Search - Sun Caged :: Sun Caged

Amazing full-length from Sun Caged!

Murat Batmaz | Istanbul, Turkey | 12/15/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Even though you may not have heard of Sun Caged before, they're not new-comers! Their amazing guitarist Marcel Coenen has played in various bands, the most important one being the melodic prog metal act Lemur Voice from the Netherlands. They released two albums, both of which were incredible CDs, but disbanded due to poor promo and lack of support. Also, Sun Caged's (new) singer Andre Vuurboom sang in a number of bands (I am familiar with his early-90's band Imperium). The other guys in the band are relatively younger, but incredibly talented!!! Dennis Leeflang, the drummer, is one of the co-founders of the band and despite his young age he is a magnificent drummer! He certainly doesn't fit the typical "prog drummer" category; he has a very laid back sound, entering the songs only when necessary, never going too much over the top. He is also one of the most down to earth and coolest guys I've had the chance to talk to online. He even sent me a copy of their previous EP Dominion a few years ago and it was then that I first realised this band had a lot of potential and would one day hit it big. It took some time till they found their steady line-up and a good record label for a full-length album. And what an album it is! To save you reading from a long and very detailed review, I'll only say this: The self-titled debut album from Sun Caged is one of the best prog metal albums of 2003, possibly my favourite!For those of you who have heard the Dominion EP with former singer Sascha and their Dream Theater cover tune "Caught In A Web" with a female singer, be prepared for a more prog-driven Sun Caged on this CD. Their new singer Andre is more in the league of singers like Ray Alder, Geoff Tate, and a younger James Labrie, whereas Sascha was more of a Mercury/Dickinson type of singer. The rhythm work, both in Marcel's guitars and Rob's bass, is very reminiscent of Meshuggah, who is obviously a big influence of the band. Marcel Coenen's talent needs no explanation. He is a real guitar freak! I really like the articulation in his playing, very technical with some killer runs on the fretboard and unbelievable sweeping. The bass work is really crunchy, very prominent, very solid. Sun Caged seems to put emphasis on their rhythm work very much and the result is marvelous. It would be pointless to liken the sound of the band to others, but I will still mention the monumental Fates Warning, I&W-era Dream Theater, the instrumental wizardy of Liquid Tension Experiment, the technical craziness of Meshuggah, the perfectly balanced song arrangements of Ayreon, and the jazzy touch of Cynic lest you get (part of) the picture. Now think of a band that combines all these elements with their own identity and puts out a very dense, poignant, and progressive release. That's the sound of Sun Caged. A truly talented band with a very promising future. I don't know how they are going to top this one, but if they could create this one, they could even create something that surpasses it. The mastermind behind Ayreon and Star One, Arjen Lucassen, mixed this CD. So if anyone has ever listened to an Ayreon disc, they will know that this album sound-wise is perfect. Please note that this is the first CD Lucassen has ever mixed. He probably thought that a great record like this needed to be recorded accordingly. The dynamics of the album are flawless, there's a wide range of sounds, very detailed and precise. The first couple of times vocalist Andre reminded me of a younger Labrie, however with each listen I was more and more drawn to the Tate/Alder comparisons. He sings the upper registers effectively and effortlessly, though he doesn't necessarily tend to show off his range every opportunity he gets. That's something I really admire. Marcel Coenen, too, despite his rich vocabulary on his guitar, only shreds if the song calls for it. The melodic and fiery guitar solo in the title track is one of the most shocking and beautiful solos I've heard in a long time. I also love the chorus in this track. "Sedation" borrows some LTE elements and the song is quite representative of Sun Caged's style displaying various elements in their music. "Closing In" and "The Eighth Day" feature some killer rolls and fills from Dennis. I would have loved to hear more of those. Each song offers all the musicians plenty of room to prove they're masters of their instruments, but it's always meticulously done within the context of the song. Very mature. The keyboards are a cross between Moore era DT/LTE. Joost both adds atmosphere and sharp keyboard solos from time to time. He is not too high in the mix, but his presence is always felt heavily. 2003 has been a bad year in terms of prog metal. Dream Theater's new album was practically the only thing that caught progheads' attention, and it's been getting lots of mixed reviews. (Redemption is another release that comes to mind.) Here is your chance to hear something different. Far heavier and technical than the average prog albums coming out these days. Pick it up and hear for yourself."