metal: Cynic - Focus

[prokop]

Band: Cynic
Name: Focus
Web: Cynical Sphere
Buy: amazon.co.uk

Cynic was a weird and insanely wonderful band. Their style was a mix of metal, fusionsjazz and electronica. The only release from this band was Focus from 1993.

The sound on Focus is melodic chaos. It's heavy on the technical, fast changes and experimental on the mixture which is primarely metal but includes elements of fusion, electronica and classical guitar. Voices are often used as instruments, heavy metal riffs are interchanged with ethereal female song, it is impossible to classify.

Focus is heavily intellectualized, personal musings in the spectre of pan-gaya, universal truths, lofty naturism etc. The often cryptic and ethereal lyrics are brutally growled, elegantely chanted or both. The album has a great overall feeling of being an product of intense interest in experimental music. It is by no means an album for mainstream consumption, but a window into the creative mind.

This is one of my favorite metal albums of all times, and I think it's a damn shame that the band disbanded before making more records.

 

[Stalwart]

Although I like this kind of music (Atheist, Pestilence, Meshuggah, Sadist, etc.), Cynic always seemed boring to me, don't know why... probably because I can't find drive and energy in their music.

 

[The Emperor]

cynic, such a great. they are doing together again for some shows, i hope they come here, which is unlikely