Moon Tooth - Crux
1 - WHO ARE MOON TOOTH
From Long Island, New York, Moon Tooth are John Carbone on vocals, Nick Lee on guitars, Ray Marte on drums and Vincent Romanelli on bass. Their debut album was the tongue twisting Chromaparagon released in 2016. It had some really great moments led by the opening track Queen Wolf and the twin Vesuvius tracks, however it had more filler than killer.
2 - PRODUCTION
It has improved ten fold; Chromaparagon was a little flat and low fi, however this one is fat, and it packs muscle when it needs to. There are some very nice touches, and there is a lovely depth to the mix. You can hear a lot is going on, and every instrument is clear, but recorded with just enough edge.
3 - IS IT BETTER THAN CHROMAPARAGON?
Yes, the songwriting, the sound of it, the performances and the mood is a huge step up in quality. It is clear that the band have gone away and looked at what they are good at, and what worked on their debut and eliminated what did not. That is the sign of a smart band.
4 - DETAILS:
11 tracks at 44 minutes.
Produced by Ray Marte and Moon Tooth.
Pre-production by Mark Morton (Lamb of God) and Machine.
5 - CRUX:
Is defined as the most difficult or decisive point of an issue. This leads the reader and listener to believe that there was perhaps a fork in the road type moment for Moon Tooth during the period after their debut. They had to make a decision, and they have made the right decision.
6 - BUT IS IT GOOD ENOUGH?
Crux is not a perfect album. I still think they can become more consistent and they have a much better album in them. I think that they need to look at their strengths, and I think that they sound better, and the songs work better when they drop the pace back into 4/4. They have so much talent that it gets a little lost when they rock out at speed. That being said, at August, Crux is comfortably in my Rolling Top Ten of 2019 as it is the best alternative rock album of this type to come out this year.
7 - HIGHLIGHTS
Trust opens with a chugging driving riff that doesn’t leave much in reserve. I really like the bell that rings at the twelve second mark. It is a sign to let the wolves in. The song has catchy vocals, and it moves with vigour and energy. “Don’t sleep on that dream” sings John. It is a very good opening track that definitely sets the scene. Omega Days has a bit more of a swing to it, with more space rhythmically. “Vermin you’ll get none,” sings John. There is a fantastic kick to the drums on this track that moves the verses along very nicely. Through Ash has some lovely guitar flourishes and touches to open and a gritty bass rumbling beneath. Rhythm and Roar gets nice and heavy at times. There is a great Soundgarden/Thayil riff that forms the basis for most of the song.
8 - WEAKNESS
Musketeers: when it picks up the pace it does get a little Love Grenades ere Incubus though - which is not a glorious thing. And the “Motherfucker, we got your number” line is a little on the nose. They can be better than that. Could have left this one out I think. Awe at All Angles is not a great song either; the vocals on that one are actually quite annoying.
9 - SUMMARY
What I like about this band, and this album, is that they mean it. Moon Tooth do not phone it in like so many others in this genre. They have a lot of talent as musicians and as songwriters and they use it in the right way. There is nothing here overly innovative, but it is great alternative heavy rock that borders on metal. This is definitely worth checking out for listeners that enjoy bands such as Rishloo, Incubus, Audioslave, Chevelle, Cog and Fair to Midland.
10 - CLIP