Sun Caged
Sun Caged

THE REVIEW

This little gem in the realm of progressive metal was released in 2003. It amazes for its excellent and incredible personality, all while not neglecting the inevitable influences and various citations.

Because let's be clear: in this genre, you can't ignore the founding fathers. Dream Theater-like passages stand out, as well as the compositional solutions of the latter Fates Warning (an excellent band that deserves much more success, in my opinion). But there is the signature of exceptional instrumentalists on the tracks of this album; just think of the hefty Marcel Coene on guitar (already a guitarist for Lemur Voice and author of an excellent solo album), the excellent keyboardist René Kroon, and a host of great musicians who complete this mix of technique and musical taste. The opener "Sedation" is excellent, less so the following "Sun Caged" (I would expect more from a title track). However, in the details, we always find the usual guitar-keyboard chases and the usual vocal solutions between highs and lows, but they are demonstrated here in an exemplary way, and the subsequent "Home" also gives an idea of how they know how to play, even "emotionally," between passages of acoustic guitar and absurd distortions.

"Soil" does its job as a fast and tight track, while the following "Hollow" is a very sweet semi-ballad. I'm sorry to say, but the only flaw, if it can be called that, is an excessive desire to overdo it. Up to now, it's not noticeable yet, but continuing, you can understand how especially Mr. Coene wants to run too much on his 7-string. His solos start well, melodically, but then sweeping like there's no tomorrow with little room for the "slowness" that many sometimes require. But maybe it's just a flaw, if it can be called that, that can remain marginal and doesn't overly influence the pleasant flow of the tracks. The only song that perhaps bored me a bit was "Secrets of Flight," nine minutes of music, perhaps the only song that convinced me little, not very personal and perhaps "forced" progressive and "strange" amidst changes, not only of tempo but of atmospheres that in the long run can fatigue. The truly convincing and excellent piece of the entire setlist is the closing track "Unchanging," where the musicians show excellent complicity and emotion.

I was pleasantly surprised by this debut album by Sun Caged. Certainly more professional and personal than the much-publicized Circus Maximus. Sure, they could go much further, but for now, it's splendidly fine the way it is.