Kindly Bent to Free Us

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 Cynic
Released	February 18, 2014
Recorded	December 2012 – May 2013
Studio	Perfect Sound Studio in Los Angeles
Genre	Progressive rock progressive metal
Length	41:51
Label	Season of Mist
Producer	Paul Masvidal, Sean Reinert, Sean Malone
Cynic chronology
Carbon-Based Anatomy (2011) Kindly Bent to Free Us (2014) Ascension Codes (2021)
Singles from Kindly Bent to Free Us
"Kindly Bent to Free Us" Released: December 13, 2013

Professional ratings

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

The 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.

— Paul Masvidal

"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!"

— Sean Reinert

^[13]

The album was made available for streaming on February 6, 2014.^[14]

Track listing

All 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

Deluxe CD book exclusive bonus track

No.	Title	Length
9.	"Earth Is My Witness"	4:32
Total length:		46:23

Personnel

Musicians

• Paul Masvidal – vocals, guitars, keyboards
• Sean Malone – fretless bass, Chapman stick
• Sean Reinert – drums

Technical staff

• Jason Donaghy – engineering
• R. Walt Vincent – mixing
• Maor Appelbaum – mastering
• Robert Venosa – artwork