Forming in 2006, io are an experimental rock band hailing from Birmingham who produce loud, progressive, instrumental music that evokes the feeling of Mogwai, ISIS and Envy.
After cementing a live show described as “so spectacular and powerful it could have soundtracked the moon’s conversion from a glowing, white golf ball into a fearsome, reddish planet” (Sandman Magazine, March 2007), the band entered the studio to record the debut EP, itwaslostinthefirewestarted.
Recorded by Jay at Dub:Rek studios in Derby in the spring of 2007, the self-released four tracker garnered praise such as “a ’choose your own adventure’ book for audiophiles” (8/10 Rocksound, November 2007) and “sublime, contemplative, and explosive epic noise” (Rockmidgets, October 2007).
March 2008 saw the European release of io's debut album, Monolith. Released by French label Arghh! Records (Mothertrucker, God is an Astronaut, The Mantra Above the Spotless Melt Moon), the album consisted of the four tracks from itwaslostinthefirewestarted together with two new tracks, "Where we're going we don't need roads" and "Farewell, my concubine".
2009 saw io’s return to the live arena, where the band shared stages with And So I Watch You From Afar, Maybeshewill, Dinosaur Pile Up, God is an Astronaut, Cats&Cats&Cats, Beyond This Point Are Monsters and Death Of London.
By late 2009 io returned to Dub:Rek to record the follow up to 2008’s Monolith. Released on Grammatical Records in November 2010 Materioptikon, mastered by Alan Douches (Mastodon, Converge), features a larger tonal palette than its predecessor with the use of samples, vocals and electronics further developing io’s epic, heavy and beautiful sound.
