Cynic - Ascension Codes (2021)^{Release ID: 32518}

At some point, I need a reintroduction into listening to Cynic, and this seems promising! I've severed the connection as part of my death metal departure, though now it's softer while still interesting. After Sean Reinert and Malone sadly left this world, Paul Masvidal kept going with a new drummer and bassist. The show still goes on!

Ascension Codes continues the band's modern journey, but with different ideas. The prominent emphasis on jazz-rock remains the same since Kindly Bent to Free Us. However, instead of that album's light-hearted moods, Ascension Codes brings us back to the metal guitar work of Traced in Air, maybe even Focus in Paul Masvidal's riffs and solos. His vocals still never cease to amaze me, ranging from whispered to clean to vocoded. There are a couple harsh vocal sections by Max Phelps.

In a similar format to Pestilence's Testimony of the Ancients, half the tracks are interludes while the other half are full songs, but let's only focus on the latter. "The Winged Ones" has nice riff repetition. You further travel through the cosmos with "Elements and Their Inhabitants". Highlight "Mythical Serpents" greatly shows each member's skill.

I also really like "6th Dimensional Archetype", not much else to say there. One track, "DNA Activation Template" has almost nothing but spacey ambient for stellar ethereal ambience. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the keyboardist here is Dave Mackay, who along with drummer Matt Lynch, have been granted their respective positions left behind by the two fallen Seans. Mackay really shines in that track in both the synths and the bass. Then it ends with a cool reprise of "The Winged Ones". Next up, "Architects of Consciousness" is another great highlight that reminds of the more progressive parts of Persefone's "Consciousness" instrumentals, only softer and more spacey.

The one track I don't really like is "Aurora" that sounds like a Kindly Bent To Free Us outtake. It's decent, sure, but not as great as the rest. "In a Multiverse Where Atoms Sing" is a much more interesting banger. That song is legit progressive metal and Matt Lynch's drumming is absolutely tremendous! Sean Reinert would be proud. "Diamond Light Body" is the best track to end the album, impressing us with progressive rhythm and synthesized vocals as always. Then it's all over after the outro.

Now this is great! Cynic is still going on after the disappointment that was Kindly Bent to Free Us and the loss of the two Seans, beyond our expectations and staying as relevant as ever. Unlike other bands that go softer album after album, this band goes back to pleasing the heavier fans. Ascension Codes is a space-trip not to be missed!

Favorites: "Mythical Serpents", "6th Dimensional Archetype", "Architects of Consciousness", "In a Multiverse Where Atoms Sing", "Diamond Light Body"