Review by Daniel for Moon Tooth - Phototroph (2022)

I wasn't aware of New York progressive metal outfit Moon Tooth prior to Saxy nominating "Phototroph" for The Gateway feature release status this month but it's been a pleasant surprise for me as I've found them to be a capable & classy metal outfit. I'd suggest that they're probably more of a progressive metal band than an alternative metal one & "Phototroph" might have been a slightly better fit for The Infinite but there can be no denying Moon Tooth's alternative edge, particularly in the vocals of John Carbone who sounds very much like Sevendust front man Lajon Witherspoon to me. There's a strong Mastodon influence here with many of the riff structures being quite complex but there are also some tracks that take a more accessible alternative route. I particularly enjoy the lead guitar work of Riot V axe man Nick Lee who showcases a clear Eric Johnson influence in his fluent & speedy runs. The only track I didn't enjoy was the lightweight "Carry Me Home" but this was easily compensated for by the stunning progressive metal highlight track "O My Isle" which is a couple of steps up from the rest of the material (& is apparently the least popular track on the album according to RYM). Fans of fairly melodic & accessible yet structurally ambitious metal are unlikely to be disappointed with a record like "Phototroph".