The new song entitled "Evolutionary Sleeper", has been made available for download here. The track was recorded live during the band's June 29, 2007 appearance at the Hovefestivalen in Arendal, Norway. Enjoy.

They're really polite when they're live eh...That song was alright but it wasn't great...I was expecting death metal vocals but there were none! It didn't really sound much like a song, more like a jam...I just hope that when they finally get around to putting out an album, it won't be full of songs like that...

Cynic have confirmed a headlining show at SKC in Belgrade, Serbia on August 14. A poster for the concert can be found here.

Yup, I heard this yesterday, they could tell us little earlier, but what now, I am going to spare some cash, although I am not fan of theirs, they are big band, and it is definitely worthy to make an appearance on their show, experience more for sure.
Btw. Ticket is 1300 dinars, or 13-14 euros

Also they have been confirmed for the Maximum Rock Festival (source here)

Cynic's performance at the Maximum Rock Festival is available now online. You can watch the entire show at this location on Metalcharge.


The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Veil of Maya
02. Celestial Voyage
03. The Eagle Nature
04. Sentiment
05. I'm But A Wave To?
06. Evolutionary Sleeper
07. Textures
08. Uroboric Forms
09. Cosmos
10. How Could I

A song inspired by Cynic. Listen to: Unholy - for the unknown one

Tell me what you think. Pasi elludes to Focus been the inspiration for this song off Rapture.

[edit]

love Uroboric Forms

A 2008 Promo has leaked on the net ! It contains two songs and Evolutionary Sleeper Live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYXdazSFtSw&feature=related

Check out the two new demos

I can honestly say I found the new album to be horrifically awful in pretty much every way. It's probaby just a matter of my taste but it just didn't go anyway and was just gah! I was never as into 'Focus' as most but I enjoyed it and because I had no expectations for the new one I thought I'd enjoy that too but nope. Just found the overall sound and style to be incredible "la la la." I'd give a more in depth and impartial review of it but no way am I going near that again.

People on Last.fm seem to be loving it but I'm wondering if it's just denial =P

Written by Guest on 19.09.2008 at 00:21

I can honestly say I found the new album to be horrifically awful in pretty much every way. It's probaby just a matter of my taste but it just didn't go anyway and was just gah! I was never as into 'Focus' as most but I enjoyed it and because I had no expectations for the new one I thought I'd enjoy that too but nope. Just found the overall sound and style to be incredible "la la la." I'd give a more in depth and impartial review of it but no way am I going near that again.

People on Last.fm seem to be loving it but I'm wondering if it's just denial =P

I don't think its denial because I'm listening to it as we speak and its probably one of the best death metal albums to come out of 08 for me right now. I'm actually enjoying it more then Focus. =/

Written by Guest on 19.09.2008 at 00:34

Written by Guest on 19.09.2008 at 00:21

I can honestly say I found the new album to be horrifically awful in pretty much every way. It's probaby just a matter of my taste but it just didn't go anyway and was just gah! I was never as into 'Focus' as most but I enjoyed it and because I had no expectations for the new one I thought I'd enjoy that too but nope. Just found the overall sound and style to be incredible "la la la." I'd give a more in depth and impartial review of it but no way am I going near that again.

People on Last.fm seem to be loving it but I'm wondering if it's just denial =P

I don't think its denial because I'm listening to it as we speak and its probably one of the best death metal albums to come out of 08 for me right now. I'm actually enjoying it more then Focus. =/

I think my problem is that I hear very little death or thrash metal in there. There's no pace, no excitement, no anything really. I might give it another go six months down the line but I think for the moment I'll just stick with the new Gojira

Written by Guest on 19.09.2008 at 00:38

Written by Guest on 19.09.2008 at 00:34

Written by Guest on 19.09.2008 at 00:21

I can honestly say I found the new album to be horrifically awful in pretty much every way. It's probaby just a matter of my taste but it just didn't go anyway and was just gah! I was never as into 'Focus' as most but I enjoyed it and because I had no expectations for the new one I thought I'd enjoy that too but nope. Just found the overall sound and style to be incredible "la la la." I'd give a more in depth and impartial review of it but no way am I going near that again.

