1. How did the opportunity to create Cogas come about? Why the name Cogas and what does it refer to?
Davideath:The opportunity came about in 2015/2016 in London, through some Sardinian musician friends we had and still have in common! Pieronoia (Singer) sent me a message introducing himself, and from there we started talking about creating a band in London that would reflect our musical tastes. After several meetings and quite a few pints of beer, me being more into Swedish and American death metal, and Piero being more into old school black metal,we thought about merging and blending our ideas to define the musical path the band would take.
The name COGAS was Piero’s idea. It comes from Sardinian witches, who are historically part of the folklore of our old, decrepit Sardinia.
2. What does a band with a Sardinian component in its themes do in London? What ties do you have to Sardinia? Is it a coincidence that you have Lorenzo Balia on drums, also from Vultur, a Sardinian band that was recently interviewed in this webzine?
Well, we both moved to the UK, London, in 2014 more or less for the same reasons to build a decent working future, which was quite difficult to do in Italy at the time (and still is). I think I can also speak for Piero in saying that we also came here to grow culturally and mentally.
As for Lorenzo Balia, although we had known each other for years, it was only in the summer of 2024 that we started working with him, due to the lack of a full-time drummer. We found the right balance to begin this new adventure with him, an amazing person and absolutely devastating behind the drums! We can't wait to play and share our music with everyone!
3. What was the writing and recording process like for the new album? Do you still maintain the premise that you take care of this entire process yourselves? How do you think the sound has evolved compared to the previous album? What brands of instruments did you use in the process? Have Erick and Lorenzo, as new members, contributed in any way to the writing process?
The writing of the album began around 2022. The process has always been pretty similar to our previous albums and EPs. We like to start by discussing the theme we want to explore, both musically and conceptually. After that, of course, we spend months and months working on the songs, combining all the ideas we can to build a solid foundation, which we then refine over time until each piece comes full circle. The sound is definitely much more death-oriented and darker, but we also stay true to the melodic lines we love to convey through arpeggios and truly heartbreaking parts!
We used the following equipment (talking about guitars and bass): the Jackson X Series King V KVX-MG7, a 6-string Ibanez acoustic guitar, and an Ibanez EHB!
As for Erick (bassist), absolutely, he was really important in the writing of the entire album, even though he joined the band with almost 4 songs already written. As for Lorenzo, he will be part of the upcoming EP and full album to come!
4. Your songs move easily into death metal territory, with a touch of black music in terms of darkness and atmosphere, but there are also aspects of other styles present, let's say in the background, that end up shaping the final result of the album. How would you describe the album's sound for those who haven't heard it yet? What bands and styles influenced you when composing the songs included on "Among the Dead: How to Become a Ghost"?
Yes, we definitely leaned more towards old school death metal, balancing it with aggressive nuances typical of black metal, something we think came out quite well. The sound is fairly modern, let’s say, but without going overboard a perfect blend for those who love these genres like we do. We hope we managed to strike a chord in the hearts and spirits of those who listen to and follow Cogas.
As for bands, we can mention a few like Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Belphegor, Mayhem, and Immortal, along with Deathcrush,Pungent Stench,Nachtmystium,Angelcorpse..
5. The themes of your songs cover different topics, one of them very particular to Sardinian folklore. However, for this new album, you've taken this theme a step further, delving into aspects related to suicide in Sardinian culture. Could you explain why you find this aspect interesting and why you decided to address it in the lyrics of the new album?
We decided to turn towards controversial themes concerning the place we come from, because we believe that extreme metal should also be a vehicle for uncomfortable topics. The Sardinian black metal scene is already full of bands that talk about our folklore; we simply wanted to aim for something different, to set ourselves apart.
6. I mentioned earlier that you've always handled everything related to the recording of your albums yourselves. Have you maintained this approach for the new album, or have you collaborated with a music producer or recording studio? What do you hope to achieve with this way of working?
Yes, the dynamics of our recordings have always remained the same, and as for the production, we simply continued our collaboration with Twilight Studio by Davide Tavecchia, which once again proved to be a powerhouse in terms of professionalism and in emphasizing our music, making it even more violent.
7. Although the new album will be released on April 24th, it seems it will also be self-released by yourselves. However, your previous album, "Unconscious Sons of the Reptile God," was eventually reissued by UKEM Records. Is there a possibility that this will also happen with "Among the Dead: How to Become a Ghost," even if it's not on UKEM Records with another record label? Do you consider self-releasing the best way to maintain greater control over your musical production?
Cogas have been a self-produced band from the first EP up to today.
We’re proud to be part of the English working class, and since we’re not exactly swimming in money, I won’t deny that a bit of help and some recognition for the musical ethic we've been promoting for years would be more than welcome. Unfortunately, no one has shown real interest in the project.
We came very close to releasing our latest work with a label, but we couldn’t find common ground on fundamental aspects for me and Davide issues concerning the album’s aesthetics and length.
Davide and I are very uncompromising on certain things; we seriously believe that if you’re interested in COGAS, you need to respect our vision, a vision that has been cemented in our minds through years of sacrifice.
That said, COGAS have always had two or three allies working behind the scenes who have allowed the band to maintain visibility and dignity in the extreme metal underground, even as an independent act.
Anubi Press has believed in COGAS since the Unconscious Sons days and handles our promotion, and UKEM Records has consistently offered to reissue our albums on cassette with great results in terms of sales.
