Malone. "Humanoid" marked the first new music from the progressive pioneers since the band's 2014 album Kindly Bent to Free Us. The artwork features a detail from the painting "Ayahuasca Dream" by Robert Venosa, Cynic's longtime collaborator and celebrated artist who died in 2011. "Venosa and Masvidal recognized each other as fellow artists in the pursuit of authentic, spirit-based artistic expression in sound and imagery." – Martina Hoffman, painter and Venosa's wife, from the book ...And Justice for Art, Stories About Heavy Metal Album Covers by Ramon Martos Masvidal (2019–present) In 2019 and 2020 Masvidal ventured into releasing work as a solo artist under the name 'Masvidal' releasing three conceptual albums titled Mythical Human Vessel. The artwork for the three albums was designed by visual artists Igraine Grey and Jonatan Martinez aka Greymar. Produced by three-time Grammy winner Warren Riker (Lauryn Hill, Fugees, Santana). Drawing on influences from musicians John Lennon, Brian Eno and Elliott Smith to visual artists – Mark Rothko, Cai Guo-Qiang, Hilma af Klint, the songs embrace concise forms and catchy melodies in spite of their often painful subject matters of loss, depression, and heartache. In Masvidal's view, "pain is not something to be feared but embraced as inevitable and, ultimately, a doorway." Billboard described the work Mythical Human Vessel, finds Masvidal at his most vulnerable, often with just a guitar and vocals, while experimenting with brain entrainment, a series of pulsing sounds that are said to lead to enhanced neural perception and memory." Consequence of Sound premiered the launch of music video for the song "Nebula". Other press related to MHV: Human / Vessel Ben Ratliff of the New York Times referred to Masvidal's "philosophic lyrics", stating that he is "a musician who can expand his own sense of calm into an aggressive, extravagant art". Lockdown Diaries (2020-present) After the death of Cynic drummer, Sean Reinert, Masvidal revived Cynic with fresh material during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in the United States on his social media channel. Influences Masvidal's influences are quite diverse, as described in an interview with Metal-Fi.com"I grew up playing classical guitar and listened to American folk and Cuban music as a kid growing up in Miami. Eventually I was exposed to jazz and world music which turned my world upside down in terms of harmonic and rhythmic complexity and developing a melodic language. The standards alone have always been a huge part of