Cognitive – Malevolent Thoughts Of A Hastened Extinction | Album Review

Whilst the Coronavirus was, and nigh on still is, a catastrophe beyond words, it did have some silver linings.

Global pollution levels dropped, less fossil fuels where burned and we all saw an embracement of community spirit. Most importantly of all however, it led to the creation of the latest record from Cognitive.

Forming over a decade ago in New Jersey, the tech-death quintet have longed been a reliable and constant component within the modern death metal machine. But despite travelling the world performing with artists such as Lorna Shore, Fit For An Autopsy, Waking The Cadaver and essentially every other name within the genre, the band are yet to summit the tech-death pile and receive the acclaim and praise they’ve evidently worked so diligently for. There’s numerous reasons for this, but the most apparent one is the fact that the genre they inhabit is has simply been too oversaturated since their inception. With so many names forming the global scene, Cognitive have – rather unfairly – been lost within the noise and overshadowed by some of the more unremarkable names currently at the pulpit of the genre. It’s a shame, especially considering their adept approach to the genre showcased within their work thus far.

However, their latest full length Malevolent Thoughts Of A Hastened Extinction is poised to rectify their standing within the tech-death hierarchy through sheer force and finesse. Whilst it’s preliminary records where fairly proficient executions of technical extremity, Cognitive’s fourth effort is simply a cut above the rest. As with most releases crafted during the global quarantine, this record was written remotely, with the band sharing snippets, clips and ideas whilst isolated from one another. However, it allowed Cognitive the time to finely review, harshly critique and intricately pour over their work totally free of distraction. This excessive level to detail has led to what is inarguably the band’s strongest, fieriest and most dexterous work to date. Everything that composes this band is here, but finely tuned to a near immaculate degree.

‘Eniac’ opens proceedings with all the grace and subtly of a severe case of whiplash. Immediately, Cognitive display their newfound focus on detail with a levelling amount of fury. Even with a solid groove underpinning the track, the track is a musical pummelling that’s two parts breakneck speed and unrelating fury. But yet, the careful consideration Cognitive have poured into this record is evident.

The follow up of ‘The Maw’ showcases this fantastically. An ungodly outpouring of revolting bile straight from the stomach, the track is without a doubt the most aggressive and relentless take the band have dedicated to tape, with singeing fretwork clashing fiercely with hammering drumming from AJ Viana and the rapid, inhuman vocals from Shane Jost. But yet, it’s clear every second of this blistering, breakneck track has been reviewed and poured over countless times. This sounds like an organic outpouring of pure antagonism, purely unfiltered, but the songwriting within this track and record as a whole is one of composure. Such a sense of self-appraisal is tangible and gives Malevolent Thoughts Of A Hastened Extinction a sense of consideration and human touch that lifts it amongst the majority of it’s countless peers.

Despite the seemingly endless amount of revisions clearly conducted during the writing process, this record feels organic, fluid and unprocessed in it’s execution. It’s utterly removed from the detrimental rigidness that often plagues releases of this genre, and as proven with the ravaging desecration of ‘From The Depths’ and ‘Malevolent Thoughts’, deals it’s primely calculated abuse with swift clarity and finesse.

However, this sense of organic songwriting is most evident when the band incorporate other shades from the extreme metal spectrum into the mix. Granted, Malevolent Thoughts Of A Hastened Extinction doesn’t see Cognitive swerving headfirst into truly experimental pastures in fashions reminiscent of bands like Exocrine and Rivers Of Nihil, but the way in which the band assimilates other tendencies into the mix is immaculate and feels totally unmeditated and progressively natural. ‘Tearing Tendon From Bone’ see’s the band flirting with the revulsion of OSDM, ‘Oroborous’ dips into deathcore in line with Lorna Shore and ‘To Feed The Worms’ is underpinned with a groove that further adds animation of Cognitive’s tech-death musicianship. These flashes of experimentation are essentially countable within the record’s runtime and only add to the fact that this album is so far removed from the saturation that plagues the tech-death scene.

In all, Malevolent Thoughts Of A Hastened Extinction may not be reinventing the tech-death wheel, but rather it see’s Cognitive repairing it after years of absent minded abuse. Simply this is how the genre should sound – crushing, composed, fluid and immaculate in terms of both writing and sound. In a global scene and genre known for ineptness, Cognitive standout from their peers and are set to be a point of inspiration for many and this album is a must listen for anyone with even the passing interest in tech-death.