Fifteen years after their groundbreaking New Age-inspired progressive death metal classic Focus, 3/5 of the classic Cynic lineup returned with its proper follow-up — and continued to confound. Paul Masvidal’s spirituality and fascination with extraterrestrial lifeforms remained the focus of his Vocodered lyrics. Musically, he and Seans Malone and Reinert resumed their exploration of metal’s outer boundaries, turning technically ornate jazz and prog-influenced compositions like “The Space for This” and “Evolutionary Sleeper” into profoundly emotional experiences. Impressive for those who understand the complexity of the performances while simultaneously opening the third eye of those who don’t.

– Jeff Treppel