title: Kindly Bent to Free Us
text: # Kindly Bent to Free Us
  
  Professional ratings :
  
  | Aggregate scores ||
  | - | - |
  | Source | Rating |
  | Metacritic | 66/100 |
  | Review scores ||
  | Source | Rating |
  | AllMusic | |
  | Exclaim! | 8/10 |
  | MetalSucks | |
  | Loudwire | |
  | Pitchfork Media | 4/10 |
  | Popmatters | |
  | Revolver | |
  | Sputnikmusic | 2.5/5 |
  
  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 and died on January 24, 2020, as well as the final Cynic album with Sean Malone, who died on December 9, 2020.
  
  ## 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.
     "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!"
  
  The album was made available for streaming on February 6, 2014.
  
  ## Track listing
  
  All music written by Cynic (Paul Masvidal, Sean Reinert, and Sean Malone)
  
  ## 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
  