ALBUM REVIEW: Upheaval – Cognizance

COGNIZANCE have gone from strength to strength since their inception and 2019’s Malignant Dominion was a shining example of their rise to prominence. It is now time for the highly anticipated follow up entitled Upheaval which is available now via Prosthetic Records. What will this release bring to the table?

True to form the opening track Hymns drills straight into the thick of it with neck-snapping grooves and jarring intensity. Blastbeats and vicious growls join the fold providing a powerful combination all jammed into a two minute burst of ferocity. Strap in folks!

Drifting (R)evolution builds on the established frenzy with swift volleys of instrumentation that are drenched in alluring melodies. The lead work is simply mesmerizing and compliments the arrangement to perfection. Decaying Gods continues to surge onwards with commanding force. Twisting and turning riffing keeps you on your toes and meshes seamlessly with savage drum fills to devastating effect.

Oneiric dials up the eccentricity and technicality as rapid fire guitar work has your head in a spin. What is equally as impressive is that it leans on the side of expert musicianship without being too arrogant. A pitfall that many a band fall victim to. The Mouth Which Cannot Speak keeps the freight train storming along at a frightening pace, refusing to stop the ongoing assault on your senses. Additional instances of impeccable lead work assist in elevating the track. Forbidden Alchemy possesses a confident, galloping stride that is bolstered by bursts of unforgiving drum beats that will shatter your jaw if you stay in their proximity for too long. If the exhilarating rhythms don’t get your adrenaline flowing you simply are not human.

Syntheticus I – Atrophy launches headfirst into the technical death metal realm, engulfing you in the eye of the storm. Waves of mind-boggling riffing keep crashing against the shore and threaten to drag you deep below. Syntheticus II – Refuge will not offer you a shred of remorse either, picking up straight where its predecessor left off by battering you until you are nothing but a withered shell, praying for mercy.

Fever Dream offers up a slim glimmer of solace before slamming the door right into your face, hitting full velocity once more. Galloping grooves take centre stage and demand you bang your head in approval. Aeon Sickness may have just saved the most audacious for last, starting with a round of sweeping the ushers in one final triumphant onslaught of carnage. Pummelling drum work, gruesome growls and a flourish of unwavering technicality help put an emphatic stamp on this release.

Upheaval has everything you could ever hope for in a death metal release all bundled up into a neat package that clocks in at just over 30 minutes. All the fat has been trimmed and each piece of the maniacal puzzle is as effective as its compatriots. COGNIZANCE have built a reputation for being precise and punishing but this release feels like a step up in their polished progression. There are plenty of melodies and grooves to suck you in and for having such frantic and technical material there is a remarkable level of accessibility within its layers. Do not sleep on this one!

Rating: 9/10

Upheaval is out now via Prosthetic Records.

Like COGNIZANCE on Facebook.