Cognitive – 2024
Venue: Milestone, Charlotte, NC Date: July 25, 2024
I was fortunate enough to attend an exhilarating and intense death metal show by the band Cognitive right in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina. The venue, a quintessentially gritty and atmospheric dive bar called the Milestone in West Charlotte, emanated a tangible sense of history and authenticity, reminiscent of the underground punk rock scenes of bygone eras.
The anticipation in the air reached a fever pitch as Cognitive took the stage. The frontman's restless and electrifying energy set a palpable tone for the entire evening. As the band launched into their set with the explosive title track from their latest album, Abhorrence, an electric current surged through the audience, sparking a frenzied mosh pit and setting the stage for a night to remember. The performance was a relentless barrage of unadulterated sound and raw emotion, featuring a repertoire of powerful tracks, including crowd favorites like Haunted Justice and Fragmented Perception.
However, the defining moment of the evening emerged when Cognitive unleashed A Pact Unholy, sending shockwaves through the audience and even drawing the admiration of Scott Savaria from the band Dysentery, who fervently joined in the fervor, headbanging and raising horns during the electrifying guitar solos. As the evening reached its crescendo, Cognitive culminated their set with the bone-crushing Insidious, leaving the crowd in an exhilarated yet longing state.
This was an experience that transcended the usual concert outing and is sure to be cherished for a long time. I wholeheartedly recommend not only exploring Cognitive’ s latest album, Abhorrence but also seizing the opportunity to witness their raw, captivating energy live.