Toronto Music Scene

By: TJ Liebgott
March 05, 2009

Toronto prog rock/metal band Braintoy's debut LP Vehicles is part hypnotic, intense, eerie, heavy and hauntingly beautiful.  Fans of the band looking forward to a follow-up to 2005's Tremors EP will not be disappointed.

Scanning through a few songs, comparisons will be drawn between Braintoy’s sound and Tool, especially since Vehicles was mixed by Evil Joe Barresi who engineered Tool’s 10,000 Days.  After a full listen to the album, it becomes clear that Braintoy sometimes borrows, but in the end creates their own sound outside of their influences.  As they continue to grow and mature, expect them to really encapsulate their own sound on albums to come.

Songs like "Computational Symptoms," "The Projectionist" and “Charles Justice (The Balled Of....)" really standout on Vehicles.  If you like one of the songs, odds are you're going to love the whole album.  The only downfall (and perhaps downfall is too harsh a word) is with lead singer Tristan Green.  While Tristan has a great voice, it mostly has a high whimsical, eerie feel to it, which doesn't always seem to work on all the tracks.  From time to time it would be great if he would give it a more low, throaty tone.  Regardless, this doesn't distract from a truly solid album.

To check out Braintoy visit: www.braintoy.net.

TTTT (Out of 5)

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