Tony Lio’s “LIO III” is a short EP that packs a lot of character into four tracks. Released in December 2024, the project moves through alternative rock, hard rock, proto-punk, and indie rock while maintaining a strong sense of atmosphere from beginning to end. At around 16 minutes, it is an easy listen, but there is enough going on in these songs to make you want to come back for another play. The EP starts with “Nyx”, featuring Lupe Dragon. It is one of the darker moments in the release, drawing on the Greek goddess of the night to evoke a sense of temptation, danger, and mystery. The track immediately gives “LIO III” a distinctive mood and feels like a fitting way to open the project.
“Love Like Fire” brings a different kind of intensity. The song focuses on attraction and obsession, using fire as the main image for a relationship that feels impossible to contain. The references to flames, eruptions, and a phoenix give the track plenty of energy, while the central idea of loving someone like fire makes it easy to remember. “Evangeline” slows things down emotionally. It has a dreamy quality, with the narrator caught between memories, attraction, and uncertainty. The repeated mention of Evangeline adds to that feeling, making the song feel almost like a scene from a dream that you are not quite sure you understand.
The closing track, “Illumination Sensation”, brings a welcome sense of freedom. Its lyrics move toward sunlight, breaking chains and leaving pain behind. After the darker feelings earlier in the EP, the project ends with a satisfying final moment and leaves things on a more hopeful note. I genuinely enjoyed the mood of “LIO III” and the way each song has its own personality. For me, the strongest part of the EP is its ability to move between darkness, desire, uncertainty, and hope without feeling disconnected. Tony Lio clearly has an interest in blending different sides of rock, and that comes through across these four songs. “LIO III” feels personal without becoming difficult to get into, and its relatively short running time makes it an EP that works well as a complete listen.
If you are discovering Tony Lio for the first time, give “LIO III” a full listen and follow him to keep up with what comes next. Add the tracks that catch your attention to your playlist, whether that is the dark atmosphere of “Nyx”, the intensity of “Love Like Fire”, the dreamy feeling of “Evangeline,” or the hopeful finish of “Illumination Sensation”. There is something worth revisiting in each one, and the EP is a nice introduction to an artist who is comfortable exploring different moods while keeping his rock identity at the center.
