Only Human Announce Debut Album ‘Planned Obsolescence’
Posted on January 20, 2026
More information about Planned Obsolescence
No matter the day and age, progressive metal never strays from the cutting edge. ONLY HUMAN are fresh on the scene having now signed with Season of Mist. But the Danish upstarts are already on the brink of a major discovery with their inventive debut album. Planned Obsolescence pushes prog metal in a truly forward-thinking direction while warning of our not-too-distant dystopia.
“We wanted ONLY HUMAN to be about something”, says vocalist Patrick Grønbæch Christensen, who also produced, mixed and mastered their debut album. “Planned Obsolescence is supposed to wake people up to all the ways technocracy is encroaching on society. We now live in a reality where humans are products to be consumed and disposed”.
Today, ONLY HUMAN are announcing Planned Obsolescence with a suspenseful video for the album’s lead single. “Automata” transmits a chilling message for the future, but the band’s cutting-edge fusion hits like a deep breath of fresh air.
Watch the video for “Automata” on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.
Planned Obsolescence comes out March 27, 2026 on Season of Mist.
Pre-order & Pre-save
https://orcd.co/onlyhumanplannedobsolescence
Available Formats
CD Digipack
12″ Vinyl Jacket (Black)
12″ Colored Vinyl (Transparent red with black and white splatters)
12″ Colored Vinyl (Transparent red and black marbled)
Concept albums are standard procedure for metal, especially when it comes to the prog space. But when the five members of ONLY HUMAN came together via online and IRL connections, they wired the entire band’s framework around one encroaching idea. “Automata” surfs its synthetic grooves with clear command, as if by simply pressing a button. Though beneath its shining surface, the song processes the inherent danger in letting technology determine our individual thought patterns. During the music video, three thrill seekers follow guidance from their smartphone. Good times are had along the way, but tragically, they never stop to question whether it’s leading them to a dead end.
“We’ve offloaded critical thought”, Christensen explains. “We’re not really doing things because we want to do them. It’s because an algorithm has decided that’s what we should do”.
Planned Obsolescence is fueled by existential dread. Like a virus, electronic beats hack into the hard drive of “Automata”, much in the same way that technology continues to creep into our everyday lives. But that doesn’t mean that the album leaves us without hope. There’s nothing broken, outmoded or dated about ONLY HUMAN. When main-frame shaking riffs reduce the song to digital ash, their message rings out loud and clear. “Defy and learn to walk again”.
“When the world is going badly, the reason is because people gave up”, says Christensen. “Things aren’t hopeless. We can absolutely fight back. Hopefully, this album gets people to think about valuing humanity over profit”.
Catch ONLY HUMAN live and in the flesh this year, starting next weekend in Denmark with Svartsot
ONLY HUMAN Live in 2026
January 31 – Fredericia, DN @ Tøjhuset
February 14 – Aalborg, DN @ Studenterhuset
June 3-6 – Sölvesborg, SE @ Sweden Rock Festival
August 27-29 – Næstved, DN @ Næstved Metalfest
The video for “Automata” was directed by muyingo.
Additional video credits
Starring: Ross Mangal Khan, Elyas Ben, Mads Højlund
Producer: Johan Dahlerup
Production Manager: Lou Wroblewski
Editor – Benjamin Giese Binzer
Director of Photography – Tobias Horvath
1st Assistant Camera – Mikke D. Jensen
2nd Assistant Camera – Johan Rostrup
Steadicam Operator – Noah Obel
Gaffer – Leonardo Bosetti
Light Equipment – Malik Thomsen
Sound Recording – Chris Kenter
Sound Design – Guilherme Magrin
Production Design – Martha Wallstrøm
Costume & Makeup Artist – Sofie Bau
PA- Mohammes Hussain
Visual Effects Artist – Marco Vegh
Storyboard Artist – Abu Shukran
Behind the Scenes – Jackson Heeley
View Only Human