Cynic (US) - Promo 08 (Demo) (320)

line up :

Paul Masvidal - Guitars, Vocals
Sean Reinert - Drums, Keyboards
Sean Malone - Bass, Chapman stick
Tymon Kruidenier - Guitars, Vocals
Tony Teegarden - Vocals/Keyboards

Review :

The legendary technical death metal group Cynic as we know recently got back together for a reunion tour. I thought it was only going to be just that but now it seems that Cynic is wanting to actually make a new album. And it also seems that they have made a promo for two of their newly written songs. I was able to catch a listen to these new tracks and damn I am stunned.

Cynic is back, and better than ever. These new songs sound just like a natural progression from Focus. They sound like they might as well have never split up in the first place. The technicality, the seamless fusion of jazz, the vocoder, the harsh vocals, the clean vocals, the melody, its all their and they have stepped it up in quality.


Track list:

1. Integral Birth (3:49)
2. Adam's Murmur (3:28)
3. Evolutionary Sleepers (Live) (6:07)

Total playing time: 13:24

Download Link

Pass : http://demo-series.blogspot.com/

Cynic (US) - Demo 1991 (Demo) (160)

Line-up :

Paul Masvidal - vocals, guitar
Jason Gobel - guitar
Tony Choy - bass
Sean Reinert - drums

Uroboric Forms also appeared on the RoadRunner Records compilation At Death's
Door II in 1992.


Review :

this is about as perfect as death metal can get. It's smart without sounding too smart for it's own good, it's exciting, fresh, inspired and the production/mix allows every instrument to be heard easily. There's really not much to compare this to. If I had to I would describe it as a mixture of Atheist's "Unquestionable Presence" and Death's "Human," not because that's where these guys played elsewhere, but because to me that's what it really sounds like. If you love death metal and feel like you've heard it all, track down mp3's of this one. You're not going to find it anywhere else and it's definately worth hearing because it is simply amazing...

1.	Uroboric Forms	03:46	[view lyrics]
2.	The Eagle Nature	03:27	[view lyrics]
3.	Pleading for Preservation	05:04
Total playing time		12:17

Download Link

Pass : http://demo-series.blogspot.com/

Cynic (US) - '90 Demo (Demo) (160)

Line-up:

Paul Masvidal - Guitar, Vocals
Jason Gobel - Guitar
Tony Choy - Bass
Sean Reinert - Drums

Cover Art by Jose Perez.
Recorded at Morrisound Studios.
Engineered by Scott Burns.
Produced by Cynic and Scott Burns.

Review :

It's really a shame Cynic didn't get signed early on their carreer, remaining an underground favorite releasing only demos for most part of their time together.

This demo shows a great improvement over the previous one. The three songs here are really amazing and show a band fully developed, a tech-thrash monster.

First of all, the musicianship is amazing. All players on the band are highly skilled. Sean Reinert already started to incorporate jazz influences here, and his drum lines are very intricate, aggressive and precise, althought not nearly as much as on his later work. Jason Gobel and Paul Masvidal deliver sharp aggressive riffs and very complex solos. The addition of Tony Choy on bass gave another dimension to Cynic, since he is a very skilled and creative bass player. Paul Masvidal vocals here are quite fun and far away from the "Focus" vocals. They're a raspy scream with a lot of work on diction. You can hear the words very clearly. His vocals remind me a bit of Sabbat's Martin Walkyer, but with not as much range.

1.	Lifeless Irony	04:09	[view lyrics]
2.	Thinking Being	04:54	[view lyrics]
3.	Cruel Gentility	04:34	[view lyrics]
Total playing time		13:37

Download Link

Pass : http://demo-series.blogspot.com/

Cynic (US) - Reflections of a Dying World (Demo) (160)

Line-up :

Paul Masvidal - Guitar, Vocals
Jason Gobel - Guitar
Mark Van Erp - Bass
Sean Reinert - Drums


Review :

This demo is released basically to show the band's evolution, and what the thrash roots that Cynic had, really were.


Paul has probably transfered his skilled back and forth from Master, as you can tell by the intro track to this demo, Denaturalizing Leaders. Sean continues to hammer away at his kit, in odd time fashions (Though not as much deviation as Focus). The vocals are quite impressive, considering Paul almost lost his voice over it. I assume he can only go on for so long with the harsh vocals, judging by the shorter length of songs. Most demo songs-- even by starting bands, are short in time. For a band at the beginning, they are quite good for starting out. Almost 4 minutes on the first song. That is impressive. What I also enjoyed is how the tracks flow together so easily, but not so much you cannot tell the difference between the songs (Aka: DragonForce).
The bass on this album is heavy as hell if you can make it out. Mark Van Erp isn't Tony Choy or Sean Malone, but he sure holds his part well.


Do not get me wrong, these songs are technical, and there are certain time signature changes, just not as much as Focus has. Though we have the technical parts, there is definitely ear-candy solo's throughout this album. On top of the epic solos, we also have the aggressiveness that everyone enjoys in the tremolo picking or ultra heavy power chords. There is no lack of that, making this a possible headbanging experience. You can just feel the heavy riffs off of Agitating Affliction.
Sadly, I wish I could write a longer review like always, but this is only a four song demo. I will leave with you with one important line: Only get this if you cannot get enough Cynic, or enjoy classic death metal with some very heavy riffs. Other then that and I believe you will not really enjoy this.

1.	Denaturalizing Leaders	03:52	[view lyrics]
2.	Extremes	02:33	[view lyrics]
3.	A Life Astray	02:50	[view lyrics]
4.	Agitating Affliction	03:42	[view lyrics]
Total playing time		12:57

Download Link

Pass : http://demo-series.blogspot.com/

Cynic (US) - '88 Demo (Demo) (192)

Line-up :

Jack Kelly - Vocals
Paul Masvidal - Guitar
Mark Van Erp - Bass
Sean Reinert - Drums


Review :

Prior to evolving into the genre-defying, massively influential, almost legendary "jazz-metal" pioneers the world came to know on 1993's Focus, Cynic were much like any other metal band from Florida's blosomming scene, searching for a musical identity and delivering a raw thrash metal assult. While this first demo obviously bares little resemblance to what the band would eventually become, this is still some crushing and surprisingly intelligent early material from a group of musicians who clearly had the poetential to make their mark on the metal scene, overcoming some predictably muddy sound quality to shine through as an undeniably impressive effort in its own capacity.

Paul Masvidal was handling all the guitars at this point, and while his later jazz-tinged experimentalism is nowhere to be found he still creates some great riffage and swift soloing which combines with a speedy and precise performance from the already impressive Sean Reinert behind the kit to create the basis of these three songs. Early bassist Mark Van Erp is no Tony Choy or Sean Malone, nor does he need to be, providing a steady (if at times slightly inaudible) backbone to the ripping guitars. This demo is also the only recorded appearance of original vocalist Jack Kelly, who has little going for him in the way of originality (his gravelly shouting is a little reminiscent of Tom Angelripper to these ears) but provides a sufficiently agressive and energetic performance to give the songs some extra punch and certainly pull his own weight.

1.	Once Misguided	02:58
2.	Weak Reasoning	03:36
3.	Dwellers of the Threshold	03:58
Total playing time		10:32

Download Link

Pass : http://demo-series.blogspot.com/