Composer Reacts to Cynic - Evolutionary Sleeper (REACTION & ANALYSIS)

[@dampersand]

RIP Sean and Sean. Two of the greats.

[@vvkth2500]

Sean Malone and Reinert are on Mount Rushmore of great musicians.

[@livefreeprintguns]

You had me at Cynic bro, easily one of the most slept on bands that were so far ahead of their time that they had to reunite 15 years after they released their first album in 1991 because that's how much time was required for everyone else to catch up.

[@Omnatten9]

1993 actually, but absolutely

[@Penz0id]

Legendary album. Sadly the drummer and bassist both passed on last year. RIP

[@liliIiliIilil]

Cynic sort of has legendary status for their progressive writing in death metal in the late 80's/early 90's. Their 1992 release, Focus, was not commercially successful and they had difficulty finding an audience, so they broke up not long after the album's release. Thanks to the internet becoming more common in people's homes, people started to rediscover Focus and saw just how ahead of their time that they were, and over a decade later, in 2008, they reformed and put out the song that you just listened to. They're still together, though two members just passed last year, so after the new record, I dunno what their future looks like.

[@HateMich]

That album sounds ahead even today, i can just imagine the impact it had at that time, and it's easy to understand why nobody undestood it. Maybe it deserves a cleaner sound production, because it's difficult still today to clearly follow all the changing tempos and what plays every single instrument.

[@vvkth2500]

@@HateMich Man, imagine if they re-recorded Focus with more modern production. I know first hand that Malone said they are all willing to do it. But circumstances just didn't allow it. Either way, Focus is a phenomenal record, that holds up even today. I even think Traced in Air was fantastic.

[@anomalyLG]

@@vvkth2500 good news! Paul is remixing Focus (with some help from engineers of course).

[@vvkth2500]

@@anomalyLG Yeap, i'm following Paul on IG! Also saw Gobel visited the studio. Stoked to hear it. I just have reservations with Warren Riker. He never produced bass well for Cynic. They even remixed Traced In Air (which he originally produced) and it sounds way better (unfortunately without growls). Probably will sound better though, so my hopes are up still!

[@anomalyLG]

@@vvkth2500 yep Nolly killed it on the Traced remix

[@ignoblesavage5559]

I like these guys so much. They were SO FAR out in front of the prog/death metal wave when they released Focus, and like Atheist, a l Iot of it really holds up todaY, 30 years later. Losing the rhythm section is huge, because both those guys are so deservedly legendary. Don't know how they're going to sound going forward, TBH. RE: The drummer...Sean Reinert was and remains such an inspiration, even for pros who are older than he was. He was simultaneously a perfect fit for Chuck & Death (circa Human) & for a death metal-slash-prog-slash-jazz fusion outfit like earlier Cynic (as well as much less-deathy later Cynic). It's a hell of a testimony to his abilities. Bryan, i'd love to see you react to a couple more Cynic tracks...like How Could I (from the 1st album) & maybe Adam's Murmur? Their stuff from Focus had even more interplay btwn clean & harsh vox, & given their tendency (even when rocking out deathstyle) toward singer-guitarist Paul Masvidal's really accepting & laid-back attitudes toward life, it makes for a fun time trying to deconstruct & evaluate their music.

[@ignoblesavage5559]

Oh, and bassist Sean Malone deserves his own reactions...his SOUND was totally unique (maybe Tony Choy of Atheist came close to that sound) back in the early 90s, & is still unique now. Plus his songwriting is tops...he found ways to feature the bass without hijacking the rest of the music, as did Reinert on drums. It's a huge reason why I like Cynic so much...ALL the musicians are so skilled, virtuosic, but they don't show off at the expense of the BAND. It's a really RESPECTFUL way of writing & performing music. BTW, outside of their first album Focus, their music is not something one listens to nonstop for weeks or months. It's so good & interesting, but it's not super hook-laden that I will constantly play. I need to be in a certain mood.

[@idonthaveatvset]

Tony Choy (of Cynic) as well :)

[@frankyeichler3303]

Sean Malone, one of the reasons I started playing the bass guitar in the first place. Man, i miss this guy

[@jenricgonzales]

Forever grateful for the works of Sean Malone & Sean Reinert. I suggest that you check songs from their other albums like Focus (1993) or Kindly Bent to Free Us (2014). As most of the songs in the album Traced In Air (2008) didn’t do justice on Sean Malone’s bass lines - which is one of the reasons why a remixed version of this album was released in 2019 that featured new tracked bass from Sean Malone.

[@amann2507]

Wow! This is awesome! Cynic is pretty obscure. Cool to see u review this.

[@benharbak]

Always loved their use of vocoder. I didn't know how I'd feel about the reissue without the death metal vocals, but I think I actually enjoy it more. Such a tasty band.

[@dampersand]

I didn't think it was possible to listen to two Cynic songs without noticing Sean Malone's bass work either time.

[@nathanlockhart3876]

Would love to see you check out something from their first album. Everything on it is good but “veil of maya” and “I’m but a wave” to stand out for me.

