New Cynic

Album is simply amazing...it's not as heavy as Focus, but some of the stuff on there is just plain beautiful. Not a really long album either, which I only realized recently.

Was focus even heavy. I remember it barely being metal at all and despite finding the robot vocals terrible enjoyed it so might check out the new one.
 
it's less heavy, but has more interesting material, in my opinion. it's not 'jazzy', I can't say so. I listen to and play a lot of jazz, along with metal, but I can't say the new Cynic's album is jazzy. Atheist was much more of the kind, yes, but not Cynic. drums sound rather like latino music, but nothing like pure jazz. though, latino rhythms might make sense of jazz for not too familiar with jazz ppl, perhaps.
I personally like the album. I admit it is not heavy. I would even classify it as 'progressive heavy metal with ambient influence'. though, this is my opinion. and I still like the album, whatever others may say. it's of the rare kind of metal albums that I enjoy. simply enjoy listening to it. because it has it all: melody, rhythm and that little unseen magic particle that turns the sequence of sounds into Music.
 
I heard a few of their new songs at Wacken. Honestly, I didn't really like them at all. But their performance sort of gave me a new appreciation for Focus. That stuff sounded way better live.