Caleb Joshua Shomo (born December 1, 1992) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, and producer. He is most well known as the lead-vocalist of Beartooth, though he records all studio instrumentals for the band. He is also the former lead vocalist, keyboardist, and early backing vocalist of Attack Attack!, and the owner of Studio Records in Columbus, Ohio. Shomo joined Attack Attack! as keyboardist at 15 years old while maintaining a passion for electronic music and eventually grew into record production by 18.

Caleb Shomo
Shomo at Rock im Park 2019
Shomo at Rock im Park 2019
Background information
Birth nameCaleb Joshua Shomo
Born (1992-12-01) December 1, 1992 (age 31)
OriginColumbus, Ohio, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • musician
  • songwriter
  • producer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass
  • keyboards
  • synthesizer
  • programming
  • drums
Years active2006–present
Labels
Member ofBeartooth
Formerly ofAttack Attack!

Music career edit

Attack Attack! (2008–2012) edit

In 2008, Shomo joined Attack Attack!, an American metalcore band from Columbus, Ohio, formed in 2007 as a synth player and programmer when he was 15 and a freshman in high school. The addition of his keyboard and synth playing was influential on the band's sound. In 2008 they signed to Rise Records and released their debut album Someday Came Suddenly on November 11. It peaked on the Billboard 200 at number 193.[1]

In late 2009, they announced their self-titled album. The album was released it on June 8, 2010 and peaked at number 26 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 15,000 copies in its first week.[2] Shomo features clean vocals on tracks 1 to 5 and 17 and 18 of their deluxe release of self titled Attack Attack!.[3] In November the next year, the band announced their third album titled This Means War. It was released on January 17, 2012. It has since become the band's best charting Billboard topping album, debuting and peaking at number 9 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 17,000 copies in its first week (although the self-titled album sold more records overall). Drummer Andrew Wetzel remarked it "fell off harder than the self-titled" on Formspring[4]

Despite the band's growing success, Caleb Shomo left the band later that year due to clinical depression he had been dealing with since middle school. This had been causing him to have suicidal tendencies, and struggle with eating disorders, self-image problems and various substance abuse and addictions for the past year. Despite this, he left the band on good terms with the rest of the band supporting his decision.[5] The band itself officially disbanded in May the same year.[6]

Beartooth (2012–present) edit

 
Shomo performing with Beartooth at Reload Festival 2018

Caleb Shomo began writing Beartooth songs while he was still in Attack Attack! as "a different musical outlet". Shomo has said the band originally "started as a joke band" with members of My Ticket Home, as a way to make fun, punk-rock, hardcore, wild music, play crazy shows and have a good time without pressure from anything. He wrote and recorded everything with all the instruments and did all of the production for their music. The band was originally called Noise, but was switched to Beartooth upon realization the name was already taken.[7]

On June 7, 2013, Shomo announced that Beartooth was now signed to Red Bull Records.[8] Beartooth released their debut EP Sick for free on their website on July 26, 2013.[9] On May 13, 2014 the band's Facebook page announced the release date for their debut album, Disgusting, as June 10, 2014, along with its track listing.[10] The band released their first single of the album the same day, titled 'Beaten in Lips', along with its music video.[11] The album was available to stream online a day before its release.[12]

On June 3, 2016, Beartooth released another album titled Aggressive, with the headlining track of the album posing the same name. In an interview with Kerrang! Magazine, Shomo stated that he felt that the album had a much happier outlook than the previous album, Disgusting. That being said, he still cites that there are parts of the album that refer to the constant battle that he faces with clinical depression, and mentions that is shown in the song "Find a Way". The songs "Aggressive", "Always Dead", "Loser", and "Hated", were all released prior to the album being released.

On July 18, 2018, the songs "Infection", "Disease", and "Believe" leaked online forcing the band to reveal the name of their new album, Disease, the tracklisting and its artwork. On September 28, Beartooth released their third studio album "Disease".[13] During writing and recording the "Disease" album, a mini-series of videos about 'making of' of the album were posted on YouTube, named after one of the songs "Greatness or Death" from the third album.[14]

CLASS (2012–present) edit

Along with the announcement of Beartooth after departing from Attack Attack!, he also announced in 2012 that he started making electronic music under the name CLASS.[5] In an interview with Altpress he expressed that he had always loved electronic music and had been creating such music since before he joined Attack Attack!.[7] He self-released an EP consisting of 4 tracks on January 2, 2013.[15] Since the release the project has remained inactive, but when asked about it he responded with "...I'm ready to go full-force with that. A few of the deals we're working on are addressing the whole thing."[7]

