Decibel Magazine is hosting a video premiere for “The Forgotten Part I,” by European Progressive Metal quintet, Philosophobia, formed by former and current members of Kamelot, Paul Di’Anno, Wastefall, and more. The song marks the second single to drop ahead of the band’s incoming second album, “The Constant Void,” nearing its July release on Sensory Records.
As with their acclaimed eponymous debut, Philosophobia returned to Phil Hillen at SU2 Studios in Germany (Powerwolf, Kamelot) who engineered, recorded, mixed, and mastered “The Constant Void.” The fascinating cover artwork was again handled by Björn Gooßes at Killustrations in close cooperation with Philosophobia mastermind Andreas Ballnus, and photography was handled by Maj Music. The song “F 40.8” features a guest keyboard solo by Vikram Shankar, and the epic twenty-minute closing track “The Forgotten Part Il” features a spoken word passage by Rob Leland.
Guitarist Andreas Ballnus offers a profound insight into the meaning behind the new single, “The Forgotten Part I”:
“‘The Forgotten Part I’ tells the story of Gaia’s perspective on humanity’s treatment of her. In Greek mythology, Gaia represents Mother Earth, the primordial being emerging from chaos. Reacting to the harm caused by humans, she unleashes natural disasters—tsunamis, earthquakes, wildfires—as a form of retaliation. As humanity realizes the gravity of their misdeeds and the impending doom, they turn to religion seeking refuge, but their prayers go unanswered, and their praises ignored.”
Ballnus reflects on the real-world relevance of the lyrics, stating:
“As much as I wish that the lyrics were fictional, I truly believe that we have messed up this planet big time. Like the lyrics say: ‘She witnessed the birth of a dying race’ — from a philosophical standpoint, humankind might have been destined to behave this way, possibly part of a divine plan. Whatever that divinity might be.”
He also explains the song’s structure:
“‘The Forgotten’ is a song divided into three chapters. Part I and Part II can be found on The Constant Void.”
With their premiere of the song, Decibel writes:
“you can definitely hear the prog metal side of their sound—complete with keyboard flourishes and strong, clear melodic vocals—but there’s an intense heaviness in their drop-tuned riff work, as well… a moody plea for mercy for Planet Earth.”
Watch Philosophobia’s video for “The Forgotten Part I” first at Decibel Magazine RIGHT HERE.
“The Constant Void” will be released July 11th on CD and through all digital services. Find preorders at The Lasers Edge label webshop HERE and Bandcamp – standard audio HERE and the hi-res audio HERE, and watch the video for the lead single “King Of Fools” HERE.
Expect a plethora of additional video content to be issued surrounding the album’s release.
Philosophobia was formed in 2020, with its members spread across Europe, in Germany, The Netherlands, and Greece. 2022 saw the release of their eponymous debut album, which left a huge impact in the international prog metal scene. Numerous journalists gave the album 10/10-rated reviews, as well as Album Of The Month in the French Magazine Rock Hard, multiple Album Of The Year rankings, and more.
Philosophobia now arrives with “The Constant Void,” which takes the band’s musical vision to the next level. With most of the lineup returning from the first album – guitarist Andreas Ballnus, drummer Alexander Landenburg, vocalist Domenik Papaemmanouil, and keyboardist Tobias Wergerber – the new album sees original bassist Kristoffer Gildenlöw replaced with virtuoso bass player Sebastian Heuckmann, who has been playing live with the band since 2024. With nine magnetizing tracks clocking in at almost sixty-five minutes, “The Constant Void” is a white-knuckled ride between Progressive Metal and emotional and melancholic tunes, combining the strength of the debut album with a more modern and heavier twist.
Expect a plethora of additional video content and more surrounding the album’s release.
Tracklist:
01. Intro
02. King Of Fools
03. The Forgotten Part I
04. Inside His Room
05. Will You Remember?
06. F 40.8
07. Underneath Grassroots
08. The Fall
09. The Forgotten Part II
Lineup:
Domenik Papaemmanouil / Vocals
Andreas Ballnus / Guitars, Keys
Alex Landenburg / Drums
Sebastian Heuckmann / Bass
Tobias Wergerber / Keys