Cognizance are a British-Austrian tech-death five piece. Formed in 2012 they released their debut, Malignant Domion, in 2019. That record clearly laid out the musical underpinnings of the band, namely fast-paced and intricate death metal with lashings of thrash and some choice usage of melodic lead guitar passages, but was perhaps somewhat overreliant on an ensemble cast of guest vocalists. On their second album however, Cognizance have put out a more consistent and more sonically varied offering which, at a lean 33 minutes in length, engages and excites throughout.
Opening track ‘Hymns’, a breakneck onslaught of riffs and monstrous growls clocking in at scarcely over two minutes, gives the listener a fair taste of what to expect. The rhythm section, so vital in any form of extreme metal, prove themselves to be on top form from the very first second. Chris Binns and David Diepold (bass and drums respectively) hold down the low end fantastically and the duo serve as the perfect anchor for the duration of the album, always ferocious but always perfectly locked in.
Though the fundamental character of the album falls firmly within the realms of death metal, albeit with consistently high quality and a raw intensity, the most interesting moments come when inspiration from other sub-genres of metal are pulled into the mix. Second track ‘Drifting (R)evolution’ offers an early indication of the musicianship and versatility of the band. Opening with a punishing assault of riffs and percussive vocals, these foundational elements give way to discordant arpeggios reminiscent of Mastodon and a guitar solo that, although brief, recalls the pomp and flair of classic metal.
The lead guitar playing is surprisingly emotive in a number of places, something that is often a rarity in a genre of music epitomised by punishing aggression. Alex Baillie and newcomer Apostolis ‘Yage’ Karydis both take up lead duties at various points and both prove themselves to be capable not only of frenetic shredding but of conjuring up licks and melodies that have a distinct feel and sense of emotional conveyance.
With this in mind it is fitting that the band had a clear source of lyrical and thematic inspiration, with the titular upheaval referring to the societal shifts brought about by the pandemic and various humanitarian crises that preceded it. Sometimes is is delivered more directly, in others (most notably the two part sci-fi inspired Syntheticus I and II) it is delivered through the lens of apocalyptic metaphor, in all cases vocalist Henry Pryce puts forward a savage and imperious performance. The lyrical mood is well reflected in the instrumentation which lends a further sense of identity to the individual tracks – this is particularly welcome given that many albums of this genre fall into a malaise of soundalike songs.
Upheaval is a very solid sophomore release, doubling down on impressive fundamentals and giving a taste of what might be yet to come. The most interesting tracks are gathered in the front and back thirds of the album, with the middle section feeling a little too homogeneous. In spite of this, there are no truly weak tracks and the record remains engaging throughout its judiciously concise runtime. Fans of death metal surely won’t be disappointed, and there’s more than enough groove here for anybody open to harsh vocals to get stuck into.