Kindly Bent to Free Us is the third studio album by the progressive metal band Cynic. It was released on February 18, 2014, and is the final Cynic album with Sean Reinert, who left the band in September 2015[10] and died on January 24, 2020,[11] as well as the final Cynic album with Sean Malone, who died on December 9, 2020.[12]
| Kindly Bent to Free Us | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 18, 2014 | |||
| Recorded | December 2012 – May 2013 | |||
| Studio | Perfect Sound Studio in Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 41:51 | |||
| Label | Season of Mist | |||
| Producer | Paul Masvidal, Sean Reinert, Sean Malone | |||
| Cynic chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Kindly Bent to Free Us | ||||
| ||||
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 66/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[3] |
| MetalSucks | [4] |
| Loudwire | [5] |
| Pitchfork Media | 4/10[6] |
| Popmatters |   [7] |
| Revolver | [8] |
| Sputnikmusic | 2.5/5[9] |
History
editThe album was talked about in more detail during the writings sessions in February 2012. Masvidal told the Irish magazine Molten:
It's almost like, I don't know how to explain it, but if I had to put it in a box it's more sci-fi, futuristic and alien but at the same time very song-driven. It's kind of like, to me, coming into CYNIC's body more. It feels very modern and at the same time it just feels really cool. I'm big in the space. It's definitely new. It's not like anything we've done before. It's a new color, a new space. I think people will really take note of even the guitar stuff. I'm really shifting gears, I'm trying things in a different way and the way stuff is played. It's a new space for CYNIC, for sure. It definitely sounds like us, except completely new.
"It's a bold new sound for Cynic and marks a gigantic leap in the band's progression. We've had a lot of time to let this material develop and gestate, and it finally feels ready to be unleashed on the world. I've been in trio mode with Malone and Masvidal flushing out a zillion and one details, and couldn't be happier about what's happening with these songs. They are truly alive!"
The album was made available for streaming on February 6, 2014.[14]
Track listing
editAll music written by Cynic (Paul Masvidal, Sean Reinert, and Sean Malone)
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "True Hallucination Speak" | 6:03 |
| 2. | "The Lion's Roar" | 4:34 |
| 3. | "Kindly Bent to Free Us" | 6:27 |
| 4. | "Infinite Shapes" | 4:57 |
| 5. | "Moon Heart Sun Head" | 5:21 |
| 6. | "Gitanjali" | 3:58 |
| 7. | "Holy Fallout" | 6:35 |
| 8. | "Endlessly Bountiful" | 3:56 |
| Total length: | 41:51 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Earth Is My Witness" | 4:32 |
| Total length: | 46:23 | |
Personnel
editMusicians
edit- Paul Masvidal – vocals, guitars, keyboards
- Sean Malone – fretless bass, Chapman stick
- Sean Reinert – drums
Technical staff
edit- Jason Donaghy – engineering
- R. Walt Vincent – mixing
- Maor Appelbaum – mastering
- Robert Venosa – artwork
References
edit- ^ "Kindly Bent to Free Us – Cynic". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- ^ Heaney, Gregory. "Cynic Kindly Bent to Free Us". AllMusic.com. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ^ Sanfilippo, Peter (February 14, 2014). "Cynic Kindly Bent to Free Us". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ^ O'Hagar, Sammy. "Cynic Kindly Give Us Kindly Bent to Free Us". metalsucks.net. January 23, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ^ Hartmann, Graham. "Cynic, ‘Kindly Bent To Free Us’ – Album Review | http://loudwire.com/cynic-kindly-bent-to-free-us-album-review/?trackback=tsmclip". loudwire.com, February 19, 2014. Retrieved on January 14, 2015.
- ^ Haver Currin, Grayson (March 10, 2014). "Cynic: Kindly Bent to Free Us". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- ^ Hedge Olson, Benjamin (April 14, 2014). "Cynic: Kindly Bent to Free Us". Popmatters. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- ^ Chichester, Sammi. "Review: Cynic — Kindly Bent to Free Us". revolvermag.com, February 5, 2014. Retrieved on March 30, 2016.
- ^ Royal, Jacob (February 11, 2014). "Review: Cynic – Kindly Bent to Free Us". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- ^ "Cynic Taps Drummer Matt Lynch For Euroblast Appearance". Blabbermouth.net. September 18, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ^ "Death & Cynic Metal Drummer Sean Reinert Dead at 48". TMZ. January 25, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
- ^ "CYNIC Bassist SEAN MALONE Dead At 50". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ "CYNIC: 'Kindly Bent To Free Us' Track Listing Revealed", Blabbermouth.net, December 3, 2013.
- ^ "Cynic Exclusive Premiere: Kindly Bent to Free Us | Stream | Prog". Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2014.