Sean Reinert (May 27, 1971 – January 24, 2020) was an American musician. He was the drummer for the rock band

Æon Spoke Æon Spoke is an alternative rock band from Los Angeles. It was created by members of Cynic (band), Cynic and former members of Death (metal band), Death, Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert, when they relocated from Miami to Los Angeles. In 2005 th ...

and the drummer and founding member of the

progressive metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...

band Cynic until leaving the band in September 2015. Reinert credited

Kenny Clarke Kenneth Clarke Spearman (January 9, 1914January 26, 1985), nicknamed Klook, was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A major innovator of the bebop style of drumming, he pioneered the use of the ride cymbal to keep time rather than the hi-h ...

John Bonham John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician, best known as the drummer for the Rock music, rock band Led Zeppelin. Esteemed for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel ...

Neil Peart Neil Ellwood Peart OC (; September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020) was a Canadian-American musician, best known as the drummer and primary lyricist of the rock band Rush. Peart earned numerous awards for his musical performances, including an ...

Gary Husband Gary Husband (born 14 June 1960) is an English jazz and rock drummer, pianist, keyboard player and bandleader. He is also a composer, arranger and producer. Husband is a member of John McLaughlin's group The 4th Dimension, he also regularly ...

and

Vinnie Colaiuta Vincent Peter Colaiuta (born February 5, 1956) is an American drummer who has worked as a session musician in many genres. He was inducted into the '' Modern Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 1996 and the ''Classic Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 2014. Colai ...

as being important influences during his formative years.

Life

In 1991, Reinert and

Paul Masvidal Paul Albert Masvidal (born January 20, 1971) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist, singer and a founding member of the progressive metal band Cynic. He has remained a continual member in Cynic for nearly three decades and has ...

(also of Cynic) joined the band

Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

to record the ''

Human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...

'' album. This album is seen by many as the start of the

technical death metal Technical death metal (also referred to as tech-death) is a musical subgenre of death metal that began and developed in the early- to mid-1990s, with particular focus on challenging, demanding instrumental skill and complex songwriting. Techni ...

genre. After touring with Death, he returned to Cynic. 1993 saw the release of ''

Focus Focus, or its plural form foci may refer to: Arts * Focus or Focus Festival, former name of the Adelaide Fringe arts festival in South Australia Film *''Focus'', a 1962 TV film starring James Whitmore * ''Focus'' (2001 film), a 2001 film based ...

'' (regarded as a landmark release in the field of technical/

) on the Roadrunner Records label. Roadrunner re-released it in 2005 as a special collector's edition due to high demand. After Cynic's disbandment Reinert had been a member of the Cynic spin-off band Portal which released a demo but eventually disbanded. Having relocated to Los Angeles, Reinert continued working with music by writing and performing for television shows and motion pictures. In 1999, Reinert helped form Æon Spoke alongside Masvidal, which is described as an "ethereal rock" band. The band saw releases in 2004 and 2007, receiving national and satellite airplay, performing, hosting radio appearances, and even appearing on television show and motion picture soundtracks. During this time in 2006, it was announced that Cynic would reform for a tour which took place in the summer of 2007. The reformed lineup then recorded a follow-up to ''Focus'' entitled ''Traced in Air'', which was released in 2008 and followed by more touring. In 2009, a new EP with Cynic was recorded scheduled for release in May 2010. As of May 2014, he publicly revealed his homosexuality along with fellow Cynic member

. Reinert died on January 24, 2020, due to an

aortic rupture Aortic rupture is the rupture or breakage of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. Aortic rupture is a rare, extremely dangerous condition. The most common cause is an abdominal aortic aneurysm that has ruptured spontaneously. Aortic ruptur ...

Legacy

Many artists have cited Reinert as an influence, including Peter Wildoer of Darkane,

Brann Dailor Brann Timothy Dailor (born March 19, 1975) is an American musician, best known as a member of heavy metal band Mastodon, in which he is the drummer and one of three vocalists. Career Dailor first started playing in a band called Eviscerat ...

Mastodon A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of th ...

Gene Hoglan Eugene Victor Hoglan II (born August 31, 1967) is an American drummer, acclaimed for his creativity in drum arrangements, including use of abstract devices for percussion effects and his trademark lengthy double-kick drum rhythms. Though his pla ...

, Richard Christy,

Dirk Verbeuren Dirk Verbeuren (born 8 January 1975) is a Belgian musician and the current drummer of American thrash metal band Megadeth, amongst other projects. He previously was a member of the Swedish melodic death metal band Soilwork. Verbeuren recorded f ...

