Mean Deviation: Cynic’s Focus Celebrates 20 Years in Prog Metal Paradise

Above: Photo by Michael J. Mulley from MEAN DEVIATION of Cynic in the demo days, 1989. L–R: Sean Reinert, Jason Gobel, Tony Choy, Paul Masvidal. Okay, so this isn’t the Focus lineup, but it’s a great time capsule shot that underscores how ahead of their time these long-haired kids in bright shorts were.



In honor of the 20th anniversary of the September 14, 1993, release of Cynic’s groundbreaking and otherworldly progressive metal masterpiece Focus, we bring you a lengthy extract by Jeff Wagner...