THE CYNIC GET A LITTLE FACELESS IN THEIR EXISTENCE WITH NEW MEMBERS

October 11th, 2011 at 12:00pm
Vince Neilstein
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UPDATE, 12:08 P.M.: The band’s new single, “Carbon-Based Anatomy,” is now avail for free download here!!! Thanks to The PRP for gettin’ the scoop!!!

Ever since we announced Cynic would headline Night 2 of The Metal Suckfest we’ve been seing a bunch of emails and comments wondering just who exactly would be playing bass and second guitar in the band’s live lineup since bassist Robin Zielhorst and guitarist Tymon Kruidenier (both of Dutch fusion metal outfit Exivious) parted ways with Cynic in December 2010. Truth is we didn’t even know ourselves, but we figured Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert would find suitable replacements in time; and, of course, they have.

The new Cynic bassist — at least for now — is former The Faceless bassist Brandon Giffin, who last year left the band he co-founded with Michael Keene. Seems like a perfect fit given that a) The Faceless are very, very inspired by Cynic, and b) Giffin is a talented cat. The new guitarist and backup vocalist is Max Phelps of Washington, D.C. fusion metal outfit Exist. I don’t know much about Exist — although I did feature them in a November 2010 edition of Unsigned and Unholy — but again, this choice doesn’t surprise me; I’m listening to the first track on their MySpace page right now, the Cynic influence is most certainly right up-front, and he seems like a great player. Here’s Max playing “City Nights” by Allan Holdsworth:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Woui3hzZNP8

Get stoked to see the new Cynic lineup at The Metal Suckfest on November 5th, and on the tour with 3 and Scale the Summit that immediately follows it if you don’t live close enough to NYC to come party with us and 7 other awesome bands.

-VN