Cynthesis - ReEvolution

Holy crap those Tipton brothers know how to play some guitar, and they've got a great band with Cynthesis.Four piece prog outfit Cynthesis certainly has a good pedigree. To start with you've got twin Tipton guitar brothers, Jasun and Troy (Zero Hour),  drummer Sean Flanagan (Enchant), and finally, vocalist Erik Rosvold. While perhaps not household names outside of the prog community, those in the know would surely salivate at this lineup of talent. But if you require something to procure your aural investment, you need only check out a track like Convergence to know "we're dealing with a badass group of musicians over here".

Formed in 2010, Cynthesis wasted no time in releasing the first album (2011's DeEvolution) in a planned trilogy of dystopian concept albums. ReEvolution represents the next stage of this ambitious project with an intriguing storyline of a tribal shaman burdened with his participation in slave trading who uncovers a secret about his past. The lyrical content tries to be as complex as the music these mad geniuses weave...and does okay, but I wasn't exactly expecting the eloquent, poetic musings of Neil Peart. Besides, Erik's voice sounds great over the dynamic sound of Jasun, Troy and Sean.

There's always a danger when you're dealing with musicians as insanely skilled as the Tipton brothers; the temptation to go off on atonal, albiet precise, Jarzombekian unison runs at the expense of a cohesive sound that serves the song is great - and often indulged. But Jasun and Troy display a marvelous sense of restraint that makes this album all the more impressive. If you're a progressive/technical metal fan and like the concept album thing, this is right up your alley. And as much as I harp on it for those efforts that miss the mark, I have to give kudos to Forrester Savell's masterful mix of this album. Every instrument and vocal is crystal clear, making this an incredible headphone experience.

The Bottom Line: The Tipton brothers and company, known collectively as Cynthesis, have once again made that rare album where incredible skill meets genuinely enjoyable music with a sense of atmosphere and melody. Well done!

Tracks To Teach You About Skill Versus Listenability: Convergence, The Grand Facade, and Release the Deity

- Genghis just can't imagine being this good at guitar - ever...