Cognitive- The Horrid Swarm EP

Some may remember the review posted for Cognitive's 2011 Demo about a year ago. This was a demo that I was quite fond so it is only natural that I was pretty excited when I found out that The Horrid Swarm EP was finished. All three songs from the demo are used here and two new tracks are also used. The release clocks in at a short and sweet 15 minutes. By the time the last track finishes you'll find yourself quickly reaching for the replay button.

The EP kicks off with the extremely hard hitting track "In the Form of a Drone" (formally titled "Separation Anxiety"). The track bounces back and forth between fast paced riffing and snappy pulverizing sections that could easily throw any group of nearby metalheads into a frenzy. Cognitive pulls these transition off with an incredible amount of ease. This is one of the main things I enjoyed about the demo and it is good to see that skill is still being exercised throughout The Horrid Swarm. It's astounding how quickly a track can go from a jarring amount of heaviness and then just switch so seamlessly to something so crisp with an almost uplifting atmosphere. The demo tracks fit on this release perfectly and really mesh nicely with the new material we are hearing.

On tracks like "Falling Skies" and "Numbered and Slaughtered" the bass is used as a dominant instrument. It really adds to the impact of each note played. The bass is very clearly audible throughout the entire runtime but on these two tracks it really shines through the most. The solos are absolutely amazing. Which is something I've come to expect from the band.

Overall Cognitive's- The Horrid Swarm is yet another step in the right direction. Two out of two isn't bad. This release will definitely be enough to tide me over until the next one. As I said in my previous review Cognitive really has a knack for cramming a slew of great things into a very small period of time. This EP is another example of that. Fans of extreme metal in general should check this release out. It is hard to put this band in a box due to their versatility. If you like heavy, abrasive music that is not dumbed down than odds are you will find plenty that you will dig here.

Cognitive- Demo 2011

Cognitive is a four piece band from New Jersey. They formed in 2011 and have already released this three track demo and have plans of recording a five song EP in the near future. They play what can best be described as technical death metal, but there are clearly strong influences from other styles coming through. This demo clocks in at just over eight minutes, but Cognitive manages to cram plenty of quality material in this short amount of time. They realize that first impression is a big deal and they pull absolutely no punches within the short runtime of this release.

The guitar playing is insanely tight from start to finish. Many slamming grooves are scattered throughout the three tracks but things are always kept interesting and you never find yourself feeling even a hint of boredom. The solos featured on the demo are amazing and they always fit the song perfectly. "The Horrid Storm" has one of the most effective solos I've heard in quite some time. The tracks builds up slowly, reaches its climax and then fades out with a solo that can only be described as flawless. The track "Falling Skies" has some very tasty bass playing which is another aspect of Cognitive that puts them above and beyond. The bass is audible for a good portion of the release and there is a constant flow of awesome bass playing, whether it be during the punchy section in "Separation Anxiety" or during the solo moments on "Falling Skies".

All three of the songs differ from each other in many ways. At times things are just straight up brutal and groovy as hell and then all of the sudden they will break into a proggy section. Each track has one thing in common though, they are all well crafted and executed with deadly precision. On occasion you expect a song to go a certain way and they throw a curveball and it goes into a completely different direction, but somehow they manage to keep everything cohesive and they never go far enough into left field to make you lose interest. Ramirez's brutish vocals push the intensity to the max and he delivers every single line with the utmost power. Castro's drumming also adds a great deal to the overall sound. He is able to pummel the kit when necessary (see "Separation Anxiety") but he can also hold back when it is needed (see "The Horrid Storm").

Overall Cognitive have created an excellent demo. It may only be three tracks but it is definitely enough for me to put them on my "bands to watch" list. The potential shown here is fairly promising. They already have a pretty distinguishable sound which is very rare for a band just starting out. Fans of any variation of death metal should check this out, it is up for free on the bands facebook page and is definitely worth a listen.