Gordian Knot is the solo venture of former Cynic bassist Sean Malone, who also plays a rather unique instrument known as the Chapman stick. So far two albums have been released, both with different lineups, with the two lineups loaded with superstars from the prog metal/rock world. Reviewed here is Emergent, the latter of the two releases. There isn't a lot here in the traditional metal sense, and despite the fact that all of the Cynic guys make appearances, there's very little that sounds like old Cynic either. What is on offer is an expressive, emotive jazzy prog-rock style, with an occasional hard riff here and there but more often a more relaxed, controlled feel. The musicians are able to make their individual presence known without the songs become pointless solofests. This isn't exactly headbanging material, but it is superbly crafted music in its own right. There is no question that progressive rock/metal fans will find Gordian Knot one of the best in the field.