Cynic - Focus review
| Band: | Cynic |
| Album: | Focus |
| Style: | Progressive death metal |
| Release date: | September 14, 1993 |
| A review by: | Herzebeth |
01. Veil Of Maya
02. Celestial Voyage
03. The Eagle Nature
04. Sentiment
05. I'm But A Wave To...
06. Uroboric Forms
07. Textures
08. How Could I
09. Veil Of Maya [2004 remix] [The Expanded Edition bonus]
10. I'm But A Wave To... [2004 remix] [The Expanded Edition bonus]
11. How Could I [2004 remix] [The Expanded Edition bonus]
12. Cosmos [Portal] [The Expanded Edition bonus]
13. The Circle's Gone [Portal] [The Expanded Edition bonus]
14. Endless Endeavors [Portal] [The Expanded Edition bonus]
This album really impressed me in the minute I pushed play on my Stereo; Cynic the King without Crown, Cynic is like H.P Lovecraft or Vincent van Gogh, artists that public worshiped only after they died. Cynic released only one Full Length and a lot of Demos, nowadays people is hungry to get their material, fortunately I got Focus, so let's talk about this awesome album.
The album starts with "Veil Of Maya" one of the best openers in Metal history, a song with a lot of musical textures and progressions, this track show us Cynic's great potential, the drums are incredible (irregular and complex beats), the guitar riffs and solos are very technical, the bass-lines are also beautiful, and the vocals remind me a little of Chuck (Death) but with more power and more aggressive. The entire album is filled with a lot of Jazz elements, this is very remarkable indeed, this gives the album a lot of structures that go along with the amazing musical arrangements, and by the way don't expect Jazz elements ala Pestilence, in this album those jazzy Arrangements are not wrapped in weird power chords and all that stuff, this time we all can actually appreciate the Jazz fusion.
Every song is unbelievable, powerful riffs always place the mood for the song, but every once in a while the music slows down and set an incredible mellow atmosphere, but after this once more aggressive music enters, so the progression is all along the album with great measures and breathtaking structures (this is another great thing, the Progression is perfect). The vocals in this album are very good indeed, we can hear high-pitched growls, and then some weird robotic vocal effects (remember, this do not qualify as industrial metal) Note: check the seventh track "Textures" this song is purely instrumental, this song is one of the best demonstrations of Cynic's talent, after hearing this one nothing else matters, I am not kidding
So if you haven't heard Cynic you really must search for this album, one of the best releases in Death Metal, I don't know why this incredible musicians are so underrated, I know the production is not very good at all, and also the artwork is very naive, but the music is what matters I swear, nobody ever talks about this fantastic band, but well now I am telling you that "Focus" is overwhelming so it's up to you if you get it or not. So if you are looking for awesome Progressive Death Metal this should be your first option no doubt.
Comments page 2 / 2
- 1
- 2
Comments: 52
Visited by: 452 users
| Introspekrieg Totemic Lust Elite Posts: 2749  |
Written by Raziel X on 06.11.2008 at 23:01 That's definitely it... that untouchable-ness was impossible to follow so maybe Traced In Air just seems worse to me because I am comparing it to Focus too much... I love the jazzy feel in the music but the vocoder just got to me... I guess it is all relative to one's personal taste 
Loading...
|
| Raziel X Posts: 117  |
Written by Introspekrieg on 06.11.2008 at 23:21 Yep, the jazzy feel rules, and Traced in air is still going to be one of the best prog releases of the year IMO. As for the vocoder, it is not a thing I enjoy much, but I can stand it and it doesnt bugger me that much 
Loading...
|
| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835  |
It is truly a masterpiece. I wish I had the change to see Cynic now. We never know, with the new album and all. I think I still prefer Focus over Traced In Air but they are very different albums in a way. I remember the first time I listened to Focus, Veil of Maya and I was like "what the hell is this? It sounds different in a very good way" and then I was hooked.
