Album Review: Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction // Cognitive

Cognitive fuse the best bits of death metal and groove metal, creating a hefty tight sound. The band formed in 2011 and spent their career honing their sound. They’ve supported the likes of Fit For an Autopsy and Lorna Shore, bringing their fierce brutality to a wider audience. They are back with their brand new album, Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction. The album was mixed by the band’s drummer AJ Viana and then mastered by Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer Alan Douches (Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan).

The first thing you hear is the dial-up connection sound from the late 90s. Then all of a sudden you’re hit with a pummeling combination of drums and guitar. The vocals on the album are exceptionally strong because they add to the murky atmosphere of the album.

What is remarkable is how well Tyler Capone Vitale’s basslines fit in. They are so loud in the mix and work well with the melodic guitars. This is evident on ‘Arterial Red’ and ‘From the Depths.’ These are the best songs on the album because it is where everything comes together. Perfectly balanced mix, crushing riffs, and melodic leads.

‘Oroborous’ is a frenetic track because it incorporates pig squeals and big death metal riffs. With some death metal releases, they can get very stale. However, on ‘Destitute’, the band even employs some clean singing amongst the brutality. This really helps the record stand out and results in the song being an absolute stomper.

Cognitive have shown on Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction that they do not mess around. Their uncompromising brutality will melt peoples faces, showing why they’re an important band in the death metal scene.

Words by Ermis Madikopoulos