(written by Islander)
The title of the new fifth album by the Greek “cosmic grind” band Dephosphorus is Planetoktonos. That is a Greek word coined by the band, which roughly translates to “Planetkiller.” The album will be released on set on July 18th by a trio of labels in a variety of formats.
The new album’s name is an inspired choice, in part because it is reflective of the science-fiction and cosmology themes that lyrically run through the songs, and in part because the album often sounds like a planetkiller — as you’ll discover today through our premiere stream of the record in its entirety.
Dephosphorus have already become near and dear to the hearts of people like this writer who not only thrive on powerhouse musical extremity but also spend a lot of time reading science fiction and science fact. They continue that appeal here. Both the album’s striking cover art (by Graphic No Jutsu) and several songs on the album — “Planetoktonos“, “Pale Veins“, and “Eternal Bloom” — draw inspiration from The Expanse novel series by James S.A. Corey.
And, as the press materials report, “other tracks delve into reflections on cosmologic and existential themes, spanning Dyson spheres and the persistence of life to the toxicity of defeatism and the looming threats of rogue AI or superintelligence.”
The band give specific credit to Superintelligence: Paths Dangers Strategies by Nick Bostrom (2014), a philosopher whose research concerns the idea of existential risk (an “adverse outcome would either annihilate Earth-originating intelligent life or permanently and drastically curtail its potential”).
This note in the press materials is also worth quoting: “Dephosphorus aims to expand listeners’ consciousness, fostering a vision of a sustainable future where humanity not only survives but thrives in harmony with its biosphere – and even with AI. Much like the anarchic utopia imagined by Iain M. Banks in The Culture books, this future is one where technology and humanity coexist symbiotically.”
The Expanse references were already big hooks for this writer, and that additional reference to the Culture books by the late great Iain M. Banks was another big attraction. But even if you’re not addicted to the works of Corey and Banks, even if you’re somehow also disinterested in the album’s other themes sketched above, the music alone should pull you in — especially if you have a strong taste for the music of such bands as Anodyne, Nasum, Playing Enemy, Breach, Knut, Leviathan, and Bolt Thrower.
Dephosphorus call Planetoktonos by far their “heaviest album to date”, and that’s the truth. The tone of the riffing is massive, and the distortion makes it sound radioactive. The drums hit like rhythmic explosive detonations. The bass turbulence also sounds like bombs going off in subterranean chambers or catastrophic earthquakes. All those ingredients are produced in a way that makes each one distinct, but that collectively brings titanic planetkilling power.
The vocals channel intensity of a different kind — a truly scorching intensity that might make you check to see if the paint is melting from your walls. Even when gang yells break out, they sound incendiary.
As the riffing brutally clangs, viciously churns, and roils in instances of stark derangement, the rhythm section bludgeon and blister, punch like pistons and bolt into gallops, sharply changing tempos as well as methods of punishment. The band veer from rumbling tank attacks to explosions of punk-fueled mayhem and blast-driven grindcore ferocity, as well as shifting into lumbering stomps and inflicting savage pile-driving trauma.
You’ll also discover that the band’s futuristic lyrical themes become manifest in the music too. Eerie electronic radiations seer in the stratospheric end of the music’s range, or expand in vast visions of cosmic mystery and menace. Especially when the guitar spins up into tremolo mode, even the riffing itself often sounds frighteningly alien, inhuman in its maniacal whirring and writhing energies.
The songs are mostly compact but still dynamic in their fast-changing speeds and sensations. They’ll keep listeners on their toes (and ducking to dodge the blows). And the music isn’t just heavy, it’s also very heavy-grooved, though you can’t get too settled into your own head-hammering grooves because Dephosphorus are likely to switch things up before too long.
“Cosmic grind” is a decent label for the multi-faceted marvels brought forward by Planetoktonos. The songs create unusual amalgams of decimating destructiveness, feral jubilation, unsettling off-planet strangeness, and spine-tingling futuristic wonder. It’s a planetkiller for sure but also a mind-bender and a non-stop thrill ride.
Those are our thoughts. Here is what Dephosphorus have said about the album:
“This record stands apart from anything we’ve done before. It’s by far the heaviest Dephosphorus album to date—a result of tuning lower across the entire record. That shift alone gave the material a different feel and created a darker, more intense atmosphere that defines Planetoktonos.
“We spent countless hours rehearsing before entering the studio, and the chemistry between us played a major role in how tight and cohesive the material turned out. The core of every track was recorded live, allowing the energy and dynamics of our performance to carry through into the final mix.
“The sound design and samples by Miltos Schimatariotis added crucial textures and transitions, helping to shape the album’s atmosphere and giving the songs the extra depth we were aiming for.
“Planetoktonos reflects where we are now as a band—raw, focused, heavy, and more connected to our music than ever before.”
Here you go — have fun!
DEPHOSPHORUS is:
Thanos Mantas – guitars/e-bow/chants
Panos Agoros – vocals
John Votsis – drums
Kostas Ragiadakos – bass
The album was recorded and mixed by George Christoforidis in Ignite Studio (home to acts like Antimob, Embrace Of Thorns and Chain Cult), and it was mastered by the masterful James Plotkin (OLD, Khanate).
As noted far above, Planetoktonos will be released on July 18th. The LP edition will be co-released by 7Degrees Records and Nerve Altar, while Selfmadegod Records will handle the CD version. Find more info about the album and how to get it via the links below.
DEPHOSPHORUS:
https://linktr.ee/dephosphorus
7DEGREES RECORDS:
https://www.7degrees-records.de/
https://www.7degreesrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.7DegreesRecords
https://www.instagram.com/7degreesrecords
NERVE ALTAR:
https://nervealtar.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/nervealtar
https://www.instagram.com/nervealtar/
SELFMADEGOD RECORDS:
https://selfmadegod.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/selfmadegod_records
https://facebook.com/selfmadegod
https://selfmadegod.com/