Detroit has been the site of several musical generations of punk; Cinecyde emerged on the local scene there in the late ’70s, gigging and releasing records (by several bands as well as compilations) on their own label. Following a sneery pair of rudimentary 7-inch EPs and some singles, I Left My Heart unleashes enough raw power to stun, but a superior sense of song structure, the group’s skilled musicianship and non-topical lyrics prevent it from falling into the stylistic clutches of simple hardcore or heavy metal.
Keeping the rock’n’roll faith (not to mention the first album’s lineup!), Cinecyde issued a long-come second album in early 1989. Now more inclined to play loud power-pop than tuneful punk, Cinecyde has tempered the pace, but not the spirit or electricity of its music. Who Goes There? is a welcome return from these talented and sturdy Midwest musicians. (The LP doesn’t include a subsequent sign-of-the-times 45, “Burn the Crack House Down.”)