Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

I was lucky to come across Focus (1993) before the holidays. I say this because my travel plans were delayed and I spent a good portion of X-mas Eve and X-mas day at various airports. Fortunately, I simply put this album on loop and my worries and frustrations melted away.

Focus is a progressive death metal album with stylistic similarities to early Opeth, and Klone a little bit too. The music isn’t as epic as Opeth or as experimental as Klone, but it’s equally as intricate and technical as either. Vastly more important though is that the songs are tasteful and interesting. There are plenty of talented metal groups out there playing technical music but I lose interest quickly if a band leaves their transmission in 7th gear and their amps on 11 for too long, no matter how technically impressive it is. Cynic has a mild jazz/blues influence and it always seems to manifest itself at just the right time. And I think the bass player would be a standout in nearly any metal group.

Vocals are delivered by way of a unique and somewhat odd trio of styles: a growl (which kinda reminds me of The Dark Knight when he’s trying to intimidate a bad guy), a digitally enhanced male singing voice, and a female soprano. Listen for the first two of these in the second audio clip. Speaking of which, it was very difficult for me to pick just two short samples from this album; every song had at least one contender.

Initially, my one main criticism of this album was that the sound quality wasn’t great, but then I purchased the 2004 expanded edition. I highly recommend this version because the entire album is remastered, and the difference in sound quality is noticeable. Additionally, it contains three remixed tracks (although I’m not sure why, since the regular remastered versions have better depth and clarity) and three bonus tracks. The bonus tracks are mellow, moody, and fairly experimental, and I like them all. They actually remind me a little of some early Porcupine Tree.

Cynic’s other album – Traced In Air (2008) – is more accessible than Focus due to the vocals being almost exclusively clean. It too is a good album, and probably a better introduction to Cynic for many listeners, but it just doesn’t command my attention the way this album does. I also think this one features more inspired performances by the drummer and bassist.