Koyo (oftentimes stylized as either KOYO, KŌYŌ, or KOYO LIHC) are a Long Island-based Hardcore, Punk, and Emo revival—sometimes, described as "Stony Brook Hardcore"—band featuring current and ex-members of Adrenaline, HANGMAN, Rain of Salvation, SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Soul Provider, and TYPECASTE. KOYO have been together since about 2020 and its current line-up features Joey Chiaramonte, Mike "Marazzo" Marazzo, T.J. Rotolico, Harold Griffin, Steve "Spanos" Spanos, and Salvatore "Sal" Argento. KOYO's sound primarily harkens back to early 2000's Long Island Melodic Hardcore/Emo and evokes bands such as Taking Back Sunday, The Movielife, Glassjaw, and RIVAL SCHOOLS. KOYO released three EP's between 2020-21, Painting Words Into Lines, Short Beach Sessions, and Drives Out East, issued by The Coming Strife Records, Reconsider Records, Life & Death Brigade, DAZE, and Triple B Records.


Each EP was released in multiple color variants, vinyl pressings, and even accompanying super-limited edition pieces of clothing. It was announced yesterday that KOYO had signed to Nashville, Tennessee imprint Pure Noise Records. Not only did KOYO announce their signing to Pure Noise, they released a new single, "Ten Digits Away," as well as an accompanying music video. "Ten Digits Away" was directed by Mason Mercer, who filmed it on an old 1960's Russian camera in a conscious effort to make the video look vintage and nostalgic, but in a tasteful way that complements the song well. "'Ten Digits Away" feels so time-and-place to the band right now. It feels like a special moment. It's everything I love about the music we make with KOYO perfected in its purest, realest, most honest form. True to everything we're inspired by and pull from, but, also, true to the identity the band has formed for itself as we've continued writing music," frontman Joey Chiaramonte explained within a press release.

"This song is largely about communicating, facing, and accepting feelings. Things I'm not very good at, truthfully. Feelings change, they grow, they dissipate, they linger in limbo and unknowns. I think the harder moments in life that come from that are some of the most relatable. As a terrible communicator, I think, for once, I've said exactly what I wanted to say in this song," Chiaramonte continued. Only time will teel what KOYO & Pure Noise Records have in store for us, but I can only imagine it will be someting awesome, sooner than later, judging by what they've both given us in the past. KOYO will soon be ehaded out on tour with Knocked Loose, Movements & Kublai Khan TX with dates listed over at BrooklynVegan. KOYO's "Ten Digits Awaay" is now available wherever you stream msuic.