Album/EP

ten56. - Downer Pt. 2 (EP Review)

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Heavy Metal Wordsmith

Jan 12, 2023

7 min read

ten56. - Downer Pt. 2
Released: November 18, 2022

Lineup:

Aaron Matts // vocals
Quentin Godet // guitar
Luka Garotin // guitar
Steeves Hostin // bass
Arnaud Verrier // drums

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In less than two years, French nu-deathcore group ten56. have risen to the top of their game. It's been an amazing journey from the moment Aaron Matts announced his departure from Betraying The Martyrs - all the way through to first ever single 'Diazepam' and debut EP Downer Part. 1. We chatted to Matts all about the formation of the band and he always alluded to a Downer Part. 2 (interview here) and now it's finally arrived with three singles 'Yenta', 'Traumadoll' & 'RLS' as well as three new ones.

Today is finally the day where ten56. start the year off on a massive high, dropping their second EP. Let's give the 19-minute release a run-through and start off recapping on those first three singles with a pair of fresh 2023 eyes.

Less than a year ago, ten56. bounced back from their groundbreaking debut EP with 'Yenta' which cemented their nu-deathcore pioneership. Matts is relentless across the dirty riffs and the dramatic warehouse squeaks. The entire band is non-stop and delivers one of the heaviest songs around from last year. You think the song is over with just under a minute to go, and after 2-3 seconds of total silence, Matts returns with the band and they inject pandemonium with one of the filthiest breakdowns you could ever imagine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HhNjLgbwHk

Months later, the Frenchmen shared two tracks simultaneously - let's start with ‘Traumadoll‘. The track delivers their ferocious recipe and more, with two minutes of echoing and pounding bass, going harder than ever with that flavoursome nu-deathcore style, where Matts really leaning into his inner rapper.

On the other hand, ‘RLS‘ – or ‘Real Life Sucks‘ goes somewhere completely different. ten56. demonstrate they're not a "one trick pony" as Matts once told us. They give us a slower emo rap inspired path that we’ve never heard from them before. With strong Juice WRLD influences, Matts interweaves between an edited clean-vocal effort (a real first) and proper spitting to a viscerally inducive instrumental that you would never believe its ten56.; and it's refreshing to hear the band tone down the mayhem for a quick sec.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgWYY2iBcTw

This part of the EP is where things get real interesting where we get three brand new songs to salivate over. 'Saiko' is arguably the single angriest track these Parisians have ever done. With a brand spankin' new music video to complement (see below), this track sees Matts double-down on the hip-hop angle with a stepped-up level of fury (if that's even possible). With ten56. effortlessly causing wicked chaos with ripping and stretching shrieks, they maintain a constant state of anxiety.

'Intruder' is a highly produced EDM hip-hop interlude that bridges the aggressive 'Saiko' to the back-end of this sophomore EP with 'Masque' (or 'mask') which may be less furious than its predecessor but it actually might be heavier (I know, I can't believe it either). The bass smashes you like a punch to the face as Matts digs deeper into his gutturals while he raps through the verses with the band, maintaining the melodrama with all the right silences-to-explosive breakdowns, their signature combo. The drums place a special role on this track which might just be the X-factor that makes it sound so ridiculously heavy.

Finally, we fittingly end the release with a track called 'Ender'. With their wiry buzzing, they spin into a hazy and schizophrenic state. With Matts alternating between all his different vocal styles, the rest of the band level-up the energy and sheer power of breakdowns. The closing energy is less-to-none and they end this EP with the same anxious energy they started it with.

ten56. continue Downer Part. 2 where the first chapter finished, and this time they showcase a more diversified and sharpened nu-deathcore ability. I would love to hear longer tracks from these guys, and having heard 'RLS', the diversity begs an LP which would be a whole new kettle of fish.