Cynergy 67 - SINthesize

I first discovered Cynergy 67 a few years back, with their last album Project Assimilation making an immediate and lasting impact. The sound was well produced, but what really struck me was the lively interplay between the synths and guitars. The music was catchy enough to grab you, while aggressive enough to get your head banging.

Cynergy 67 started in Wisconsin in 2000 with founding members VX-5 (vocals, synths) and Evo 1 (guitar). The band's name is a direct reference to the musical chemistry that formed between the two, and I present this disc as convincing evidence that the synergy has only strengthened in the last decade or so.

Here's the cheat notes : snarling, stadium filling guitars collide head on with scintillating electronic wizardry. It's pyrotechnics in your headphones.

Speaking of the synths, they sound like massive modular analog juggernauts, but with today's era of technological wizardry they may just as easily be software. They certainly sound more along the lines of classic analog modular than modern digital. Who knows? They sound fantastic.

The guitars are well controlled, never descending into the muddy wall of noise that can hamstring lesser industrial rock recordings. Visions of androids standing in front of of amp heads full of glowing valves, bristling with electrons as they wait to unleash another razor sharp attack. This is very finely controlled, forceful music that is given a solid and varied backbone by some very convincingly played real live drums.

The opening track "Our Life" wastes no time in unleashing the twin barrage of synths and guitars straight up. The electronics are warbling, tempered, a neuro synthetic backdrop for the vocoded vocals to dominate. However throughout the album the vocals are generally clean. Further along, "Violent Affection" leads us deeper into the machine, with analog styled leads interwoven with an enticing interplay between VX-5 and female vocalist Mea. "Beauty Never Dies" is simply stunning, with lush analog strings and resonant synths dancing behind cabinet shattering guitars and tightly focused drums.

This is an album devoid of filler material, it's a quality listen throughout the disc. If I'm going to pick a fault, I'd say that the tracks are just a fraction less catchy or memorable than those on the previous album Project Assimilation. But after living with this album for a few months, I could yet retract that statement. In any case potential purchasers will be amply compensated with higher production values, it's a win for everyone.
Aug 16 2012