Soilwork Soilwork is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Helsingborg. They are signed to Nuclear Blast. Formed in late 1995 by Björn Strid and Peter Wichers, originally under the name ''Inferior Breed'', the band changed their name in late 1996 to ...

and

Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wi ...

, Chris Pennie of

The Dillinger Escape Plan The Dillinger Escape Plan was an American metalcore band. The band was formed in 1997 in Morris Plains, New Jersey by guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Adam Doll, vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, and drummer Chris Pennie. The band's use of odd time sign ...

and

Coheed and Cambria Coheed and Cambria are an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York, formed in 1995. The band consists of Claudio Sanchez (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Travis Stever (guitars, vocals), Josh Eppard (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), an ...

, George Kollias of

Nile The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin language, Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered ...

, John Merryman of Cephalic Carnage, Daniel Moilanen of

Katatonia Katatonia are a Swedish heavy metal band formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström. The band started as a studio-only project for the duo, as an outlet for the band's love of death metal. Increasing popularity led them ...

, Elliot Hoffman of Car Bomb, and Evan Sammons of

Last Chance to Reason Last Chance to Reason is an American progressive metal band from Augusta, Maine. Their debut album, '' Lvl. 1'', was released through Tribunal Records in 2007. Their first major label debut, '' Level 2'', came in 2011 through Prosthetic Reco ...

. In addition, other artists have been quoted expressing admiration for his work including

Hannes Grossmann Hannes Grossmann (born 8 September 1982) is a German drummer who plays for the German progressive band Alkaloid. He was also the drummer during Necrophagist's ''Epitaph'' era and played with Obscura. Biography Early life Hannes Grossmann was b ...

, Kai Hahto of

Nightwish Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka N ...

, Dan Presland of Ne Obliviscaris, and Danny Walker of Intronaut.

Discography

;Cynic * ''

'' (1993) * '' Traced in Air'' (2008) * '' Re-Traced'' (2010) * ''

Carbon-Based Anatomy ''Carbon-Based Anatomy'' is an EP by the experimental metal band Cynic. It was released through Season of Mist on 11 November 2011. History ''Carbon-Based Anatomy'' EP is composed of six previously unheard tracks. However, the song "Carbon-Bas ...

'' (2011) * ''The Portal Tapes'' (2012) * '' Kindly Bent to Free Us'' (2014) ;Other *

− ''

'' (1991) * Sean Malone − '' Cortlandt'' (1996) *

Gordian Knot The Gordian Knot is an Ancient Greek legend of Phrygian Gordium associated with Alexander the Great who is said to have cut the knot in 333 BC. It is often used as a metaphor for an intractable problem (untying an impossibly tangled knot) ...

− ''

'' (1999) *

− ''

Emergent Emergent may refer to: * ''Emergent'' (album), a 2003 album by Gordian Knot * Emergent (software), Neural Simulation Software * Emergent BioSolutions, a multinational biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA * Emerg ...

'' (2003) * Aghora − '' Aghora'' (2000) * Aghora − ''

Formless ''Formless'' is the second album from progressive metal band Aghora, released in December 2006. This is their first album with vocalist Diana Serra. Track listing # Lotus – 1:14 # Atmas Heave – 5:10 # Moksha – 5:29 # Open Close the Book ...

'' (2006) *

− ''

Above the Buried Cry ''Above the Buried Cry'' is the first album of American band Æon Spoke, led by Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert. Seven tracks from this album were re-recorded on the Æon Spoke (album), self-titled album in 2007. Track listing All tracks by Pau ...

'' (2004) *

− ''

'' (2007) * Anomaly – ''Anomaly'' (1998) * C-187 − ''Collision'' (2007) * Levi/Werstler – ''Avalanche of Worms'' (2010) * Sylencer – ''A Lethal Dose of Truth'' (2012) (guest drummer on "Acquiesce") *Hassan Iqbal – Of the Sky (2020) * Amahiru – ''Amahiru'' (2020) (guest drummer on "Bringing Me Down (Alternative Version)")

References

External links

Official website

Official Facebook page

Death + Sean Reinert Drum Cam – Flattening of Emotions 10.26.91
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reinert, Sean 1971 births 2020 deaths Death (metal band) members American heavy metal drummers Place of birth missing American gay musicians LGBT people from Florida LGBT songwriters 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Æon Spoke members Aghora (band) members Cynic (band) members 21st-century American drummers 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people Gordian Knot (band) members