Cynic has been one of my favorite bands since the first time that I heard Traced in Air back in 2008 (yes I am one of those n00bs that didn’t get into Focus first.) I have very specific memories of smoking marijuana for the first times whilst blasting Traced in Air and wondering why it sounded like Paul Masvidal was singing directly into my brain through a warm fuzzy sweater… Experiences like this are what hooked me on the band so hard!
Anyhow, in late 2017, drummer and founding member Sean Reinert left the band after a thirty-year stretch and handed the full rights of the group over to guitarist Paul Masvidal. As you can imagine, this left many fans wondering what the future would hold for Cynic since Sean’s unique style of drumming was responsible for so much of what became known as the “Cynic sound.” But now in early 2018, Matt Lynch from the band Trioscapes stepped behind the kit for the release of Cynic’s first new song in four years entitled “Humanoid.”
In this drum playthrough, Matt makes it very clear that he is 100% capable of bringing a new energy and style to the group while also paying homage to Reinert’s incredible legacy. While some trve Cynic fans are going to be mad no matter what, I think that this dude is a total badass and his skills leave me wanting for none. He nails the technical/tribal elements of Cynic’s drum sound perfectly while also introducing some of his own flavors.
Purchase “Humanoid” via Bandcamp here!
