Sean Malone — an American multi-instrumentalist known best as the bassist for progressive metal outfit Cynic — has died. Malone's longtime bandmate Paul Masvidal confirmed news of his passing yesterday (December 9), though a cause of death was not revealed. Malone was 50.
"I learned today that Sean Malone has died. I am numb and grief stricken," Masvidal wrote. "He had a brilliant mind, a gracious heart and was one of the greatest musicians I've ever encountered. I know that this is a shocking loss for so many fans whose lives he touched with his artistry, as it is for me. Please keep him in your thoughts and listen to his playing to celebrate his life."
Malone joined Cynic in time to play bass guitar and Chapman stick on the band's 1993 debut Focus. Following the group's disbandment shortly after, Malone released solo album Cortlandt in 1996 and led prog rock project Gordian Knot, whose pair of albums featured members of Dream Theater, King Crimson, Blotted Science, Yes, Genesis and more.
While initially unavailable for 2006 tour commitments behind a Cynic reunion, Malone would rejoin the group to record their comeback sophomore album Traced in Air, which arrived in 2008. His playing also appears on Cynic's 2011 EP Carbon-Based Anatomy and 2014 full-length Kindly Bent to Free Us.
Malone is the second member of Cynic to pass away in 2020, following the death of drummer Sean Reinert in January.
Find tributes to Malone below.
"I learned today that Sean Malone has died. I am numb and grief stricken," Masvidal wrote. "He had a brilliant mind, a gracious heart and was one of the greatest musicians I've ever encountered. I know that this is a shocking loss for so many fans whose lives he touched with his artistry, as it is for me. Please keep him in your thoughts and listen to his playing to celebrate his life."
Malone joined Cynic in time to play bass guitar and Chapman stick on the band's 1993 debut Focus. Following the group's disbandment shortly after, Malone released solo album Cortlandt in 1996 and led prog rock project Gordian Knot, whose pair of albums featured members of Dream Theater, King Crimson, Blotted Science, Yes, Genesis and more.
While initially unavailable for 2006 tour commitments behind a Cynic reunion, Malone would rejoin the group to record their comeback sophomore album Traced in Air, which arrived in 2008. His playing also appears on Cynic's 2011 EP Carbon-Based Anatomy and 2014 full-length Kindly Bent to Free Us.
Malone is the second member of Cynic to pass away in 2020, following the death of drummer Sean Reinert in January.
Find tributes to Malone below.
...and we last toured together in 2014 when he was playing Bass in John Wesley's band opening for Flying Colors. This is just another shocking loss in 2020...sadly the same year we also lost Sean Reinert, his rhythm section partner in Cynic. #RIPSeanMalone 😥
— Mike Portnoy 🤘 (@MikePortnoy) December 10, 2020
