ten56.: Comfort In Authenticity
French deathcore outfit TEN56. have covered a considerable amount of ground in a short span of time. What was initially a lockdown project has quickly exploded into one of the most incendiary live acts on the circuit. Their debut full-length Downer was unveiled in 2023, gathering impressive momentum for the quintet. Hoping to capitalise on this traction, the hotly anticipated follow-up IO is within touching distance.
“When we wrote the first album there was zero expectations so we wanted to approach it from a similar angle and not change anything too drastically,” explains frontman Aaron Matts. “Rather than focusing too much on this being an evolution we just wrote we wanted to and went off in various directions, pulling it all together at the last minute. For the fans who really enjoyed the heavy stuff, there is still plenty of that in there as well as a few surprises. When we wrote the first album, no one really knew that the band existed. Whereas this time we have been touring a lot and had to find time to write while on the road so the dynamic was a little different.”
TEN56. is comprised of current and former members of BETRAYING THE MARTYRS, UNEVEN STRUCTURE, KADINJA and NOVELISTS. Collectives that have been around the block on more than one occasion. This amassed experience has allowed them to hit the ground running and determine their identity as a band very quickly. “This isn’t my first rodeo so I’ve learned from my mistakes over the years,” discusses Aaron. “We’re all in the same headspace in this band too so we’re not looking to jump on any trends or catch any waves. We’re doing this because we love music. If anything I feel less nervous now than I did initially as the fans know what we’re about and have embraced us with open arms. I’m confident in the way this record sounds and I’ve enjoyed listening to it so I hope that people enjoy this one.”
In addition to their existing credentials in the industry, it has instilled significant confidence in Aaron to open up about his personal struggles and utilise TEN56. as a means of exorcising his demons and recovering from past trauma. “Without sounding too big-headed, if this wasn’t my band it would probably be my favourite band as it has everything that I’d be looking for. I feel like I’m less confined by any kind of established parameters. I can be authentically myself and feel comfortable speaking about issues such as mental health and using this platform as another form of therapy. I also went to rehab to deal with some pharmaceutical addiction issues. I can’t see myself writing anything else but writing down what I’m feeling at the time. I feel that including such personal topics has allowed for a special connection with the listeners too. It’s also been a positive thing to listen back to old songs when I was in a particular headspace and realise the progress I’ve made and that I’m getting better.”
Aaron and guitarist Luka Rozaka handle the bulk of the creative process. This approach has enabled them to work closely together and bring the best out of each other. “Luka is the kind of person who never stops,” admits Aaron. “He can write a whole song in a day and just send me it and I’m sat there like ‘what the fuck?’. Sometimes I’ll work on ideas myself or we will both sit down together and discuss potential directions. Sometimes I’ll bring ideas to him and he’s really good at reflecting those kind of sensations or emotions with his instrumentation. Like Good Morning for example, I wanted that to feel like experiencing a panic attack. We’re always experimenting with different production techniques to introduce some new dynamics. We don’t tend to tweak songs too many times, we’re be very confident in our output so we don’t revisit anything. Luka works non-stop until he has made the best version of something possible before he presents it to me. He’s quite tough on himself and can suffer from imposter syndrome. He’s never happy with what he’s doing but he kills it every time. It’s a trait that we both share and it pushes us to do our best and not be afraid to be creative.”
Aaron possesses a devastating range of vocal techniques, allowing him to bring a wealth of variation to TEN56.. He also continually pushes himself into new territories to ensure he is maximising his output. “I usually approach it with the mindset of what I’d like to hear as a fan of metal, what would sound the most impactful? Also, I don’t want to be too predictable so I try and shake things up and use different techniques. I’ll try and find a flow and sometimes that means leaning into my hip-hop influences,” he explains. “I know it sounds kind of cheesy but sometimes the riffs will just speak to me and tell me what I need to do. I feel like certain styles of vocals just fit with the atmosphere you’re trying to create with a song. Luka will also come up with some ideas that I maybe haven’t thought of while we’re in the studio so we’re learning together as we go along. Usually what you hear on the tracks is my first attempt as I don’t have any kind of recording space where I live to be able to practice or rehearse. That can be a daunting experience but it’s a good way of pushing out of my comfort zone.”
IO is out now via Out Of Line Music. View this interview, alongside dozens of other killer bands, in glorious print magazine fashion in DS124 here:
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