DEPHOSPHORUS “Planetoktonos” CD

Greek future grinders DEPHOSPHORUS return with their fifth album, “Planetoktonos.”

DEPHOSPHORUS aims to expand listeners’ consciousness by fostering a vision of a sustainable future in which humanity not only survives but thrives in harmony with its biosphere—even with artificial intelligence. Like the anarchic utopia imagined by Iain M. Banks in his books “The Culture,” this future is one where technology and humanity coexist symbiotically.

Their latest work, “Planetoktonos,” is the band’s fifth full-length album, a blistering collection of nine cosmic, menacing tracks that pay homage to the energy and dynamism of pioneering bands like Anodyne, Nasum, Playing Enemy, Breach, Knut, Leviathan, and Bolt Thrower.

“Planetoktonos”—a Greek word coined by the band, loosely translated as “Planetoktonos”—brings DEPHOSPHORUS closer than ever to their ideal sound. Carefully crafted in the positive atmosphere of Ignite Studio, a rising pillar of the local underground scene (home to bands like Antimob, Embrace of Thorns, and Chain Cult), the album was mastered by sound guru James Plotkin (OLD, Khanate), ensuring every detail will strike with impact.

Psychedelic layers are woven into the album’s structure by electronic genius Miltos Schimatariotis, a longtime collaborator and unofficial fifth member of the band. Schimatariotis, owner of Northside Studio, played a key role in shaping previous releases like “Night Sky Transform,” “Ravenous Solemnit,” and their collaborative album with Haapoja.

As always, DEPHOSPHORUS explores science fiction and cosmology through the lens of existentialism and politics, both in the lyrics and aesthetic of “Planetoktonos.” Several tracks, along with the album title and cover art—designed by Graphic No Jutsu (see “Planet Of Zeus,” “Nightrage,” etc.), are inspired by James S.A. Corey’s novel series “The Expanse,” specifically a near-future universe in which humanity has colonized the solar system but faces the unknown consequences of an encounter with alien intelligence and technology. Other tracks delve into reflections on cosmology and existence, from Dyson spheres and the persistence of life to the toxicity of defeatism and the looming threats of rogue artificial intelligence or superintelligence.

“Planetoktonos” offers a boundary-pushing sonic journey, sparking the imagination and inviting listeners to explore new dimensions of thought and sound.