DEATH And CYNIC Drummer SEAN REINERT Dead At 48

Sean Reinert, longtime drummer for progressive/technical metal pioneers CYNIC, has died. He was found unresponsive at his California home Friday night (January 24). No cause of death has yet been revealed. He was only 48 years old.

Reinert was a founding member of CYNIC, along with guitarist/vocalist Paul Masvidal, and he remained in the group until September 2015.

In 1991, Reinert and Masvidal joined the legendary Florida band DEATH to record the “Human” album. After touring with DEATH, they returned to CYNIC. Reinert was also part of the Chuck Schuldiner (Official) memorial band Death To All, featuring Max Phelps alongside numerous of ex Death members.

1993 saw the release of CYNIC’s debut album, “Focus”, which is regarded as a landmark LP in the field of technical/progressive metal. After CYNIC’s initial split, Reinert and Masvidal relocated to Los Angeles, where they continued working with music by writing and performing for television shows and motion pictures.

In 1999, Reinert helped Masvidal form ÆON SPOKE, which was described as an “ethereal rock” band. In 2007, CYNIC reformed for a tour and recorded a new album, “Traced In Air”, which was released in 2008 and followed by more touring. After “Traced In Air”, CYNIC issued two conceptual EPs, “Re-Traced” (2010) and “Carbon-Based Anatomy” (2011). Sean’s final recorded appearance with CYNIC was “Kindly Bent To Free Us”, which came out in February 2014 via Season Of Mist.

Reinert played his last shows with CYNIC in September 2015 in Japan. He later said that the “performances were not up to par” and blamed the band’s lack of preparation on “the accumulation of differences in musical directions and business practices.”

After his exit from CYNIC, Sean was involved with the Los Angeles progressive rock group PERFECT BEINGS, whose latest album, “Vier”, was released in January 2018 via InsideOut Music.

In 2014 Reinert had his official coming out. It was a big issue for him at the time in the death metal scene and he keept it secret until he was 42.

OMG I just heard of the passing of one of my favorite drummers and a MASSIVE influence on my drumming, Sean Reinert. Sean’s performance on the Death “Human” album is possibly the greatest metal drumming performance EVER. RIP Sean! https://t.co/UMBhHRcRjB

— Richard Christy (@cwotd) January 25, 2020