Review by JD on June 29, 2013.

USBM is something I have been getting into lately, and I have been getting into it a whole lot with what I have been hearing. Most of them are these one man BM outfits that are as good or better than most of the Black Metal bands out there that have many members… which is a real tribute to all of the lone musicians who do it strictly for the love of the music.

One such one man outfit comes to us from Santa Ana, California where multi-instrumentalist Jacob Buczarski sets to crafting Doom tinged Atmospheric Black Metal with great musicianship and malevolence that just stops short of Satan himself and calls it Mare Cognitum. Powerful guitars, pounding bass riffs, swirly atmosphere and nasty vocals combine to show that USBM is not one dimensional – but many different layers wrapped in barbed wire.

Most of the album is perfectly devilish USBM with all of its power of blasting drums and acidic riffs, yet there are added textures of Thrash and Doom that vaults this album’s material over most of its contemporaries. Songs like 'Pulses In Extraconscious Lucidity' show the doomy side of things, while still powering through with black metal zeal and attitude. I would like a little bit more of dirtier and barbaric recording but that is just my preference when it comes to BM.

This is another solo musician putting out his vision of Black Metal and another that has done it with style, and the ability to scare the hell out of you as well. No brainer here, this is one USBM album that should be heard and owned. Mare Cognitum is amazing as hell, and hopefully Jacob Buczarski will get picked up by someone who will put it out on their label for the world to hear. It needs to be heard.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9.5
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 8.5
Originality: 9
Overall: 9

Rating: 9 out of 10