Traced in Air Drum Setup: Sean Reinert's Cynic Reunion (2008) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drums did Sean Reinert use on Traced in Air?

On Cynic's Traced in Air (2008), Sean Reinert used a DW Collector's Series kit — DW's custom-tier maple shell line built at their Oxnard, California facility. His configuration included a single 22" bass drum with a DW 9000 double pedal, three rack toms (10", 12", 13"), and a 16" floor tom. This was a significant upgrade from the Tama Artstar II birch shells he had used on Focus (1993) and Death's Human (1991). The DW Collector's Series maple construction gave the Traced in Air drums a warmer, fuller tone suited to the album's more atmospheric production style.

How is Traced in Air different from Focus in terms of drumming style?

Cynic's Traced in Air (2008) and Focus (1993) represent two distinct phases of Sean Reinert's drumming career separated by 15 years. On Focus, Reinert's playing operated within a creative tension between jazz and death metal — the aggression of extreme metal in constant dialogue with jazz vocabulary. On Traced in Air, the death metal framework had dissolved entirely, leaving the jazz and progressive influences to develop freely without genre constraints. The drumming is less aggressive, more atmospheric, and more integrated into the record's layered, contemplative production style. Reinert also upgraded from the Tama Artstar II birch shells and Zildjian A/K palette of Focus to DW Collector's Series maple shells and Zildjian K Custom cymbals — darker, warmer gear that suited the 2008 album's sonic character.

Is Traced in Air progressive death metal?

Traced in Air (2008) is more accurately described as progressive metal or jazz-fusion metal rather than progressive death metal. While Cynic's debut Focus (1993) operated within a death metal framework — complete with blast beats and aggressive guitar density — Traced in Air largely abandons death metal aggression in favor of a more melodic, atmospheric, and jazz-influenced sound. Sean Reinert's drumming reflects this shift: more compositionally restrained, less concerned with extreme tempos, and more integrated into the album's spacious, layered production. The album is best understood as the natural evolution of Cynic's sound after 15 years of musical development, bridging Focus to the even more abstract Kindly Bent to Free Us (2014).

Why did Cynic reunite for Traced in Air after 15 years?

Cynic dissolved in 1994 after Focus (1993) failed to find commercial traction despite its critical reputation. Sean Reinert and Paul Masvidal pursued other projects — including Reinert's work with Gordian Knot and Æon Spoke — before reconnecting around 2006 with renewed creative energy and a new musical direction. Traced in Air (2008) reflected both musicians' development in the intervening years: more ambient, more melodic, and more confident in the jazz-progressive identity that had always underpinned Cynic's work. The reunion was partly enabled by the growing critical recognition of Focus as a landmark album, which gave the band a renewed audience who appreciated what they had accomplished in 1993.