At the moment, these are our only real sources of support to help give more visibility to a music project that’s hard to kill.
8. A baptismal font with a seemingly desperate person on top of it, a pair of nuns, and three moons visible through a window in the back. Who designed the album cover, and how does it relate to the album's content?
The artwork was created by the talented Ilaria Gorgoni, also Sardinian, an artist with infinite patience and a sensitivity in approaching art that’s typical of those pure souls, now so rare in this scene.
The cover of the album features, at its center, a young man with his hands over his face, in a very dark moment of his life a young man struggling with depression, with addiction, a young man who wants to end it all… a thousand faces, one fate.
Beside him, we chose to place two Cogas (for those who don’t know, our name comes from these vampiric witches in Sardinian folklore), whispering wickedness and doubt into his ear, planting the seed of envy, betrayal, and self-destruction in short, our personal tribute to the demonic.
For those eagle-eyed like me, you’ll surely notice three moons outside the window, a reference to the cover of our previous album, and our way of saying that our hearts have a home in a liminal world, like that indecipherable light you find only at sunrise or sunset.
The cover is meant to pull you into that room, into that moment, where each of us has been at least once in our life.
9. You've released a live album in the past. How important is it for you to be able to perform your music live? What can your fans expect from a concert? What dates do you have scheduled to present the new album live?
Yes, we released a live recording from a show we played in January 2020, a truly amazing concert with a really engaged audience. Live shows mean a lot to us, and I think it’s the same for every band. It's a unique feeling to be on stage, focused, and sharing your music, something that’s the result of years of hard work and sweat!
Our live shows are always characterized by small but very dark stage setups; we believe it’s important to set ourselves apart from other bands, and we always try to do that!
The new dates are currently all scheduled for June in Northern England, as part of a mini tour with a truly fantastic lineup!
10. London is a vast, multicultural, and, I suppose, multidisciplinary city. How do you perceive the musical atmosphere that London exudes? What has surprised you most positively about the extreme metal scene in your city? What black metal-related venues would be a must-see? What new bands would you recommend?
London is truly massive. It has an incredible circuit of venues and especially underground bands, which makes it easier for us to get noticed. The atmosphere is fantastic; every gig is followed by lots of people, and after the shows, people come up to shake your hand, introduce themselves, talk about the performance both the good and the bad (I mean constructive criticism) , buy merch, etc. That’s just a big positive for us, as it is for all bands!
As for venues, we absolutely have to mention The Dev (a big hug to the great Chris!), and then there’s Helgi’s, another amazing venue shoutout to Stefania!
For new bands, I’d definitely mention Godking, Morktar,Sanhedrin and Vestia, really great raw black death metal acts!
11. How did you get started in music: first concerts you attended, first albums you bought? What event in your life made you want to be a musician?
Davideath: I got started thanks to my older brother Dino he brought home bands like Pink Floyd and Queen in the early ’90s, then over the years moved on to Pantera, Metallica, Sabbath, and Motörhead... but it was only when I started high school that I discovered the amazing world of Dream Theater (my all-time favorite band). From there, I gradually got into full-on death metal such as Cannibal,Deicide,Opeth and black metal, which led me, at the age of 14, to pick up my first guitar.The rest, as they say, is history. Becoming a musician is a dream for many young people who love music. It was mine too, and it still is, even if I haven’t reached massive levels of fame. I’m fully aware of that. But for me, it’s an incredible satisfaction to have a band, write music, and share everything with the band itself and with friends, near and far.
Pieronoia : .I grew up listening to Queen,that band definitely was my first input to rock n roll,in my family runs a very strong passion for dark tails horror movies and Tolkien,so I guess it led me to darker sounds.The first metal record that I bought was Vol3 from Slipknot,but my first real metal show that I saw was Entombed,when I saw LG Petrov on stage something clicked in me,I keep that memory as one of my most important ones.
12. What album represents the essence of black metal for you? What recent albums have you bought?
Davideath: I think the essence of black metal, for me, can be found in albums like "Panzer Division Marduk," "Cruelty and the Beast" by Cradle of Filth, and of course Dimmu Borgir. Definitely "Sons of Northern Darkness" by Immortal as well. But also Urgehal, Darkthrone... There are just so many!As for recent purchases, I’ve bought all the latest albums from the Sardinian bands Vultur and Unholy Impurity definitely recommend giving them a listen!
Pieronoia: You made the million dollar question here.I really don't know,it could be Under the sign of the black mark,Black shining leather,Pure Holocaust,Aske,Antorn,1184,Frost,The Shadowthrone..too many,I can't pick one mate.Last record that I bought it's a live album from Slayer,live in Nottingham 1987,killer setlist,side A starts with reign in Blood,side B ends with Hell Awaits,if I were in that gig that night probably I would die in the mosh.
13. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions for Black Metal Spirit. If you'd like to add something for Cogas fans, this is the place. I hope you enjoy the questions.
Davideath: Thank you for the interview! It’s been a great pleasure. The album is available on all platforms and social media, so go check it out, listen, share it, and keep supporting true underground extreme metal.
Pieronoia:Thank you for this interview,I hope we didn't bore you too much.Keep listening to Cogas and always think with your head!
A big hug to all of you.
In Darkness,
COGAS
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