Personal life edit

In 2012, he left Attack Attack! citing "horrible clinical depression" and revealed that he had been suicidal since middle school. Sometime that year (around April 1 according to Fleur's Instagram account), he married Fleur Shomo.[5] In 2014 when interviewed by Kerrang! he stated that thanks to the success of his musical career he is moving into a new home where he will build a new sunlit studio to record his own music and produce others.[16]

On December 10, 2020, Austrian duo CueStack released their Through the Night EP featuring David Hasselhoff's first heavy metal performance. A remix of the song, produced by Shomo was also released.[17]

Discography edit

Guest appearances edit

Song Year Artist Album
"Dead Weight" 2010 My Ticket Home The Opportunity to Be
"The Solitary Life" 2011 In Fear and Faith Symphonies
"Shadow Stalker" Legend The Pale Horse[18]
"Ascension" I Am Abomination Passion of the Heist[19]
"I Made a Song on Garage Band and All I Got Was a Lousy Record Deal" City Lights In It to Win It[20]
"Make Me Believe It" 2012 The Dead Rabbitts Edge of Reality
"With Our Friend[s] All Behind Us" Woe, Is Me Genesi[s]
"Live Fast, Die Beautiful" 2013 Escape the Fate Ungrateful
"Scheme Artist" Sylar Deadbeat[21]
"Undead Anthem" Tear Out The Heart Violence[22]
"Survive" 2015 Gideon Calloused[23]
"Ghost in the Mirror" Crossfaith Xeno[24]
"Scatter My Ashes Along the Coast or Don't" 2017 Seaway Vacation[25]
"Burn It Down" 2019 Silverstein A Beautiful Place to Drown[26]
"ACTION (with Taka Moriuchi, Tyler Carter, and Tilian Pearson)" Don Broco Action[27]
"Thicc Thiccly" Bilmuri Rich Sips[28]
"The Lottery" 2020 The Used Heartwork[29]
"Black Hole" 2021 We Came as Romans Darkbloom[30]
"Set the Room Ablaze" Can't Swim Change of Plans[31]
"Red, White & Boom" 2022 Motionless in White Scoring the End of the World[32]
"Cut the Line" (new version) 2023 Papa Roach Non-album single[33]

Production credits edit

Album title Release date Artist Label Credits
Attack Attack! (deluxe edition re-issue) June 8, 2010 Attack Attack! Rise Engineer, mastering, mixing, producer, programming[34]
The Pale Horse May 16, 2011 Legend Rise Composer, lyricist[35]
This Means War January 17, 2012 Attack Attack! Rise Engineer, mixing, producer[36]
To Create a Cure January 31, 2012 My Ticket Home Rise Engineer, mastering, mixing, producer[37]
Violence March 19, 2013 Tear Out The Heart Victory Producer[38]
Ungrateful May 14, 2013 Escape the Fate Eleven Seven Composer[39]
Sick July 26, 2013 Beartooth Red Bull Composer, producer[7]
To Whom It May Concern May 12, 2014 Sylar Razor & Tie Engineer, mastering, mixing, producer[40]
Disgusting June 10, 2014 Beartooth Red Bull Composer, engineer, mixing, producer[41]
Vans Warped Tour 2014 Compilation June 10, 2014 Various Side One Dummy Composer[42]
Shapeshifter July 1, 2014 The Dead Rabbitts Tragic Hero Composer[43]
Dead, Everywhere January 27, 2015 Tear Out The Heart Victory Composer, engineer, mixing, producer
Earthbound January 29, 2016 Bury Tomorrow Nuclear Blast Records Composer, engineer, mixing, producer[44]
Aggressive June 3, 2016 Beartooth Red Bull Composer, engineer, mixing, producer[45]
Dark Divine November 3, 2017 Like Moths to Flames Rise Mixing, mastering
Disease September 28, 2018 Beartooth Red Bull Composer, engineer, mixing, producer[46]
Below June 25, 2021 Beartooth Red Bull Composer, engineer, mixing, mastering, producer[47]

