Cognizance – Phantazein
Release Date: 26th January 2024
Label: Willowtip
Bandcamp
Genre: Technical Death Metal
FFO: Soreption, Gorod, Neuraxis, Ahtme.
Review By: Eric Wilt
I love a stacked release day, and 26 January is definitely stacked. There’s a lot of anticipation around a handful of the albums that will be released that day, but none may be as exciting as Phantazein, UK band Cognizance’s third album and first for Willowtip. Comprised of Henry Pryce on vocals, Alex Baillie on guitar and vocals, Apostolis Karydis on guitar, Chris Binns on bass, and David Diepold on drums, Cognizance has made a name for themself with their patented brand of technical death metal. Never ones to stagnate, Cognizance made a conscious effort to push themselves not toward what made them popular in the past, but toward an uncharted future that is pleasing to them first and foremost. According to guitarist Baillie, “The evolution of Cognizance has always been driven by our intrinsic vision and less of what our fans expect the band to deliver based on our previous work.” To that end, Cognizance has created an album that will sound familiar to fans but is, at the same time, also new.
While being grounded in technical death metal, Phantazein is also heavy on groove and melody, often all during the same song. Take the opening track for instance. Ceremonial Vigour kicks off with a heavy, grooving riff that continues to be used throughout the song. This is followed by an insanely technical verse that is followed by a melodic run that balances perfectly with the speed and aggressiveness of the track. This formula is maintained throughout the album and makes for a satisfying and stimulating listen that will not grow old soon. Other standout tracks include A Brain Dead Memoir, which has a beautiful melodic solo that is equal parts shred and emotion, Futureless Horizon, which mixes the groove with the tech in a way that reminds me of early 2000s band Neuraxis, The Towering Monument, which features some sustained notes that don’t quite blend with the riffs and up the uneasy atmosphere of the song, and Shadowgraph, which like Ceremonial Vigour perfectly encapsulates all that Cognizance brings to the table on the album. But that’s not to take anything away from the rest of the album.
Phantazein makes Cognizance’s third flawless album, and every song is enjoyable and will inspire multiple listens. Fans of the band will find that Phantazein is both familiar and new, and those who have not yet heard Cognizance will wonder where they’ve been all this time.
(4.5 / 5)