[@progperljungman8218]

I really like this band who challenges and appeals in just the right way for me. I'm sad to learn of Reinert's and Malone's passing - didn't know 😪

[@progperljungman8218]

I really like the analysis as well Bryan and it seems they're tickling you about the same way.

[@PuppyFromH3ll]

I just found your channel and was delighted to see so your thoughts on so much of the music I love. The Spawn of Possession video was particularly good for me. I think you should take a look at Death - Flesh and the Power It Holds (or really anything off of The Sound of Perseverance), which probably my favorite track by them. Death and Chuck Schuldiner were masters, and I'm surprised I haven't seen anything by them recommended yet. Paul Masvidal of Cynic played with Death on the Human album, which was also really good.

[@ignoblesavage5559]

As did Sean Reinert on drums.

[@issorlol]

By the by, for anyone curious - Cynic's new album (sans the Seans, obviously. RIP) is VERY GOOD. The drummer they have now seems like nothing short of a worthy successor and in place of a bassist they have a keyboardist who provides bass synth as well.

[@foulgrowl5893]

Check out Integral Birth off of the same album. Really love Cynic!

[@b.l.fisher8230]

Always dug the demo, although I love the clean vocals on the first album, the heavier vocals on the demo are pretty badass...

[@ignoblesavage5559]

Re: their lyrics...without the lyrics in front of me I'll just say that Paul Masvidal's lyrics tend toward a Hindu-influenced spirituality (w/a side of Buddhist attitude of acceptance). I think he's talking about reincarnation here, the path toward enlightenment being the evolution & the "sleeper" referring to dying &/or waiting for the next incarnation?

[@Ryan-vh9bw]

The album this is from was remixed without the growls which is a bummer to me. I think they fit quite well. re: the lyrics, Paul Masvidal (the clean vocalist and lead guitarist) typically uses themes from eastern philosophy (specifically, existentialism in this album IIRC). The juxtaposition makes sense to me, even if I can't exactly explain why.. though it's definitely not something I'd listen to casually. If you dig stuff like this, it's really hard not to recommend Aghora. Their debut has both Seans! warning: fans are split on the vocals, though the other instruments are excellent.

[@Daveyboyz1978]

In any other band the guitarist would be the star of the show, he is awesome... but the pair of Seans are awesomer.

[@alegiddings]

Great analysis Brian!, cynic is one of my fav bands, always making original things

[@xdrezcorex]

i cant make a comparison, since i lost the CD in 2011, but this seems slightly different from how i remember the song sounding: a false memory i suppose.

[@flippypwa978]

Thank you to this reaction! My ever fav song from Cynic. Legend band :)

[@sharpvonl201]

would be cool to see you react to 'nevermore - this godless endeavour'

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

IlilIlilI already did a good job covering the band's history: they were one of the OGs when it came to fusing prog and death metal back in the early 90s along with Atheist and Death. This was from their second album in '08, released over 15 years after their first. The whole band was full of virtuosos who played in other bands. Despite how much the genre has evolved since they premiered they still sound utterly unique. Their first album will always be one of my favorite metal albums: I still remember discovering it over 15 years ago and being completely blown away. Their newer material was excellent, but didn't blow me away to the same degree. I do know most newer metal fans seem to prefer their newer albums though, so it may just be a generational divide. Their newer material is probably more prog, while there's still traces of OG death metal in their first album.

[@Uiui97t]

I never thought i would love reggaeton, that shit it's from another world

[@robertosolito1276]

WATCHTOWER: THE ELDRITCH (1989)

[@toddegoldberg]

Love them and this album. However, the death growls are vestigial. They evolved past that. And since this was their first album since focus, i think they felt they had to include it in some fashion just for continuity. Something to link this to their earlier work. They were past the growls on the next release. And then the evolved past the vocoder layering. Progression every release. Listen to the portal tapes. Maybe some aeon spoke. Mix all those and the focus album and you get traced in air.

[@Taraktos]

Love this album and this song! RIP Sean Malone and Sean Reinert.

[@rogermarin1712]

How Could I?, Integral birth, Adam's murmur, Carbon Based Anatomy next?

[@Qliphirot]

Cynic - Veil of Maya

[@azzachew2997]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TRY OUT Test Of Wills from Magellan PLEASE

[@karterokiller]

nice reaction !.. you need to listen King of those Who Know - Cynic.

[@karterokiller]

or Unknow Guest !!!

[@guitar_noodle]

You’ve reacted to them before but you didn’t dig that song but I knew you would with this one. Traced In Air is a great album. Check out their drummer Sean Rienert(RIP) do a drum playthrough of this song kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGbZkpqubrtja5I

[@amann2507]

Can we suggest any prog black metal on here?

[@CriticalReactions]

Sure thing. I take suggestions from any genre of music.

[@AdAstra-v3s]

🇨🇱🤟

[@Dukhevych]

I'll never understand this band.

[@icipher6730]

You'll never understand this band.

[@Dukhevych]

@@icipher6730 yes. It's because of vocals ruining everything. For me.

[@mrdeathamore]

It was hard for me too because I didn't gave it enough time to grow on me, but later I couldn't stop listen to it. And now this is one of my absolute favorite bands