CRITIC'S CHOICE

Cynic, Monday, June 20, at the Gothic Theatre, with Cannibal Corpse and Sinister, looks like your standard-issue death-rock act, from the players' long hair to their sullen expressions. Fortunately, the bandmembers offer more than Lurch-like vocals, amelodic guitar barrages, lyrics about bowel obstructions and other stereotypes of the genre. On Focus, its Roadrunner Records debut, this quartet makes music every bit as heavy as you'd expect but leavens the mix with unexpectedly complex arrangements, skillful playing, convincing singing from Paul Masvidal and words that occasionally mean something. Cynic's not for the meek, but it's not for the stupid, either.