People on Last.fm seem to be loving it but I'm wondering if it's just denial =P

I don't think its denial because I'm listening to it as we speak and its probably one of the best death metal albums to come out of 08 for me right now. I'm actually enjoying it more then Focus. =/

I think my problem is that I hear very little death or thrash metal in there. There's no pace, no excitement, no anything really. I might give it another go six months down the line but I think for the moment I'll just stick with the new Gojira

Ah, I guess I'm totally different. I can pretty much listen to anything from "Anaal Nathrakh" to "God Speed You! Black Emperor". Although I can understand where you're coming from. There is more jazz fusion in this album more then Focus. New Gojira, I have yet to listen to it. I highly it beats From Mars To Sirus.

Okay, Traced in Air is seriously on par with Focus...
What a band, what an album, so glad they are back together!!!

Traced In Air is currently the single biggest disappointment of the year for me. It is too relaxed, nto even the slightest sense of danger to it. It is just bland and the vodoers kills it off totally for me. I liked the vocoder on Focus but here it is overdone. Traced IN Air is more suitable as music to meditate to, it is totally zen. Like Velvet said there is no pace, no excitement.
I'll just stick to Focus and the new Gojira which at times sound way more Cynic than the new Cynic does.

I liked Traced In Air. It's allright
Can't elaborate right now, maybe after the 50th spin or so... lol

Written by Galar on 30.09.2008 at 21:57

Okay, Traced in Air is seriously on par with Focus...
What a band, what an album, so glad they are back together!!!

totally agree with u...

Written by nana.MD on 05.10.2008 at 00:10

Written by Galar on 30.09.2008 at 21:57

Okay, Traced in Air is seriously on par with Focus...
What a band, what an album, so glad they are back together!!!

totally agree with u...

I'm warming up to it... I think people who weren't expecting to hear "Focus II" or at least something similar seem to enjoy it more...
I've been falling asleep to it every night and it is slowly becoming an integral part of my sleep cycle...

Written by Introspekrieg on 05.10.2008 at 00:20

Written by nana.MD on 05.10.2008 at 00:10

Written by Galar on 30.09.2008 at 21:57

Okay, Traced in Air is seriously on par with Focus...
What a band, what an album, so glad they are back together!!!

totally agree with u...

I'm warming up to it... I think people who weren't expecting to hear "Focus II" or at least something similar seem to enjoy it more...
I've been falling asleep to it every night and it is slowly becoming an integral part of my sleep cycle...

hahaha it will become part of u...u'll see!!
...yeah maybe that's true...most ppl expected something very similar...i was only expecting something good, not easy for them to disappoint me

I was actually optimistic about Cynic coming up with some new stuff, but from what i've heard their new album is garbage, okay maybe a bit better, a clean garbage. I can't judge before hearing it but i'll start by downloading Traced In Air, see what there is to give.

I just heard the new albumand it certainly lived up to my expectations...I'm glad that there are more real vocals this time...it really sounds like a more updated version of Cynic...the songs hold together so well...a great album all around...a very strong release...

i dont know what the big deal about Cynic is. yeah, its technical but i dont see what everyone is hyping them over.

Written by LeChron James on 07.10.2008 at 18:38

i dont know what the big deal about Cynic is. yeah, its technical but i dont see what everyone is hyping them over.

The hype is because they put out a truly unique album (one that actually took risks) in 1993, that has since garnered a cult following. After a 15 year hiatus they have finally released the follow-up... yet again taking risks with their style and dividing the metal community's opinions...

Part of their popularity is also derivative of them being similar to Opeth: heavy and technical enough to please the tech/prog death fan but also melodic enough (if you can stand the vocoder, in the case of Cynic) for the melo fan...

Written by Introspekrieg on 07.10.2008 at 18:43

Written by LeChron James on 07.10.2008 at 18:38

i dont know what the big deal about Cynic is. yeah, its technical but i dont see what everyone is hyping them over.

The hype is because they put out a truly unique album (one that actually took risks) in 1993, that has since garnered a cult following. After a 15 year hiatus they have finally released the follow-up... yet again taking risks with their style and dividing the metal community's opinions...

Actually Focus didn't divide the metal community's opinions that much at all bac in 1993. They were loved for what they did by everyone across the board. But at least back then they took risks by presenting something entirely new and that they didn't do this time around, we heard it all before though somewhat different. But it isn't as unique and groundbreaking as it was back in 1993. Plus the sole use of vocoders ANNOYS the living hell out of quite a lot of people nowadays. "Yes, we DO KNOW that trick by now."

