Ens Cogitans

ENS COGITANS was born on 19 February 1993. Oleg Alimov - vocals & keyboards, Sergey Ponkratiev - guitars, Dmitry Lobanov - bass & acoustic guitars and Roman Shmelev - drums were forming techno-progressive metal act on the ruins of preceding thrash metal band CRUCIFIXION. ENS COGITANS started out in 1993 with debut demo “The Sketch On The Forest Theme”. Though it was a primary step, ugly’n’clumsy, anyway, Russian underground got to know the new formation, remarkable by complex song’s texture. Moscow label FINAL HOLOCAUST Records turned its eyes on the hopeful band, and early in 1994 ENS COGITANS recorded their second rehearsal demo “She, The Oldest One And Her Odourless Nous With Excruciating Oestrus To Full Indifference” for planned 7“ EP, but suddenly the label broke up, and it remained just another demo. All above summed up got ENS COGITANS in 1995 to enter professional TEF Studio (Moscow) and record first studio demo “Maxims Of The Oldest One”. And again there were a lot of positive feedbacks. ENS COGITANS have progressed throughout their first three demos, each of which displayed improved soundrecording and mature tunes. In June 1995 Dmitry Kezhvatov joined the band as a second guitarist, and during autumn 1995 musicians found an additional female vocalist Irene Rusakova. Boosted with new musicians ENS COGITANS took a more melodic turn, this time with only transparent allusions to technometal. In April 1996 ENS COGITANS entered Red Rose Studio (Moscow) and put on tape their unique full-length album, the band’s most artistic creation for the time - “Heart Of The Way”. Actually nobody, even musicians themselves, expected such a marvelous result. Doom oriented more than ever, “Heart Of The Way” strikes down by its own personality and sensuality. Lyrics of the album are based on stories of life’s circulations between worlds. Promo of album got splendid reviews in underground press all over the globe, and in the same year ENS COGITANS signed a contract with independent Italian label SEVEN ART MUSIC for 2 CDs. New technical possibilities opened new directions of development and in 1998-1999 musicians practically as a duet have been creating new ENS COGITANS album, permeated by exquisite elegance and symbolically entitled “Re-Vision”. Seven Art Music (Italy) + Nostradamus Records (Russia) released worldwide that fantastic album on CD in August, 1999. And finally, in the year of 2002 ENS COGITANS recorded brand new album “Disangelium”, which may be translated as “Baneful News”. The band worked on this album over the year in own digital studio and, well, it resulted in definitely most heavy and aggressive work ever. This outstanding album was immediately released by Russian label IROND RECORDS. Practically right after the presentation of “Disangelium” both Dmitry Kezhvatov and Roman Shmelev left the band for some reasons. At this point the band made a significant line-up change that was highly advantageous in many areas, bringing in ex-creative force of progressive band NORDREAM Rouben Kazaryan (axeman), and ex-CATHARSIS drummer Vladimir Moochnov. Later Dmitry Lobanov left the band. From that period up to now ENS COGITANS did a lot of domestic furious gigs, getting excellent reviews among public. In august 2004 Ens Cogitans were invited to play Rock La Mures festival in Romania, where over 5000 people were astonished by their musical power. It led to another journey through Romania in 2005 to play Stufstock festival in front of more than 50000 audience. Next album of ENS COGITANS was “Deigital Conflict”. The songs took a turn away from previous albums’ styles into more complex, with deep senses, alternative direction. All compositions, enriched with hi-end powerful sound, are full of well recognized Ens Cogitans elegance mixed with modern metal tunes. The tracks also presented lyrical mazes that confounded and perplexed the more ambitious listeners. Mazzar Records (Russia) released this album as luxurious digipack CD in August, 2006. No doubt, the progress of the band is obvious. With a surge of fresh blood the ENS COGITANS creative power is going to rise to a new level, if one, of course, still an option!.. With these guys you never know where them lead you to...