The EP is short, 20 minutes is all you get. The album fuses elements from India – tabla, shlok(hymn) and some odd timed sitar work. If this is the first record you will be hearing from CYNIC, I urge you to do so on a noise canceling headset. Jaw dropping interludes at the most unexpected places is their speciality. The much appreciated (also ridiculed at the same time) robotic vocals snug in perfectly in every song. The way these guys stick to their tight song writing and detail to each passage in the song is commendable. The songs are nothing like their first album. They managed to change their "sound" and yet "sound amazing"!
CARBON BASED ANATOMY the second track of the album – has the most downright melodic outbursts supported by drums sounding like gunshots. A feast to the ears and you get depressed when it ends in just 20 mins (with 3 interludes). BOX UP MY BONES has the CYNIC complexity to it and ELVES BEAM OUT gets you bouncing to the most synth driven Progressive Metal fusion you would hear in recent times.
Progressive Metal certainly has its best year with the slew of releases and CYNIC just added a gorgeous EP to the list. I have never thanked the internet so much – and thanked possibly my existence – their album and now their EP is the best thing to have fallen on my humble ears.
Bottom Line
CYNIC have ventured into an uncharted territory (yet again) and return victorious - although fans of their FOCUS days might miss the growls and aggressive songwriting.
