David Draiman Weighs in on Beartooth Backlash, Fronz Apologizes for Controversial Comment

Disturbed frontman David Draiman voiced his support for Beartooth's Caleb Shomo following the mixed reactions to the band's new single, "Free," while Attila's Chris Fronzak apologized for making homophobic remarks at Shomo's expense.

Beartooth released "Free" last Friday (Feb. 27), marking their first release on Fearless Records after more than a decade on Red Bull Records. The song's poppy sound, coupled with Shomo's glammy aesthetic in the video (including eye makeup, nail polish, glittery crop tops and a fur coat), divided listeners on social media.

Watch Beartooth's 'Free' Video

Shortly after the song's release, Shomo deleted his personal Instagram account. It's unclear if the deletion was related to the feedback on "Free."

Nevertheless, Draiman praised Shomo for his self-expression and likened the singer to some of rock's most iconic performers.

What Did David Draiman Say About Caleb Shomo?

"Some of the greatest frontmen of all time have never held anything back, fully embracing their own aspects of flamboyance and expressing themselves as powerfully as they knew how," Draiman wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"Bowie, Mercury and so many others, took rock to a level only few dared to go, and did it with power, class and grace. I have watched Caleb Shlomo, the singer of Beartooth, become one of the most formidable young frontmen in rock. The song is great, the video is great, and the band is firing on all cylinders."

Draiman concluded: "Bowie, Mercury and so many others, including yours truly, are PROUD OF YOU."

Fronz Says His Homophobic Remark Was 'Not a Jab at Gay People'

Fronz, meanwhile, walked back his earlier comments about "Free," including a since-deleted X post where he wrote, "Looks like Caleb Shomo dropped the 'S.'"

"I would like to formally apologize for my tweet about Caleb Shomo," Fronz wrote on Tuesday (March 3). "I meant it as a joke, but it didn't come across that way. I don't know what he's going through at the moment, but I wish him the best. The world has too much hate [right now] & I don't want to add any fuel to that fire."

Fronz continued: "People will probably twist this into more negativity, but I am being honest. I meant it as a joke, not a jab at gay people. I personally thought it was lighthearted but I suppose that's subjective. ... From my perspective - I get death threats daily for over a decade. People call me horrific things & make up terrible stories. Horrible stuff every day. My perspective is skewed, the internet has desensitized me so I thought it was a 1/10 light joke."

The singer ended his thread with the following: "The reality is, people are struggling in their own ways, and jokes are subjective. You never know what someone is going through. Therefore, I am sorry, and I will work towards thinking about things deeper before I just word-vomit shit into this bird app. Love yall."

As of this writing, Fronz has not deleted his reply to a critic of his original Shomo post that includes a photo with the text "Be quiet little gay f----t slave."

See Caleb Shomo on Loudwire's list of the best clean singers in metalcore: