Sometimes an album can totally alter your vision of music and shake your own personal taste. In 2014 Cynic’s Kindly Bent To Free Us had such an effect on me. Whilst I don’t think my musical taste will ever stop evolving this release hit me at a point when I was still impressionable enough for a mass effect. It may not have been to everyone’s tastes but this little Prog Metal masterpiece helped get me into Tech Death, Prog and Classic Rock in a way I never thought possible. The latter two genres being some which I hold now in extremely high regard and love especially so in more mature years (Christ I sound old, I’m only 28) but you know what I mean. My life is now more responsible and less party fuelled and as such listening to easily digestible nuggets of Rock is something I thoroughly enjoy, although don’t get me wrong, I still love to get blind drunk and listen to abrasive BDM, I am the Slam King after all.
So now that is off my chest let’s talk Cynic. Pioneers is a term bandied about a lot but this is a fitting title for these wizards of Metal. Formed in 1987 in Florida the band found themselves at the heart of a bursting Death Metal movement and in 1993 dropped perhaps one of, if not the most important Tech Death album of all time with Focus. A short-lived career followed and it wouldn’t be until 2008 that they would release a follow up with Traced In Air, naturally a more evolved record it still hit hard. Then of course comes the aforementioned Kindly Bent To Free Us which I don’t need to rant about further. Now following the tragic passing of founding member Sean Reinert the band solider on with Paul Masvidal still at the helm. Thus we enter 2021 with Ascension Codes but is it a fitting tribute to Sean’s memory?
The first of many an ethereal interlude Mu-54* has a cosmic mysticism about it following perfectly into The Winged Beasts which seems to take the Metal instrumentation of Cynic to new otherworldly heights. The bass tone is delightful as is as are the ever-fantastic guitars, this is one nigh on instrumental I’m all over. This formula repeats for another few songs, Elements And Their Inhabitants furthering the massive Prog nature of this record, this is without a doubt an experience, not a singular song by song affair. That said we soon get to lead single Mythical Serpents. As ever Paul’s vocals wash through me with deep impactful emotion, the sort of musical delicacy that can reduce you to tears of life affirming joy, maybe the tone isn’t for everyone, but to me it will always be an experience in itself. There is so very much to unpack and as ever the sound is indescribable really, all I can say is imagine yourself joyfully floating through time and space, devoid of misery and you won’t be far off. If you want to be boring though expect a ton of insane musical genius, from the stunning drums of Matt Lynch to the synth heavy overall feel and unendingly free following guitars. 6th Dimensional Archetype follows on nicely, even more dynamic and powerful than Mythical Serpents. Giving off a vibe that is a cross between Focus and Kindly Bent To Free Us, certainly Cynic have amped up their Metal edge again, of course it’s not Tech Death but you can really feel that influence and it’s massive. DNA Activation Template can only be described as trippy, weird and Ambient, it’s all a bit mental really and the whole album gets you on a sort of third eye opening hippy dreamscape. I can see it being perceived as a bit try hard for some and whilst I would be inclined to agree Cynic are also massively important to me and they simply resonate with me even in these stranger moments.
That said you may well have noted that I’m mostly ignoring a lot of the number/ special character named interludes. Partly because they aren’t worth talking about and partly because outside of listening to the album for yourself they bare no real poignancy. Anyway, Architects Of Consciousness, let’s talk about that. Firstly, it’s a bit of a relief and return to musical potential after so much pontificating, but more importantly it’s another crushing journey through the cosmos. Huge synths and wild tones backed with Metal energy and delivery. Not to mention those unreal vocals, which whilst I know are obviously laced with effects are none the less devastatingly emotive. Aurora is quite understated in comparison to the rest of the album but personally I adore it, to the point where it could be my favourite of the entire release. Imagine a heavier The Lions Roar and you won’t be far off, huge, well to me at least, my god Cynic are a bit good aren’t they! Injecting some speed is In A Multiverse Where Atoms Sing, it’s safe to say by this point that the second half is where all the action is. The last ‘real’ song is Diamond Light Body it’s a song which might not tread any new ground but certainly puts a lot of Cynic’s influences into one basket, a fantastic summary of their work to date I feel.
Okay, so I’m not going to pretend that Cynic isn’t a big display of ‘my music is better than yours’ and general snooty behaviour but hell they’re good. Of course I do feel that the interludes are a little filler and overkill, equally I don’t think I like it as much as the last record. However, it is still absolutely massive and in fact it’s a different and evolved experience which as we have seen with Cynic is something we should expect and indeed embrace. I challenge you to honestly put forth a more dynamic band out there today, you’ll be hard pushed to find one in my mind. Ascension Codes is without a doubt another gem to add to the Cynic catalogue and I think Sean would be proud of this release, may he rest in peace.
(8/10 George Caley)
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