"On the basis of Traced In Air, more so than it's predecessor 'Focus', Cynic should be understood not so much alongside any metal bands, but along with such radical harmonic progressives in the last 45 years of pop and jazz as Milton Nascimento, the Beach Boys or Pat Metheny." - The New York Times: 2008 Critics Choice
"Traced In Air's cleaner sound owes more to prog gods Mahavishnu Orchestra and King Crimson than to death metal proper." - Revolver
"....this sophomore release sounds like the doctoral thesis of a summa cum laude student: Beautiful. Grade A+." - The Aquarian Weekly: BUZZ
"...the welter of detail is about one-quarter mathematically busy, earning it's designation as "progressive" music, and three-quarters flamboyantly, outrageously beautiful." - The San Diego Union - Tribune
"...there is nothing like this out there. Period. Focus was groundbreaking for a reason. Traced In Air once again proves that original music can still be written. Best album of 2008? Hell, try one of the best albums of the decade. Get this." - Guitar World - Metal Kult
"How do you follow a timeless classic? Wait 15 years and make another one! Traced In Air is a sublime, otherworldly monument to artistry, inspiration and music itself!" - Metal Hammer
"The music seems to breathe, exciting our lungs during it's heaviest moments, then halting our exhale as it transitions into twinkling starry atmospheres until -- suddenly the boundary is erased. The band's two most distinctive elements had previously been wrestling in a heated love-affair and are now eloped in a startling symbiosis." - Metal Sucks
Albums to remember of 2008: "Ruthlessly original, while still keeping the tradition of prog masterminds like King Crimson and Pink Floyd, Cynic is sure to only increase their cult cred with this CD." - The Kosmopolitan Online
Voted 1 Album of 2008 - "Traced In Air comes off as a single, coherent piece and should be heard and experienced as such. Listen to it in its entirety and not out of sequence, because this is as close to perfection as you get." - Ultimate Guitar
"Traced In Air is a masterpiece through and through, and for once, we get a reunion album that is worth a damn and better yet, a collection of songs that will hold up for generations to come. Simply monumental." - Blistering.com
“Traced in Air's legitimacy is difficult to question...altogether brief, 35-minute length should rest assured that it is easily offset by the sheer density of strange and beautiful musical nuances layered within, and the time required to absorb them all.” - All Music Guide
"Progressive rock needs a band like Cynic now more than ever because despite a flurry of activity in the genre and the nostalgic feel of the album, it sounds as revolutionary as anything I've heard." - No Filler Music
"Cynic have shown the world what it truly means to be a progressive metal band. All the songs on the album pick you up off your feet and carry you where you can be lost in the music, only to thrown into a tornado of organized chaos which leaves you breathless just set you back down on your feet a few moments later." - WKNC
"Without losing virtuosity or complexity, Cynic have become even more accurate, accessible and also a bit more genius." - Zilo Magazine
"The long anticipated follow up only reinforces their place in progressive music history." - Dangerdog.com
‘How do you follow a timeless classic?’ writes Dom Lawson from magazine Metal Hammer, referring to Cynic’s debut album "Focus“ from 1993. ‘Wait 15 years and make another one! “Traced In Air“ is a sublime, otherworldly monument to artistry, inspiration and music itself.‘
Cynic is back! Fifteen years after the band’s seminal debut “Focus“, the band returns with what can be termed a perfectly timed follow-up: The new album is “Traced in Air“ and defies easy categorization, pushing the boundaries once again of the progressive metal genre. Even proponents of the band’s previous output were somewhat shocked upon initial listenings to “Focus” in early 1993. Nobody could possibly have predicted the incredible strides the band would make in a year’s time. Their musical merits had already been well-documented by this time, not only in the earlier CYNIC material which showcased their instrumental prowess, but also within their contributions to other projects. It was particularly on the breakthrough fourth album from Death - “Human” - when the greater world learned of Reinert and Masvidal in particular, as their participation allowed late bandleader Chuck Schuldiner to realize a new technical benchmark in extreme music, something that only helped to fuel the demand for a full-length CYNIC album.
The legacy that they had left behind with only eight recorded songs from their first and only album, was truly amazing, rightly earning them undeniable cult-status. So when the legendary US band announced their reunion tour in 2007 to perform the music that made them famous, the outpouring of support from dedicated fans as well as the press was a catalyst for founding member and songwriter, Paul Masvidal, to take a creative leap-of-faith. After the reunion tour, Masvidal began what would become a relentless nine-month-journey dedicated to re-visiting his roots and re-discovering his musical vision as one of progressive rock’s most innovative guitar players and fearlessly original composers. With Cynic co-founder and musical heavyweight, drummer Sean Reinert, the pair forged the resulting album, “Traced in Air”...
CYNIC - touring the US in Jan/Feb's Friend Space (Top 4)
CYNIC - touring the US in Jan/Feb has 23200 friends.
hi i wish a very happy and succesfull new year i wait in Mexico im too anxious for this day well best wishes for mi jojo byebye sXDFNMAI TSYmskdntbghvfcwd
Greetings! Mirrorside wishes you health, luck and inspiration in the New Year! We've prepared a little gift for you - a new song called "New Mechanical Life"! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
How are you ? I hope everything goes right ! Well, we have take a looong time, but finally the new songs are online and if you have some time, just give an ear ;-)
Help us to rule the world !! You like this new song ? Say it loud ! You want it ? Add it to your profil ! And don't forget to check our myspace in the next days, other stuff will follow...
All the band wish you a heavy new year and a lot of fun !
traced in air is such a strangely beautiful album. I can't wait for the Ep. hopefully I can make it up to see you and btbam the 24th. is Verosa doing art for the EP? it fits perfect with your music
The Time is at hand, Arise those of you that have been sleeping your pitiful lives away.. The chance for True Immortality is here. If you had only known how it could have been. Then the potential for, would have never been in doubt. For eons we have observed your fleeting glimpse to attain same through the investment of your eternal souls in a seemingly tangible concept of misunderstanding where your origins lye .. To give ALL to a Creator that has rights to your mortal soul .. Unproven and unfounded Religions that imprison your thoughts and use nature against you to confuse and usurp you.. For ultimate servitude. Yes you have been lied to by the authoritative socio-political religious malevolence that you continue to give credulous where none is due. Your Daddy is not waiting to reward nor punish You.
Happy new year to everyone in the band, have a great australian trip, it's summer here! Good luck with the us tour, it's going to be awesome, great bands! Can't wait to listen to the new ep and everything Cynic related this year, best wishes for 010 ;)
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease tour the UK (especially London ;) I've been dying to see you guys for such a long time now. It'd mean the world to me and all of your other UK fans, if you toured here.
Some of our band members are going to be seeing you guys at Headliner's in Louisville Jan. 22 with Scale the Summit and Between the Buried and Me, can't wait to hear you guys!!!!
