West Virginia based progressive death-core act Cognition have here their sophomore release Procession of Thoughts, which they are releasing independently and following up with a selection of shows around their local area. The album was started in late 2014 and completed this past summer, so a lot of time and effort went into the recording, the bands musical chops surely tightening as well as their songwriting skills as they put this one together. Blending catchy, melodic hooks with a metalcore attitude, death metal ferocity, and progressive song structures, Cognition have created a listenable album that might lack originality, but is pleasing to the ear nevertheless and contains a wealth of brutal moments. Bludgeoning tracks like "Her Fire", "Last Call", "Throne of the Crow", and "Desolation" show their mighty, brutal side, as the extreme vocals mix with the clean over acrobatic grooves and a cavalcade of pulverizing riffs and more intricate ensemble passages. The main problem here is that when the band concentrate on their more violent side, they don't differentiate enough from the multitude of bands out there doing this very same style, and truth be told, they are probably about 5 years late to the game. However, their more melodic, progressive side reaps plenty of rewards, especially on tunes like "Shifting Perceptions", "Eyes Wide Shut", and "Reconnect", where their more than capable musical skills are really allowed to shine and offer something with a little more subtlety.
Basically, if a constant barrage of dueling extreme & poppy vocals over juggernaut arrangements is your thing, then there's plenty to sink your teeth into here on Procession of Thoughts. However, if you've moved on from this sort of a thing a few years ago, nothing on display is going to make you want to hop back on, no matter how well done it actually is. It will be interesting to see how the band evolve from here, as they certainly seem to have the skills to be something in a crowded scene.
Track Listing
1. Her Fire
2. Reconnect
3. Last Call
4. Shifting Perceptions
5. Throne of the Crow
6. Desolation
7. Freakshow
8. Limitless
9. Eyes Wide Shut
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