Progressive rock/metal band Cynic will release its new album, "kindly bent to free us", on february 14, 2014 via season of mist. songtitles set to appear on the effort, which was recorded at perfect sound studios in hollywood, california with engineer jason donaghy, include "endlessly bountiful", "moon heart sun head" and "true hallucination speak".

The cover artwork for "kindly bent to free us" can be seen below.

The group's drummer, sean reinert, previously stated in an online posting: "some people are gonna be pissed and others are gonna say 'thank you!!!' I'm with the latter!"

He added: "it's a bold new sound for Cynic and marks a gigantic leap in the band's progression."

In a february 2012 interview with ireland's molten magazine, guitarist/vocalist paul masvidal described the band's new music in the following way: "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."

Cynic's latest Ep, "carbon-based anatomy", was released in november 2011 via season of mist. the Cd artwork was designed by the great robert venosa, the artist behind the covers of Cynic's previous releases "focus", "traced in air" and "re-traced".

All bass parts on "carbon-based anatomy" were recorded by one-time Cynic bassist sean malone.

Cynic was joined by brandon giffin on bass and max phelps on guitar and vocals during the group's north american and european tours in support of "carbon-based anatomy".