SUN CAGED

4.5 stars. I would descibe their sound as a cross between FATES WARNING and ZERO HOUR. The guitar work is very technical and complex, and you would swear it was Jasun Tipton at times from ZERO HOUR. This is very melodic and at times heavy, with a vocalist that I can't say enough good things about other then I love his voice. Fellow Dutchman Arjen Lucassen mixed this album at his "Electric Castle Studio". The sound is amazing. Actually the keyboard player (Joost) would go on tour with STAR ONE, and is on the DVD and live cd called "Live On Earth". In the liner notes they give a salute to among others ZERO HOUR, DEADSOUL TRIBE and EVERGREY.

"Sedation" opens with quite the instrumental display. A calm a minute in as those great vocals follow. Killer synths before 3 minutes and ripping guitar after 5 minutes. Heavy riffs end it. "Sun Caged" opens with heavy riffs and they come and go throughout. Complex guitar work in this one. Vocals a minute in. These themes are repeated. Fantastic song ! Piano 4 minutes in. Love the vocals before 6 minutes. "Home" opens with acoustic guitar as reserved vocals come in to this pastoral intro. Synths wash beautifully until all is blown away by a scream and heavy riffs. It's so uplifting 5 minutes in. "Soil" opens with sampled spoken words before the complexity arrives and vocals that recall PSYCHOTIC WALTZ. Check out the guitar ! It then settles down as vocals seem to soar and it's all so tranquil. Heaviness stomps all over that as the contrast continues.

"Hollow" opens with piano as a full sound with vocals arrives quickly. This sounds so good, especially the vocals. "Closing In" features piano early before they hit us with some heaviness before a minute that comes and goes. Great solid sound as he sings his heart out. "The Eighth Day" opens with synths as riffs and vocals join in. Love the synths before 4 1/2 minutes. Heavy riffs a minute later to end it. "Secrets Of Flight" opens with some chunky bass and great guitar work. Heavy stuff. It gets kind of spacey before 6 minutes. More complexity and heaviness 8 minutes in. "Unchanging" opens with piano before reserved vocals come in. It gets fuller and the vocals more passionate.

A must have for Metal fans out there. Almost a perfect debut.