With potent vocals, edgy guitars and a hard-driving rhythm section, Joydrop is, first and foremost, a rock band. On their debut album, Metasexual, they tap into the timeless sound of rock music with solid songwriting, lucid melodies and memorable hooks, then add a contemporary vocabulary of samples, altered drum sounds and loops. Formed in 1996 in Toronto, Joydrop's sound reflects the divergent backgrounds of its members. Vocalist Tara Slone studied opera and theater for more than a decade. Guitarist Thomas Payne, a student of musical composition and philosophy, spent his teens in front of a 4-track recorder. Bassist Tom McKay got his education in the UK, performing and writing with various artists. Drummer Tony Rabalao studied composition and jazz and has performed in a wide variety of musical contexts. To record the album, the band called upon veteran producer and mixer Ron St. Germain (Creed, 311, Soundgarden, Tool, Bad Brains). Spiders followed four years after their founding, and 2001's Viberate featured frontwoman Tara Sloane's best work yet. ~ Amanda Nusbaum