REVIEW: ten56. - IO

French nu-metalcore/deathcore bruisers TEN56. have just released their sophomore album IO, which comes two years after their last mighty album Downer. With a growing fan base and such success with their first album, TEN56. knew they had to go hard on this latest release.

Starting the album off with Doormat, within seconds of hearing AARON MATTS’ scream into the mic you can’t help but start tapping your feet, but once the breakdown hits it's all that much more - you could listen to this in your office and still feel like you're in the middle of a moshpit! The song ends, and it's clear already that IO is going to be much darker than Downer, which can only be a good thing.

We move on to Pig and Snapped Neck, and already the energy is palpably increasing - this is serious gym playlist material. The harsh vocals paired with the hellish riffs make for an unholy symphony of pure unbridled rage - which is, naturally, meant in the best way possible. The melodic clean vocals blending with the brutal intensity highlight both the anger and vulnerability of the album, and we most definitely want to hear more.

After all that, it felt like a certainty more screaming would be on the cards, but instead LIFEISACHORE.MOV started playing, where you'll clock very quickly that it’s an ode to 90s/00s hip hop skits, as confirmed by MATTS himself. Even though it's completely out of left field, it fits surprisingly well into the landscape of the album and is, frankly, a really enjoyable moment!

Before you get too comfy listening to infomercials, we’re taken straight back to the heaviness of gutturals with I Know Where You Sleep - it’s only a minute and a half long, but will have you wanting to grab a neighbour and form a circle pit in your living room. Good Morning blends effortlessly with the previous track, and is possibly the one song here that everyone needs to hear live, as it’s the perfect song to grab the metalcore fan next to you and make a new lifelong friend to, whilst moshing with each other.

We then move on to Earwig which functions as a feral collapse of tension with unrelenting riffs and socially critical lyrics, that expose toxic behaviours of people who like living vicariously off other people’s issues and enjoy revelling in drama as explained by MATTS. The next track ICU captures desperation and defiance, gift-wrapped in heavy grooves and a rhythm that just won’t yield. Just like Good Morning, ICU has all the makings of a song that needs to be performed live. This song dives deep into personal struggles and trauma, and will no doubt resonate with plenty of fans.

The title track has MATTS change the pace up, with a soft spoken rap at the beginning and clean vocals letting you know that the journey we've experienced together is coming to an end. Changing genres up right at the end comes as a pleasant surprise, slowing the pace like the cool down of a workout. It ends the story with self revelation and reflection.

IO offers the listener a journey into the depths of MATTS' mind during the writing of this album. This album delivers a sound that fans of TEN56. will know and love, whilst simultaneously opening the doors to new fans who enjoy mixing genres and sounds as a way of inclusion. Anyone, no matter their favourite genre, will find a song on this album that they can relate to. There is a diverse mix of nu-metal, deathcore and rap, that covers a broad set of topics under the theme of mental health and struggles, which will find a real place to reside within the TEN56. fanbase.

Score: 9/10

IO was released on September 5th 2025 via Out of Line Records.

Words: Dollie Himuyandi

Photos: ten56.