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 07.10.2008 at 23:11

Written by Introspekrieg on 07.10.2008 at 18:43

Written by LeChron James on 07.10.2008 at 18:38

i dont know what the big deal about Cynic is. yeah, its technical but i dont see what everyone is hyping them over.

The hype is because they put out a truly unique album (one that actually took risks) in 1993, that has since garnered a cult following. After a 15 year hiatus they have finally released the follow-up... yet again taking risks with their style and dividing the metal community's opinions...

Actually Focus didn't divide the metal community's opinions that much at all bac in 1993. They were loved for what they did by everyone across the board. But at least back then they took risks by presenting something entirely new and that they didn't do this time around, we heard it all before though somewhat different. But it isn't as unique and groundbreaking as it was back in 1993. Plus the sole use of vocoders ANNOYS the living hell out of quite a lot of people nowadays. "Yes, we DO KNOW that trick by now."

I was only 7 when "Focus" came out so I can't say what it was like then... I meant with their new one: It seems like half the people love it, the other half hate it.

Written by Introspekrieg on 07.10.2008 at 23:25

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 07.10.2008 at 23:11

Written by Introspekrieg on 07.10.2008 at 18:43

Written by LeChron James on 07.10.2008 at 18:38

i dont know what the big deal about Cynic is. yeah, its technical but i dont see what everyone is hyping them over.

The hype is because they put out a truly unique album (one that actually took risks) in 1993, that has since garnered a cult following. After a 15 year hiatus they have finally released the follow-up... yet again taking risks with their style and dividing the metal community's opinions...

Actually Focus didn't divide the metal community's opinions that much at all bac in 1993. They were loved for what they did by everyone across the board. But at least back then they took risks by presenting something entirely new and that they didn't do this time around, we heard it all before though somewhat different. But it isn't as unique and groundbreaking as it was back in 1993. Plus the sole use of vocoders ANNOYS the living hell out of quite a lot of people nowadays. "Yes, we DO KNOW that trick by now."

I was only 7 when "Focus" came out so I can't say what it was like then... I meant with their new one: It seems like half the people love it, the other half hate it.

I don't think it's really hate, it more of a disapointment it seems for people like me cause we were expecting soooo much of it amd then it let us down. Hate is too strong a word. I don't hate it at all I just feel totally indifferent about it. But then again it is maybe better for a release to be hated than someone feeling indifferent about it.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.09.2008 at 22:04

Traced In Air is currently the single biggest disappointment of the year for me. It is too relaxed, nto even the slightest sense of danger to it. It is just bland and the vodoers kills it off totally for me. I liked the vocoder on Focus but here it is overdone. Traced IN Air is more suitable as music to meditate to, it is totally zen. Like Velvet said there is no pace, no excitement.
I'll just stick to Focus and the new Gojira which at times sound way more Cynic than the new Cynic does.

I listened to most of the songs off Traced and i agree with what was said right here over my post. No danger, no drive, the songwriting seems to lead nowhere. Of course the musical content is rich because it's Cynic and we all know they're good musicians but i can't find anything memorable out of what i heard. We have an album title here that suits the music perfectly lol. Also, the vocals are bad and corny, i really don't like that gimmick they use.

The new album feels like it's breathing, the lack of structure is a relief to my ears

Well Traced In Air was exactly as I expected it to be, meaning like Evolutionary Sleeper.

This was at first quite a disappointment. 'Where's Focus?' is what I thought at the time.

But now, Imore I listen to it, the more I like it. No Thrash, no death, not really aggressive, that's true. Music to meditate with? Yes, quite so. It's no Focus, for sure, but i like it.
In fact, i find it ... refreshing.

Written by Darkside Momo on 07.11.2008 at 00:56

Well Traced In Air was exactly as I expected it to be, meaning like Evolutionary Sleeper.

This was at first quite a disappointment. 'Where's Focus?' is what I thought at the time.

But now, Imore I listen to it, the more I like it. No Thrash, no death, not really aggressive, that's true. Music to meditate with? Yes, quite so. It's no Focus, for sure, but i like it.
In fact, i find it ... refreshing.

Exactly as expected aswell. Sometimes I say I would have liked it to be a bit more aggressive but then no... it's just as a 2008 Cynic album would be in my imagination... so it's great.