and dominates the stage, whilst the rest of the band are
stellar in performance. ‘I Have A Problem’ closes Beartooth’s first jaunt on UK shores. Like the rest of the set it
is fast paced, thrashing and a fine balance between the melodic and scream. Kamron
Bradbury even takes this opportunity to venture out and throw himself amongst
the front few rows. Beartooth have
certainly stamped their mark on the UK live scene, and with an album in June
they are definitely ones to watch. We have a feeling it won’t be long until they’re
on a debut headline UK tour, and we can’t wait. 8/10