Loading...
|
| Nicko's Nose Posts: 490  |
Loading...
|
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Written by Nicko's Nose on 26.02.2009 at 21:18 Because it was something totally new and fucking brilliant at the time. And it still is brrilliant imo (unlike Traced In Air)
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
Loading...
|
| Daggon Underpaid M.D. Posts: 1689  |
Finally I listened to this album without interruptions, totally alone in my world, putting all of my attention to the music and lyrics and let me say that this is awesome, totally great and very very well done (yes, even if the production is not the best) . I really liked this album, "Veil of Maya", "Uroboric Forms" and "Textures" are my favorites, and BTW some parts made me think of Death. And yes, as Marcel said, surely in 1993 this was "something totally new and fucking brilliant", I second that. "Traced In Air" is not a bad album but sadly it is not as good as "Focus", still is very enjoyable.
---- "Les vers savent qu'ils n'ont pas d'ailes, c'est pour cela qu'ils se cachent sous terre"
Loading...
|
| symbolic727 Posts: 56  |
Easly one of my top 5 favorite albums of all time and i have met Paul and Sean some of the nicest people i have ever met long live Cynic. This album is eather something your going to get or go completely over your head so i can understand why some people don't get it.
Loading...
|
| Tordah Posts: 8 |
|
| DP_Megachiva Account deleted |
DP_Megachiva
Account deleted
This album is a masterpiece... a really unique, brilliant masterpiece  Cynic is one of my favorite bands, I can hear both their albums over and over and not get tired 
Loading...
|
| Maxx666 Meshuggahian Posts: 376  |
Oh yeah texture is beautiful... "i rolled up the biggest joint possible and left the planet with cynic"... one of the precious album that i own
Loading...
|
| PrimalAntagonist Account deleted |
|
| @gent_-_orange Posts: 905  |
Loading...
|
| Panterica Posts: 341  |
Am I the only one who noticed that there are two Djent bands which are named after Cynic's song titles (Veil of Maya and Textures)? This discovery made my day
---- Li'ed - Prog-Metal from Jerusalem https://open.spotify.com/artist/7aZWDrAAvDSLMaSmDSE8zA https://www.facebook.com/LiedBandMusic http://lied-band.bandcamp.com/
Loading...
|
| Kuroboshi Posts: 1200  |
I bought this album about 5 years ago and have listened to it every then and now, but today is the first time I actually thought it is an pretty awesome album (except the robotic vocals).
Loading...
|
| qlacs "The Quaker" Posts: 1547  |
I just returned the 3rd time to this album, I must say after after digging myself into prog rock and jazz this is a pure diamond of music. So perfect, no weak moments, it's so well composed it's just flowing.
---- 
Loading...
|
| Soulhole Posts: 119  |
Does anyone else get a BTBAM vibe from this... I have a feeling after listening to this that they were influenced by this album.
Loading...
|
| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7557  |
Written by Soulhole on 01.08.2015 at 08:01 Nope. Independent success here by Cynic. They pulled off some great moments here and further, gone onto record one of their best albums in Cynic's catalogue. Influences does range from early-acts but not from BTBAM. Only a month back, I was listening to this on my pad and was ectatatic to see how refreshing this record is. Every song spewed some new elements and that just makes the record more beautiful, classy and spectacular.
Loading...
|
| Soulhole Posts: 119 |
Written by Cynic Metalhead on 02.08.2015 at 08:44 It's definitely something special. I love when I hear something like this that is old but haven't come across yet. Same thing happened to me about a year ago when I first listened to Edge of Sanity and Dan Swano's older stuff. Epic!
Loading...
|
| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7557 |
Written by Soulhole on 04.08.2015 at 07:15 My point was that there wasn't anything BTBAM-vibe in it. Other than that, I agree on how old records shows us little new moments in it.
Loading...
|
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Cynic Metalhead on 04.08.2015 at 20:37 His point was that BTBAM has a lot of Cynic - Focus vibe in it. Yea, English seems to hard for you to grasp but this was as clear as it could be.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
Loading...
|
| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7557 |
Vice versa I don't find any Cynic influence in BTBAM either. Two different bands have their own representation of music.
Loading...
|
| IanYeara Posts: 9 |
- 1
- 2
Hits total: 14577 | This month: 29