CYNIC are finally presenting their famed and reverently discussed Portal demos as an official release on CD and vinyl, respectively and strictly limited to 5000 and 1000 copies! When CYNIC split up in 1994, the US band had left a major imprint in the world of extreme Metal. Their full-length debut "Focus" (1993) shaped together with now label mates ATHEIST the genre of Technical / Progressive Death Metal. And the band's main men Paul Masvidal (vocals / guitars) and Sean Malone (drums) had played a major role in the late Chuck Schuldiner changing course into a more progressive direction with legendary DEATH when they contributed to the "Human" album (1991). CYNIC incorporated elements not common to Metal like experimental sounds and even Fusion Jazz. Since the iconic band re-united in 2006 their development moved away from the Death Metal context and via the Progressive Metal of their highly acclaimed second album "Traced in Air" (2008) towards ever more open soundscapes fusing a multitude of stylistic influences into a unique form of outstanding music, which still remains unmistakably CYNIC. "The Portal Tapes" prove that this development has its roots as least as far back as 1994, when CYNIC members Paul Masvidal, Sean Malone and Jason Gobel joined forces to form short-lived project PORTAL together with Chris Kringel on bass and stunning vocalist Aruna Abrams. Aruna's beautiful and haunting voice combined with Paul's clean vocals is the perfect fit for these laid back and subtle songs. "The Portal Tapes" have far more in common with the likes of PORCUPINE TREE and THE GATHERING than any DEATH. Yet this album comes with the same intelligent structures that make CYNIC outstanding. Get captured by the radiant atmosphere and get lost within the cosmic spaces of "The Portal Tapes"!