Hey there!

One of the most surprising events in the metal world this year was Cynic announcing their fourth album, “Ascension Codes.” After the tragic and untimely deaths of bassist Sean Malone and former drummer Sean Reinert, most of us weren’t expecting to see a new Cynic album. Given these losses, it’s safe to assume that any new music under the Cynic name would be heavily influenced by these emotions and cast a somber shadow. Additionally, it might be challenging for some fans to get excited about a new release without the presence of Reinert and Malone.

Cynic, in the 30 years since its formation, has reached a well-known status in extreme metal and prog, especially with their monumental debut album “Focus” in 1993, which introduced jazz fusion elements to death metal. The core members, Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert, also spent a few years recording and touring with Death during the Human album cycle. By the time their highly acclaimed second album, “Traced In Air,” was released in 2008, the band had nearly abandoned their death metal roots. With “Kindly Bent to Free Us,” they had moved away from metal almost entirely, embracing progressive rock tendencies. The new album, “Ascension Codes,” continues Masvidal’s mystical journey that began with “Kindly Bent to Free Us.”

This is probably the most ‘celestial’ album the band has ever made. Considering Masvidal’s yogi influences and mystical lifestyle, this isn’t much of a surprise for Cynic followers. As mentioned earlier, 2014’s “Kindly Bent to Free Us” also headed in this direction, but “Ascension Codes” takes it even further. While the sound is different, the lyrical themes of light, introspection, spirituality, etc., make the two albums quite similar.

Following the losses, Matt Lynch (Trioscapes, Intronaut) joined the band as a tour drummer and contributed to the making of “Ascension Codes.” Lynch showcases his unique jazz-metal drumming skills throughout the album, delivering commendable performances on nearly every track. To fill Malone’s place, the bass parts are played on a synthesizer by keyboardist Dave Mackay. Opting to use a synthesizer instead of replacing Malone with another bassist shows Masvidal’s deep respect and tribute to Malone.

Blending progressive rock, jazz fusion, ambient, and post-rock touches, “Ascension Codes” is a futuristic Cynic work, as always. With 30-40 second interludes interspersed, the album consists of 18 tracks totaling 49 minutes. While these coded interludes support the celestial atmosphere when the album is listened to as a whole, they don’t add much on their own and can slow the album’s momentum. When these are removed, the remaining nine tracks are heavily melodic with vocoder vocals, jazz fusion, and electronica, creating an esoteric, psychedelic, and cosmic blend, almost like sounds from another world.

Knowing Masvidal enjoys collaborations in his solo career, I expected a guest musician on this album. I was interested to see Plini guest on the opening track, “The Winged Ones.” This might be intriguing for some and not for others. While I like Plini, I didn’t get too excited about his contribution here.

The first track where we hear Masvidal’s robotic voice is “Elements and Their Inhabitants.” Though not strictly metal, it features heavier guitar parts in some sections. Following this, the album’s lead single, “Mythical Serpents,” starts with a growl vocal that creates great excitement. Although we expect more surprises, the rest of the album continues with clean and vocoder vocals. “Mythical Serpents” is one of the album’s most emotionally intense tracks. Even though the album differed significantly from my expectations, I still felt the excitement of listening to Cynic through this song.

“DNA Activation Template” could have made an epic contribution to the album with its melody but loses its potential by dedicating more than half to ambient-vocal sections. As the track nears its end, I feel disappointed, having listened to a void up to that point. For listeners like us who prefer ‘music’ over ‘sound,’ the album has some shortcomings.

“Aurora” is one of the album’s intriguing tracks with its general dynamics and electronic background. After “Mythical Serpents,” it’s the most memorable and melodic track. The balance created by the vocal melodies and electronic influences reminds me of a mix between Sigur Ros and Radiohead, which is appealing to alternative music fans.

Approaching the end, “In a Multiverse Where Atoms Sing” stands out with its more aggressive drums and riffs. The growl vocals continue in the background. When I reached the closing track, “Diamond Light Body,” during the album’s first preview on Season of Mist’s YouTube channel, I had no regrets about the previous tracks. Prog-like rhythms, electronic elements, and synth transitions, followed by a doom-ambient atmosphere, elevate “Diamond Light Body” to a powerful conclusion.

Listening to the entire album from start to finish and internalizing it is challenging because it requires navigating through many layers to reach the core. The ‘codes,’ which Masvidal refers to as light codes, are integral to the celestial atmosphere he aims to create. These interludes contribute to the overall experience and thematic continuity of the album. While they may not add much on their own, they serve as essential elements that enhance the mystical and introspective journey. Despite any initial reservations, the contributions of Mackay and Lynch make it exciting to listen to Cynic again. If this is a farewell for Cynic, I can’t think of a more characteristic and special one. “Mythical Serpents” and “Diamond Light Body” are my humble recommendations. May the spirits of the Seans rest in peace!