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Subject: Cynic
Replies: 4 Views: 1962

lucretia 12.09.11 - 08:28pm
SOUND: Thrash Metal (early), Progressive Death Metal/Fusion (later)


LYRICAL THEMES: Personal thoughts, Philosophy, Peace


COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States

LOCATION: Miami, Florida

FORMED: 1987

CURRENT LINEUP: Sean Reinert Drums, Keyboards (1987-1994, 2006-present) Levi / Werstler, ex-C-187, ex-Portal, ex-Sean Malone, ex-Seaweed, ex-Anomaly, ex-Gordian Knot, ex-Death



Paul Masvidal Vocals, Guitar (1987-1994, 2006-present)
Gordian Knot, ex-Portal, ex-Seaweed, ex-Master, ex-Death

PAST MEMBERS:
Mark Van Erp Bas* (1987-1989)
ex-Malevolent Creation, ex-Monstrosity, ex-Solstice

Jack Kelly Vocals (1987-1988)

Jason Gobel Guitars, Keyboards (1988-1994)
Gordian Knot, ex-Portal, ex-Monstrosity

Tony Choy Bas* (1989-1993)
ex-C-187, ex-Atheist, ex-Pestilence

Sean Malone Bass, Chapman Stick (1993-1994)
Gordian Knot, ex-Sean Malone, ex-Anomaly, ex-Aghora, ex-OSI

Tony Teegarden Vocals, Keyboards (1993-1994, 2006-2007)
ex-Epitaph

Dana Cosley Vocals, Keyboards (1994)
ex-Demonomacy

Santiago Dobles Guitars (2006-2007)
Aghora, Expedition Delta, ex-Council of the Fallen

Robin Zielhorst Bas* (2008-2010)
Exivious

Tymon Kruidenier Guitars, Vocals (2008-2010)
Exivious, ex-Skeletor

DISCOGRAPHY:

Demo- 1988

Reflections of a Dying World- (Demo) 1989

Demo- 1990

Demo- 1991

Focus- (Full-length) 1993

Promo 08- (Demo) 2008

Traced in Air- (Full-length) 2008

Re-Traced (EP) 2010

Carbon-Based Anatomy (EP) 2011
*

lucretia 12.09.11 - 10:41pm
ADDITIONAL INFO: Cynic: A member of a group of ancient Greek philosophers who taught that virtue constitutes happiness and that self-control is the essential part of virtue.

HISTORY: Cynic was formed in November of 1987 in Miami, Florida by Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert . Paul and Sean were elementary school classmates when they first started making music together. After a series of mini-projects and explorations, they decided to seriously seek out other musicians. For junior high, Paul went to boarding school in upstate New York where he found bass player Mark Van Erp. Mark eventually moved to Miami along with his friend Jack Kelly who was added on vocals thus completing the first official Cynic line-up. This early incarnation of Cynic was focused on making metal with primary influences taken from bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Kreator, Destruction and Dark Angel. It is this lineup that would later be featured on the release of their first, self-titled demo in 1988.

Cynic parted ways with Jack in 1988, and Paul took over vocal duties. Jason Gobel (whom they met at a show they performed at) was added on guitar and and in 1989, they cut their second demo, entitled Reflections Of A Dying World, consisting of four songs. All of the songs on this demo were of the thrash / speed-core genre, with even some crossover punk elements incorporated. This lineup soon began touring the south Florida area and bootlegs exist of them as far back as May of 1988. Soon after, Mark was out of the band and Tony Choy was added on bass. In 1990, Cynic released their third demo (also self-titled). This helped to gain them a large following throughout southern and central Florida, as well as their constant touring and cameo appearances (opening for national acts) in the South Florida area. This new lineup would remain intact until 1991.

During this time, the bands' influences were beginning to dramatically change. While they were still listening to fellow contemporaries like Atheist and Death and enticed by the sheer intensity of these extreme forms of music, their musical and creative abilities were developing quickly, and consequently, they began listening to more complex and eclectic forms of music. Classic jazz, bebop and fusion groups such as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return To Forever, Tribal Tech and Allan Holdsworth began influencing their work. Artists such as Pat Metheny and Frank Zappa, 20th Century classical music and even certain schools of classic and modern pop (The Beatles, My blood Valentine) were expanding their record collections. This change in technical and creative skill had already made its way into their songs as the band took a great leap forward in musicianship and songwriting for their second and third demos.

By the early part of 1991, Cynic had evolved into a progressive metal band. The music had the technicality of progressive metal with the brutal vocal qualities of thrash and death metal. They cut a fourth and final demo in 1991 (financed by RoadRunner Records) consisting of three tracks. Two of these tracks would, in a drastically different form, make it onto their debut album. In April of 1991, Paul and Sean played on the groundbreaking Death alb*m Human alongside the band's mastermind Chuck Schuldiner and Steve DiGiorgio of Sadus. They described their relationship with Chuck as very laid-back, and were able to help Chuck with the writing by giving him input, which had been missing on the earlier Death records. The result was a classic record, and Death even got some MTV airplay for their video Lack Of Comprehension. At the same time, Tony Choy was filling in for the late Roger Patterson on Atheist's Unquestionable Presence, also a great alb*m in its own right, and guesting on Pestilence's Testimony of the Ancients. Paul recorded guitars on Master's On The Eighth Day, God Created Master, and Jason worked with Monstrosity (whom Mark Van Erp joined), playing lead on their debut Imperial Doom album. All of this guest work helped to enlarge the fan base for Cynic, making them, according to RoadRunner Records, ...the most popular underground act to never record an album.

