Band:
Dave "Conan" Garcia (Guitars & Keyboards)
Sean "The Hell Destroyer" Peck (Voices)
Pete "Hands of" Stone (Bass)
Norm "The Legend" Leggio (Drums)
Steve "Bloodsteel" Brogden (Guitars)
Discography:
Unveiled (1998)
Astrology (2000)
Darker Than Black (2003)
3 Inches In Blood (EP 2003)
Hell Destroyer (2007)
Science Of Annihilation (2009)
Guests:
Stu Marshall of Empires of Eden and Pain Division (orchestration on 1 & 11)
Chris Erickson aka Bitterfrost (leads & collaborations on 1)
Cory Bove (add voice on 7)
Forrest Butler (add voice on 5)
Info:
Sean Peck (Executive producer & Engineer)
Dave Garcia (executive producer)
Richard Carr (Master)
Recorded at Cage Studios
Alex Yarborough (booklet design & layout)
Marc Sasso (Cover art)
Daniall Duarte (booklet illustrations)
Forrest Butler (booklet illustrations)
Paul Brogden (Cage Eagle design)
John Sparks of Backlash (band photo)
Released 25/11-2011
Reviewed 27/12-2011
Links:
cageheavymetal.com
myspace
youtube
reverbnation
music buy mail
Cage plays this really heavy american heavy metal, or power metal as it's also known. The guitars screams like hungry panthers and the music is played faster than a hunting jaguar. Beyond the musical Cage comes with an attitude that couldn't be broken even with axes and hacks. There are a lot of hacking that's being done on this album, because the five piece band put their leather pants and jackets on with nails and spikes pointing everywhere only to show you that they have a true iron attitude. Then "BANG!" the first song begins with something that feels like 50% thrash metal, 50% death metal and 50% German power metal. Perhaps also about 50% of Brittish heavy metal somewhere in there. The vocalist shouts out "Bloodsteel" with a voice that sounds like a combination of pure steel and a raven pumped up on anabola stereoids to the sounds of pure power. This cage is obviously made of metal, no doubt about it, because everytime they hit a chord there's a distinctive sound of steel ringing in our ears.
However, let's return to the first question - that about the attitude: how serious can anyone be with an attitude like this fucking us all in the face. The real fanatics that has appointed themselves spokesmen of it (Manowar, Rhapsody, metalium and so on) seems to be more convinced about the concept than recruiting communists or religious fanatics of any kind, all trying to convert people to the "true" way of life. Clearly, Cage are possesed by the idea of metal being superior to everything else and comes to us with the whole package of things you normally can expect from people of that opinion. They do however have a beautiful graphic booklet with lovely metal art to anyone fond of sci-fi drawings with a clear metallic theme. On their photos the band dress up in typical outfit and all of them are either really long haired or skin-headed with their muscles pumped up to maximum. My guess is that they are best friends with Manowar and with their sixth album serving the metal gods they also sound really good in many ways but I can't help thinking there's just a tiny bit too much steel in the mix.
I wont deny that 'Supremacy Of Steel' is filled with wonderful melodies and really enjoyable riffing on the guitars as well as the bass in song after song throughout the entire album. However, I do feel the vocals tend to get quite silly and the lyrics are even more childish with words that a seven years old could have put together. At its best this album is pretty listenable, but only as long as you ignore the lyrics. All this "metal empire" and "we swear by it with our lives" and "crown men play metal - heavy metal" and "long live true metal" and so on… all that is just on a foster level. Neither cool nor interesting and all though it doesn't take anything away from the quality in the music, it definitely lower the total impression quite a bit. However, Cage do succeed to make some really amazing songs on 'Supremacy Of Steel' and even more fantastic parts at some places even with this metal obsession and that's something we can't deny them the achievement of doing.
So to all of you who really likes powerful and shamelessly heavy metal-celebrating music will probably find yourself a new best friend in 'Supremacy Of Steel'. It's doubtless a really good album and easily one of the 50 best this year. Perhaps with some effort even one of the 25 best.At the same time it is an album on the border of being stupid with the silly vocals and the ridiculous lyrics. I think the album might very well be worth a part of your paycheck, if not for the music then for the beautiful artwork in the booklet - all though I think the music too is worth worth a part of it. Silly but good - that's our punchline when it comes to this Cage.
HHHHHHH
Previous reviews:
Hateskor - Paint my Fear
Echidna - Dawn of the Sociopath
Descending - New Death Celebrity
Previous articles:
Absurdity
Mystic Prophecy
Coronatus
