Cage
Ancient Evil

San Diego quintet Cage is back with a new album, their seventh album since the debut in 1998. It is an album that features a slightly different line-up compared with its predecessor, sixty percent new to be exact as three of the members are changed but fans can breathe easy as the charismatic singer Mr Peck is still handling the microphone for the band. He sings a lot about Allister who seem to be an important character in the album’s story that revolves around ancient evil. It would appear as though mankind wasn’t the first sentient being on this planet as some time in the past there were others. That is of course exciting and interesting to think about, perhaps they were only visitor studying the animal life on this little insignificant planet in this insignificant solar system, in this insignificant galaxy and so on in the giant vastness of space.

Musically it is hard and heavy, you will recognise Cage if you know them from the past. It is heavy metal with more aggressive touches and often quite high paced. The vocalist reigns in the higher ranges of the vocal styles, he has a rather charismatic voice that I think is something that you either love or hate. They are probably not breaking any new ground in their musical adventures but, given the charismatic vocals and such they still manages to sound relatively fresh. The production may not break any new ground but it does bring out songs well in an album that is very varied and darkly themed. You notice that the album is thematic on that the name Allister keeps returning but also the spoken word parts that breaks off the passage of songs in key parts of the storyline – I should add that they are not that numerous so they will probably not disturb the one who just wants to listen to the songs.

I think that it is a very good album, the songs are great with energy and character – it is heavy metal at its best I would say. The album in nineteen tracks is also varied and offers a lot of depth giving the album longevity and I would say that you can listen to it many times before growing bored with it, if you can stand the vocals that is, but for me these vocals is part of what makes this album great. I think the quintet has managed to make a great album that I can recommend to readers of this webzine. However, I have to point out that not everyone will agree with spoken word parts (I generally don’t) and (or) the vocals that might divide the metal fans – I Like characteristic traits so to me the vocals work very well and I don’t really have much negative to say, I think you should not miss this album.

All the songs on the album are good and I don’t really feel the need to pick a favourite track but if someone forces me to it would be the track called The Antidote. But to me it is as a whole and through the storyline inspired by H.P. Lovecraft that the ancient evil comes alive and the album shines. A dramatic story, I wonder how many times Allister is mentioned throughout it, it really offers something great, and something that fans of Cage most certainly will enjoy. And with all that said not much remains than to conclude that this is an ancient evil that you shouldn’t avoid.

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