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. No doubt, in those times young conquerors of underground have been under strong influence of DEATHROW 1988 “Deception Ignored” album.

The aim, the band is always reaching out for, is creation its own brilliant way of non-boring metal. For making it real the musicians are using all their skill, own vision of world and blending of wealth of various styles in one powerful metal sound. Of course, it didn’t come as it is.

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.

The process of “moulding” went on. Young 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.

Obviously, Russian classical heritage has influenced the band drastically. Astonished by boundless melodic of Musorgsky and absolutely unpredictable character of Stravinsky’s works, ENS COGITANS were working on their style, bringing out symphometal, many-voiced arrangements and touches of doom. As to lyrics, both demos raised questions of man’s relationships with himself and his environment. For the first time such a noticeable magazine as MORTICIANUMSKULL (Holland) published a big interview of Cor Snijder with the band.

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. A capital review by Russell Smith appeared in mighty TERRORIZER Magazine (UK). ENS COGITANS have progressed throughout their first three demos, each of which displayed improved soundrecording and mature tunes.

All in all, it wasn’t enough for musicians, and they started to think about full-length album of better quality for deserved worldwide promotion, but... unexpectedly drummer left the band. They stayed three-piece team, looking for new members.

In June 1995 Dmitry Kezhvatov joined the band as a second guitarist, and during autumn 1995 musicians found an additional female vocalist Irene Rusakova. Dmitry brought fascinating, catchy way of second guitar playing, and Ira - romantic atmosphere into men’s collective. Boosted with new musicians ENS COGITANS took a more melodic turn, this time with only transparent allusions to technometal.

In April 1996 ENS COGITANS took part in annual Russian metal festival Deathrider, where they tested out new songs. Reaction was great, the work was completed, so, with the help of Roman, who got back, they 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. One year of never-ending motion Through The Moonlight and Search Of Inner Poise, 50 minutes of unpredictable Stone Rill flow, six mysterious flashes of Fire From Within, 48 channels of soundrecording - it’s all about “Heart Of The Way”. 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, with the help of editor of MorticianNumskull, HAROLD DEKKERS, ENS COGITANS signed a contract with independent Italian label SEVEN ART MUSIC for 2 Cds, however the debut CD was not issued then, due to some financial (as f**king always) problems.

Inspired by new international horizons, ENS COGITANS, after first summer vacation, proceeded to new stuff, played live a lot meanwhile. They didn’t want repetition of previous work and wrote something more heavy-oriented, called “Breath Of The Ground”. Unfortunately, the label’s business didn’t go the right way, and this album seemed to be unreleased too.

A bad luck spread wings over the band, and little by little erstwhile the community faded away in day-by-day life. This was even more intensified by departure of bass player Dmitry. He signed contract and went to work in one of the Dutch circus’ orchestra. It didn’t prevent him from working on all subsequent ENS COGITANS songs though. His vacations in Russia became studiosession