Music Buy Mail/Sound Pollution
1992 marked the start of CAGE, in the heyday of grunge. But the band now release album number six, proving everybody wrong. CAGE hovers in the classic age of metal sound-wise, but both the NWOBHM and more modern touches are incorporated. Today the band consists of vocalist Sean “The Hell Destroyer” Peck, guitarist Dave “Conan” Garcia, drummer Norm “The Legend” Leggio (PSYCHOTIC WALTZ), and bass player Pete “Hands of” Stone. This seems to be a high priority release, is it that good?
The foundation of US heavy metal, Venom-like NWOBHM, JUDAS PRIEST and, to some extent, KING DIAMOND is omnipresent. CAGE is not trendy, and they go for the throat already in opener “Bloodsteel”. Next up they deal with an alleged werewolf sighting in Virginia in “The Beast of Bray Road”, which a piece of AVENGER-like NWOBHM. Their US roots show more in “Metal Empire”, which is more along the lines of early VIRGIN STEELE or SAVATAGE. All classic metal into a melting pot provides for “Flying Fortress”, but that track rarely leaves the ground. No it takes until the stable chorus of “Doctor Doom” to get me worked up. Another strange occurency was “Annaliese Michel”, a track tinged with 30´s horror, related to KING DIAMOND in most ways, should get me worked up but it only makes me slightly more attentive. The remake of “Braindead Woman” ought to have stayed buried, it worked for VENOM in the early eighties, but today that formula is too repetitive and crude, especially if you´re into classic metal. They sure aimed high, and had the best intentions, but I fear that CAGE shot a bit below their aim. This is a solid 3/5, but with their attitude, style and aim they should have me going berserk.
Track List
Bloodsteel
The Beast of Bray Road
King of the Wasteland
Metal Empire
War of the Undead
Flying Fortress
Doctor Doom
Annaliese Michel
Braindead Woman
The Monitor
Hell Destroyer vs. Metal Devil
Skinned Alive
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