Originally part of the prolific Florida death metal scene that spawned Morbid Angel, Obituary, Deicide, and Death, Cynic distinguished themselves by combining technically proficient death metal with experimental progressive touches that sometimes bordered on jazz fusion. Emerging in the late 1980s, the group issued a series of demos before releasing their acclaimed debut album Focus, in 1993. Cynic ceased operations shortly thereafter, but reconvened in 2006 for a series of shows. Two years later they released the comeback effort Traced in Air that leaned harder into the progressive aspect of their style. They continued to develop that approach on 2014's Kindly Bent to Free Us. 2021 saw the release of Ascension Codes with a new lineup, marking the band's complete transition to progressive music.