UK death metal outfit Cognizance is dropping another work of art on us titled “Phantazein”. They are very polished and technical but equally as groovy. They sprinkle in some melodic lines but don’t go too far into that direction. Cognizance has been a stellar force in the death metal genre for years and is highly underappreciated. “Phantazein” is a proof of that and put on another solid performance. Each release has improved upon the last and this one might be their finest work yet. It’s a cliche saying and generic but holds true in this instance.
The guitar work is stellar as usual with a fury of face melting guitar riffs and solos. That has been the norm since the band’s inception and again passes with flying colors. Rhythms are great and not too fast or too slow it’s a nice mix. Some bands go too fast or too slow (unless your a doom band that’s expected) yet Cognizance is a band that blends their speeds well. The vocals are on point and in a lower range enhancing the band’s dynamics. The drumming is very impressive and not shocked considering how good David Diepold is. Everything about this band is phenomenal and should have a lot more notoriety in our community.
The songwriting of Cognizance has gotten better each release and the early tracks in the early 2010’s got me hooked. “The Foreboding Impasse” and “The Organic Citadel” are two of my favorite tracks of theirs. This upcoming album is such a good mix of their styles and is an easy listen. It’s not too dense and not full of guitar noodling, and gets right to the point. It’s a focused, refined version of Cognizance while not sacrificing their sound. The music speaks for itself. “Phantazein” releases on January 26th on Willowtip Records and is one album from 2024 you will want to mark on your calander.