References edit

  1. ^ "Attack Attack! chart positions". Billboard.com. Billboard. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  2. ^ "Attack Attack!'s new self-titled album debuted at #26 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 15,100". Lambgoat.com. Lambgoat. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  3. ^ "Attack Attack! Interview". Shred.com. Shred. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  4. ^ "Attack Attack! New Album "This Means War" #9 on Billboard 200". Alterthepress.com. Alter The Press. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c wookubus. "Caleb Shomo Announces His Departure From Attack Attack!, Cites "Horrible Clinical Depression"". The PRP. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  6. ^ Whit, Cassie. "Attack Attack! break up". Altpress.com. Altpress. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d Pettigrew, Jason. "A different plan of attack Caleb Shlomo shows his beartooth". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  8. ^ Whitt, Cassie. "Exclusive: Beartooth sign to Red Bull Records". Alternative Press. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  9. ^ Whitt, Cassie. "Beartooth offering free 'Sick' EP download". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  10. ^ Crane, Matt. "Beartooth announce debut album, release new music video". AltPress.com. AltPress. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  11. ^ Bowar, Chad. "Beartooth To Unleash Debut Album 'Disgusting' in June, Reveal Video for 'Beaten in Lips'". Loudwire.com. Loudwire. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  12. ^ Crane, Matt. "Beartooth, 'Disgusting' album premiere". AltPress.com. AltPress. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  13. ^ "Beartooth announce release date of new album Disease + drop 2 Brand New songs". Wallofsoundau.com. July 24, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  14. ^ "Beartooth: Greatness or Death // Episode 1 - YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on November 9, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  15. ^ "Stereo Typical – EP Class". iTunes. CLASS. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  16. ^ Goodman, Eleanor (September 13, 2014). "Don't sing it for me, sing it for yourself". Kerrang. No. 1534. Kerrang!. Kerrang!. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  17. ^ brownypaul (December 10, 2020). "David Hasselhoff's Metal Song With CueStack is Out Now!". Wall Of Sound. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  18. ^ "Legend The Pale Horse". Allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  19. ^ "Passion of the Heist – EP I Am Abomination". iTunes.com. Good Fight Music. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  20. ^ "City Lights in It To Win It". Allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  21. ^ "Deadbeat Sylar". iTunes. Sylar. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  22. ^ "Violence Tear Out the Heart". iTunes.com. Victory Records. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  23. ^ Tyler, Sharp. "Gideon stream new single, "Survive" (ft. Caleb Shomo of Beartooth)". AltPress.com. Alternative Press. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  24. ^ Rob, Sayce. "Beartooth's Caleb Shomo is on the new Crossfaith track". Rocksound.tv. Rocksound. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  25. ^ Cross, Will. "HERE'S HOW BEARTOOTH'S CALEB SHOMO SANG ON A SEAWAY TRACK". Rocksound.tv. Rocksound. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  26. ^ Childers, Chad. "Silverstein Reveal 'Infinite' With Underoath's Aaron Gillespie". Loudwire. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  27. ^ "DON BROCO TEAM UP WITH BEARTOOTH, ISSUES, ONE OK ROCK AND DANCE GAVIN DANCE FOR NEW SINGLE". kerrang.com. Kerrang. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  28. ^ "CALEB SHOMO, ATTACK ATTACK! SINGER REUNITE IN THROWBACK "THIC THICCLY"". altpress.com. Altpress. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  29. ^ Smith-Engelhardt, Joe (April 23, 2020). "Hear the Used and Caleb Shomo bust a nasty breakdown on "The Lottery"". Alternative Press. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  30. ^ "We Came As Romans announce new album Darkbloom". Kerrang!. June 22, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  31. ^ "Can't Swim Have Release a Furious New Track Feeature Beartooth's Caleb Shomo". October 19, 2021.
  32. ^ "Motionless In White unleash Cyberhex from new album Scoring The End Of The World". Kerrang!. March 11, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  33. ^ "Papa Roach Debut New Version Of "Cut The Line" Featuring Beartooth's Caleb Shomo". January 26, 2023.
  34. ^ "Attack Attack! Attack Attack! [Deluxe Edition] (CD – Rise Records #138)". Allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  35. ^ "Legend The Pale Horse". Allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  36. ^ "Attack Attack! This Means War". Allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  37. ^ "My Ticket Home To Create a Cure". Allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  38. ^ Whit, Cassie. "Tear Out The Heart (Victory Records) release lyric video for "Undead Anthem" (feat. Caleb Shomo)". Altpress.com. Altpress. Retrieved June 29, 2014. he track features Caleb Shomo who also lent a hand in the production of Violence.
  39. ^ "Escape the Fate Ungrateful". Allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  40. ^ "Sylar To Whom It May Concern". AllMusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  41. ^ "Beartooth Disgusting". Allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  42. ^ "Various Artists Vans Warped Tour 2014 Compilation credits". Allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  43. ^ "The Dead Rabbitts Shapeshifter". Allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  44. ^ "HMV talks to Bury Tomorrow". hmv.com. HMV. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  45. ^ "Beartooth's Caleb Shomo Talks 'Aggressive' Album + More". Loudwire.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  46. ^ Pettigrew, Jason (July 24, 2018). "Caleb Shomo takes Beartooth into the deep dark so you don't have to". Altpress.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  47. ^ "Beartooth Below - Creditsw". Discogs. Retrieved August 18, 2021.