ToyMachine!, a four-piece rap-rock outfit based in Clifton, New Jersey, blends grunge aesthetics, punk attitude, and the swagger of old-school hip-hop.
Founding members Ryan Lamon (guitarist) and Mikey O’Connor (bassist) formed ToyMachine! (then Blue Lizard) on July 30, 2019. On the same day, Ray Bentley joined to become the band's official vocalist. Greg Alders (drummer) filled in during this time, officially joining the ranks two weeks later.
"We just knew this was the move. Have you seen Ray?! His superstar potential is undeniable. We also knew Greg for years with his old band ‘The Cause and the Cure’ and he's always been an insane drummer. We had to have him."
Ryan Lamon, Mikey O’Connor, and Josh Lang formed the band Blue Lizard in August 2014, playing a traditional grunge sound. The band would see line-up changes for the next five years until rapper Ray Bentley expressed interest in becoming the band's lead vocalist, playing live for the band in various shows during the summer of 2019. Bentley’s intense rapping complimented the band’s instrumental stylings.
Months later, on February 22, 2020, the four-piece would officially become ToyMachine!, releasing their first official single, Flatline, to major streaming platforms.
"Writing that first single was an amazing experience. It literally was a song that Mikey has been jamming on since 2017, and it didn't come to fruition until we were jamming it one night, and Ray free-styled the whole thing."
With similar sound and look stylings, ToyMachine! will be very familiar to fans of nu-metal veterans such as System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine, and Limp Bizkit.
ToyMachine!’s influences also bleed into the world of ’70s punk, with bands such as the Ramones, Sex Pistols, and The Clash.
Big-name bands such as Nirvana, Van Halen, and the Beastie Boys also hugely influenced ToyMachine! and the various production styles of 90s Hip-Hop acts such as LL Cool J, Eminem, and Lil Wayne.
Following the formation and release of the band’s first single, ToyMachine! took the time of COVID-19 reign to record and release various singles over the next two years.
The songs Buzzer and Admit It, featuring Saf Tajik, ended the 2020 season. The band introduced moodier undertones in their lyrics, using the bassy sounds of the instrumentation to fit the already unsettling mood of that time. Both songs received over 25,000 streams on Spotify, with Buzzer almost hitting 50k.
2021 saw the release of more music along with rising stream numbers for ToyMachine!, with singles such as The Fame, Run Rabbit Run, and I’m Fine bringing more popularity for the band.
These songs showed the bands maturing into a consistent and up-tempo sound. The Fame shows the extent of Ray's vocal ability. Run Rabbit Run shows the band's groovier instrumentation while showing their metal inspiration. I’m Fine takes the band’s sound into a catchier and radio-friendly direction, with Ray’s smooth singing over an intense pop-rock instrumental.
I’m Fine would also be a significant success for the band, with over 145,000 streams on Spotify alone as of the writing of this blog post.
Towards the summer of 2021, the band would release three more singles, I Think I Hate Myself, Party and Bullshit, and Girls Will Be Boys.
All three singles thickened ToyMachine!’s sound and audience. Along with new music, the band would tour around New Jersey as COVID restrictions began to wind down.
The band would also build their visual mediums, releasing their first music videos for I’m Fine, Girls Will Be Boys, and The Fame (In 2022).
Along with the music videos, ToyMachine! would also release various video blogs to show the band’s personal side, fan interactions at live shows, and behind-the-scenes videos of their music videos. “A Band of Misfit Toys” (Documentary by Mikyla Scott) is their most popular vlog released on their YouTube channel, where the band shows a more personal side, with each member introducing themselves and giving their personal history. There's also footage of their live show with a giant mosh pit of listeners and a fan interview—a great introduction to who ToyMachine! is and what the band represents.
2022 saw the release of Millennial, which took the band into a darker tone than usual, incorporating a brutal grunge sound. This year, the band expanded their social media presence by consistently posting on Instagram and TikTok to promote future shows and new music they would release in the coming months.
Around the same time, ToyMachine! would place themselves in front of new faces around New Jersey by doing more shows and gardening an extensive fan base, with more ticket sales coming in as COVID-19 restrictions in the state diminish.
“Sally’s got a seashell” is a verse sludge fans would sing all spring long in 2022. With a catchy chorus and upbeat rock instrumental, Sally became the band's most streamed song on Spotify, raking in over 45,000 streams within a year of release.
Towards the end of 2022, the band continued their success, releasing three more singles: No Recess, Lower East Sludge (L.E.S.), and Cut Off My Hands. These continued the darker atmosphere of Millennial, leaning heavily into their dark grunge sound.
ToyMachine! will continue promoting music, performing more shows, releasing more content, and releasing merch in 2023. The band will release their most recent single, We Want Sludge, which takes the band more into a rap-rock direction, with Ray laying down slick bars about their slogan.
Sludge would become the band's official slogan, heavily used in show posters, merchandise, and song lyrics.
This year would be a turning point for the band as they write and record their first official album.
On January 18th, 2024, ToyMachine! released an Instagram Reel announcing their new album, a mix of their staple sounds of Grunge, Punk, and Hip-Hop. The release date is set for the summer.
Ryan speaks on the new album by stating, “The album is a new approach on early 2000s Nu-Metal, with a fresh approach of vocals by Ray…Most of the songs are cinematic and were written to pitch to movies, television shows, and video games.”
Ryan then explains the technical aspects of creating the album: “We worked with legendary Filter guitar player Geno Lenardo, who brought his expertise on the production side.”
Geno Lenardo has worked on soundtracks for various movies and television shows, such as Frankenstein (2014), Peppermint (2018), and Anger Management (2003), which starred Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson.
Since meeting with the veteran guitar player, the band has regularly flown to Lenardo’s studio in Chicago to record the remainder of the album.
As fans patiently wait for new music, the band is ready to release singles and music videos at any moment's notice.
STAY SLUDGY!!!