Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo came out as a gay man via social media Saturday, with fans offering immediate support.
The Columbus metal singer wrote: "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. I am a proudly gay man."
Shomo revealed he has wrestled with this reality for years. "I spent a decade burying feelings with alcohol," he wrote, "and honestly, 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."
Shomo traced his journey back to Beartooth's early albums, which explored his religious upbringing, depression, and self-hatred. "I am grateful for all these albums, yet feel embarrassed at times that I wouldn't allow myself to really dig up the roots for so long," he said.
The band's sixth album, Pure Ecstasy, drops in August. Shomo wrote: "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. I will only do what makes me happy at the deepest level."
His wife of 14 years, Fleur Shomo, posted Saturday encouraging fans to continue supporting her husband. For more on this story, read Rolling Stone's full report.
