Interviews About Albums: Phobocosm - Gateway (2025)

In this new interview, we sat down with the Canadian Death Metal band, Phobocosm, to ask questions about their album "Gateway". 

1. What can you say about this new EP/CD?

"Gateway" is the follow-up to our previous album, "Foreordained". It was actually recorded at the same time, except for the vocals, and includes material written throughout the band’s existence, from the "Deprived" and "Bringer of Drought" eras up to our most recent writing sessions. We see it as the end of a chapter for Phobocosm. While it shares the same atmosphere and intent as our earlier releases, it also introduces new elements, like instrumental interludes instead of harsh samples between songs. To us, "Gateway" is both a continuation and a transition toward what’s coming next.

2. What is the meaning of the EP/CD name?

The title "Gateway" ties directly to the album’s concept, which explores humanity’s obsession with prolonging life, often for reasons more grotesque than noble. The song "Revival" from "Foreordained" was the seed for this idea. We pushed that concept further on "Gateway", delving into how the same drive that fuels medical or scientific progress can also be turned toward cruelty and control. It’s about crossing thresholds, between life and death, morality and atrocity, and how the human desire to escape mortality can easily become a form of barbarity.

3. Which one is the composer of the CD/EP?

I (Sam) write the music, while our vocalist handles the lyrics. That said, Phobocosm is very much a collective effort. Everyone contributes to refining ideas and shaping the final arrangements so that everything fits within the band’s overall vision.

4. If you had to pick one song, which one would you pick?

"Sempiternal Penance", even though most of it was written a few years ago, is probably the best indicator of where we’re heading musically with our next album. It bridges the material from the "Gateway"/"Foreordained" era with what’s coming next. That said, I also think the three "Corridor" interludes are important because they represent something new for us. They expand on the atmospheric side of our music and tie directly into the album’s concept of descent and transformation.

5. Is there a special message in this EP/CD? If there is, what is it?

"Gateway" explores humanity’s obsession with prolonging life, not to preserve it, but to manipulate and weaponize it. It’s about the delusion of control and the horrifying lengths people will go to in their attempts to transcend mortality. Rather than delivering a message, the album presents a vision of human ambition pushed beyond reason, where science and cruelty become indistinguishable.

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share?

Here’s an excerpt from "Beyond the Threshold of Flesh":

Following prosperity, corruption awaits | Centralized, privatized, power accumulates | Eternal punishment from which suicide is no escape | Existence becomes obedience and fear of an afterlife

These lines capture the essence of the album: the idea that humanity’s pursuit of power and permanence inevitably leads to decay, submission, and self-destruction. It reflects how the fear of death and the desire to control existence can turn existence itself into a form of punishment.

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album — musically or personally?

Musically, our focus has always been on creating dark, immersive, and emotionally intense music that prioritizes atmosphere and flow over technicality. We constantly push ourselves to evolve, but never in a way that goes against our core vision. We discard a lot of material (riffs, transitions, entire sections) if they don’t serve the song or the intent behind it. Including something just because it was written isn’t enough; it has to contribute meaningfully to the whole.

8. Something to add?

We’ll be back in Europe in August 2026 for a tour with Brazil’s Fossilization, which we’re really looking forward to. Our next album is mostly written, and we’ll be finalizing it in the coming months. "Gateway" closes one chapter for us, but the next one will explore new directions while staying true to what defines Phobocosm.