Beartooth Frontman Caleb Shomo Comes Out as Gay Ahead of Band’s New Album Release

Caleb Shomo, the frontman of Beartooth, has come out as gay, sharing a personal statement about his sexuality, sobriety, and years of internal struggle as the band prepares to release its sixth studio album.

The singer announced the news in a social media statement over the weekend, saying he wanted to address speculation surrounding his personal life before it affected those close to him. “There’s been a lot of speculation surrounding my personal life as of late, and I feel compelled to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further,” Shomo wrote. “I am a proudly gay man.”

Shomo said coming to terms with his sexuality has been a long and difficult personal process. “This is something I’ve been unpacking and reckoning with in my life for quite some time now,” he wrote. “It’s been difficult to navigate the feelings surrounding the subject and figure out what to do with this fact.”

The announcement adds new context to a body of work that has long centered on depression, addiction, anger, and self-destruction. Since launching Beartooth in 2012 following his exit from post-hardcore band Attack Attack!, Shomo has positioned the project as an intensely personal creative outlet, often writing about mental health struggles, religious trauma, and substance abuse.

In his statement, the musician referenced the band’s earlier catalog directly, describing the first several Beartooth albums as deeply self-critical reflections of where he was emotionally at the time.

“I have always strived to chase who I am in the deepest part of my soul from album to album,” he wrote. “As you could gather if you’ve followed the band at all in the earlier years, there are four very self-deprecating albums about exploring my religious upbringing, depression, self-hatred, self-loathing, and hopelessness.”

He added that while he remains grateful for that music, he now looks back with some frustration that he avoided confronting deeper issues for so long.

Shomo also revealed that alcohol played a major role in suppressing those feelings. “I spent a decade burying feelings with alcohol,” he wrote, explaining that getting sober and examining the emotional roots behind his struggles ultimately helped him understand his sexuality more clearly. “When I decided to put it down and focus on exploring why I felt this way for so long, it’s been a direct path to me reconciling with my sexuality in hopes that it will eventually lead me to experiencing self-love.”

The timing of the announcement comes just months before Beartooth’s next album, Pure Ecstasy, arrives in August. Shomo suggested the record reflects a different creative approach than previous releases, shaped by a commitment to honesty rather than emotional suppression.

“One thing I decided before I wrote a single note or lyric of the upcoming album is that whatever happens, I will express myself wholeheartedly and fully,” he wrote. “Wherever it takes me I will follow and I refuse to water any part of it down, from the music, to the lyrical content, and the way I portray myself.”

The personal announcement was followed by a statement from Fleur Shomo, Caleb’s wife of nearly 14 years, who confirmed the end of their marriage while expressing public support for him. “I will always want to love, protect and support Caleb,” she wrote. “I have cared more about his well-being over the years than anything else in the world.”

Fleur described their marriage as meaningful and deeply personal, while acknowledging its conclusion. “Our nearly 14 years of marriage was wonderful and full of so much fun, adventure & love,” she wrote. “Nobody will know anything about our marriage like we do. And no one can ever truly know what depths of love exist between two people unless they are those people.” She added, “I already miss it & my husband more than anything. Our story was a good one. And now it is done.”

Beartooth emerged in the 2010s as one of the defining names in modern metalcore, with albums including Disgusting, AggressiveDiseaseBelow, and The Surface. Initially conceived by Shomo as a solo project before evolving into a full touring band, Beartooth built a devoted following through emotionally direct songwriting and relentless touring, becoming a staple of rock and heavy music festival circuits.