Cynic was planning to record their first full-length alb*m on the RoadRunner label after recording the Death record, but Paul and Sean decided to complete the tour cycle for Death European tour through the rest of 1991. These and other delays were part of what expanded Cynic's popularity and also gave them more time to develop their sound. Immediately upon Sean and Paul's return from European tour, they scheduled to go into the studio in October of 1992 with Scott Burns to record their debut alb*m , when catastrophe hit. Unfortunately for everyone (especially us!!), Hurricane Andrew destroyed Jason's home along with the band's rehearsal facilities. Their plans to record were put on hold until March of 1993. Incidentally, this also interrupted Chuck Schuldiner's plans for the next Death release, Individual Thought Patterns, for which Sean Reinert was his first choice as drummer. Sean decided to put his energies back into Cynic. Chuck hired ex-Dark Angel drummer Gene Hoglan (whom he met through writer / long-time associate Borivoj Krgin) to fill in. During this time, Cynic was working with ex-Viogression vocalist Brian DeNeffe. Also around this time, a track of Cynic's was finally released on CD. Uroboric Forms appeared in demo form on the RoadRunner compilation At Death's Door II in 1992 with a note that Cynic's debut alb*m would be released in May 1993.

May 1993 came and went and no alb*m appeared. The band mutually parted ways with Tony Choy who went on to become Atheist's full time bass player. Soon after, Chris Kringel joined the band, whom they met through Brian Deneffe (Viogression). Chris played with the band for a while (and eventually with Portal), but logistics and stylistic differences led to Darren Mcfarland (from Atheist) whom went into the studio with the band. When things didn't work out with Darren, Cynic were back in Miami with all tracks recorded minus bass. Days after their return, Steve Digorgio was at Morrisound recording Death's Individual Thought Patterns. One day in a phone conversation with Paul, Steve passed the phone to Sean Malone who happened to be an employee at Morrisound. Steve learned of his bass playing skills during the 'Individual' recording sessions. After sending his bass demo to Cynic and meeting shortly after, he recorded bass tracks at Morrisound Studios (where the band had recorded their previous demos), and they finally mixed the record. September 14, 1993, Focus was finally released. With over two years since their last demo, Focus was a remarkable change from the style of any of their previous material, and quite different from anything else in the music world as well.

After the release of Focus, Cynic went on a European tour supporting Pestilence. For their live shows, they added a fifth member, lead singer/growler Tony Teegarden, who actually sang the growl vocals on Focus, (since Paul was in danger of losing his voice at the time). Note: Paul sang the ethereal computer voice for all the live shows. Tony also played keyboards live. Due to his schoolwork, Sean Malone could not tour with the band so Chris Kringel came back and replaced him. The tour was cut short, however, when Pestilence disbanded. Returning to the states in January 1994, Cynic performed a few shows in the Florida area, playing the states for the first time in over two years. Malone's only European appearance with Cynic was at Holland's Dynamo Festival in the summer of 1994. Soon after Cynic toured the States during the summer of 1994 supporting Cannibal Corpse. Their tour stretched over 3 months and covered most of the United States. Malone rejoined the group for this tour. Tony was unable to parti te, so they brought their friend Dana Cosley (from local Florida band Demonomacy) for growl vocal duties and keyboards. Tony rejoined the group for a show in West Palm Beach which was the only show to contain all the original Focus members.

After the tour, Cynic began work on a new album. In the early stages of working on their upcoming album, the band parted ways with Sean Malone. Soon after they reunited with bassist Chris Kringel who moved back to Miami and worked with the band to write and record new material (soon to become Portal). Sean Malone's split with the band was amicable, however, and has continued to work with Sean R., Paul and Jason to this day. Part of the musical shifts at this time, were the band's decision to add a female vocalist. Aruna Abrams was found through a letter she wrote to the band while a student at Berkeley College of Music. After the band received her audition tape, she was asked to join Cynic. She moved to Miami and worked closely with the band for a year writing and recording new material. Sometime during the fall of 1994, while working on the new album, Cynic shifted. New directions and sounds led to a name change. The band felt urged to rebirth into a new musical concept that was born out of these changes. The project Portal was born. *

rav3n 21.02.12 - 11:13am
I've been listening to Cynic for awhile now, unique band *

darkxn 22.08.12 - 12:19pm
Wow! Sounds like something I shoulda checked out a long time ago - Cynic AND Postal! :D *

darkxn 22.08.12 - 12:22pm
*Portal. *


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