ARTEMISIA

This is the second release by Sun Caged but in fact this seems to be a totally different band looking at the line up. But strangely enough they don't sound 100% different so somehow they managed to keep the style intact. That is, for the general part of the story because there are also differences. I think Sun Caged has improved on the songwriting. In their debut I could not detect too many great compositions, on this album they have improved in that department although it's still no Dream Theater level but maybe they don't even want to be reminiscent of DT at all. I think they sound more like Evergrey although the vocals are not resemblant at all.

Examples of the improved compositions are Bloodlines and Doldrums to me which are extremely nice songs that weren't yet to be found on their debut album. So it's always good to detect improvement, I hope the continuity will be better for the future. Then this will be a leading prog metal band for The Netherlands I believe.

Due to improvement compared with their first release I give this 4 stars as well but it's actually 4.25.

Talk about wholesale changes ! The only original member left is lead guitarist Marcel Coenen. Barend Tromp guests on three tracks with his fretless bass. Both he and Marcel used to play in LEMURS VOICE. The most noteable change is new vocalist Paul Adrian Villarreal who is an American. He really reminds me of Ted Leonard from ENCHANT. That makes this an interesting listen because what we get are these fairly laid back vocals with music that is often extremely heavy. I must say that this was a very enjoyable listen for me this past week.

"Lyre's Harmony" opens with the sound of a bird screaming then flying away. Then we get pummeled with riffs. A calm when the reserved vocals arrive.The guitar comes grinding in as drums pound. It gets pretty heavy before 2 minutes. An avalanche of riffs come raining down 5 minutes in followed by a ripping guitar solo. "A Fair Trade" opens with a great heavy sound. Vocals and riffs follow. Very melodic and the vocals are so accessible. Piano comes in. The guitar sounds so clean and clear. "Unborn" opens with a crushing soundscape until vocals arrive before a minute. Fast and heavy after 3 minutes. A Tipton-like guitar solo after 4 minutes. Brutally heavy like ZERO HOUR as a vocal melody comes in. Awesome ! "Bloodlines" opens with piano which is quickly steam rolled by heavy riffs. Great sound ! Vocals 2 minutes in with a lighter sound. It sounds like a stampede before 4 minutes. Some really good contrasts in this one. Bone crushingly heavy 6 1/2 minutes in followed by organ 7 minutes in. Vocals are back. "Painted Eyes" features more heaviness, riffs and great vocals. This is the shortest track.

"Engelbert The Inchworm" opens with a silly melody that is quickly stomped to death by these stuttered riffs. They continue until it calms down after a minute. It gets very powerful again. Check out the guitar. This instrumental has to be heard to be believed ! Some guest growls to end it. "Afraid To Fly" is really the first mellow song although it does get a little more passionate a minute in when the vocals arrive. An uplifting guitar solo after 3 1/2 minutes. "Dialogue" sounds beautiful to open until bass then heaviness comes crashing in. A nice heavy undercurrent to this one. "Departing Words" opens with more metal flying around. Organ and pounding drums arrive as the vocals continue to impress. "Doldrums" opens with the sound of a boat in the water. Synths wash in. Piano and vocals 1 1/2 minutes in. It gets more powerful after 3 minutes. Even heavier before 5 minutes. Scorching guitar 6 minutes in before a calm a minute later as we hear the water like in the beginning.

I really think ENCHANT fans will like this one even though at times it's like 10 times heavier than that band. The fact is that the lighter sections are very ENCHANT-like. I still prefer their previous release to this one, but this album is highly recommended to those into melodic Metal.

Sun Caged is one of the intresting prog metal bands coming from younger generation in last decade. With 3 studio albums so far they become with each release a power in this field reaching the peak with the second album from 2007 Artemisia issued on LionMusic. Well, this Artemisia is one of the best prog metal albums I've heared in long time. Crafted arrangements with virtuosic interplay, all instruements are busy and work at full capacity and above all a very good vocalist Paul Adrian Villareal the new voice of the band. The sonic wall Sun Caged offered here is hard to beat even by well known names in this field. Long album aroud 70 min of pure prog metal of the highest calibre. All pieces stamnds as great, not a weak moment here, the best examples are Bloodline , the instrumental Engelbert the Inchworm or Dialogue, very good keyboards, busy drums, virtuosic guitarist Marcel Coenen from defunct prog metal band Lemur Voice, each musician brings fresh ideas and competent musicianship. As I said the voice of Villareal is top notch, fits perfectly in this kind of music, geat tone, with jawdropping moements. So, overall a very solid album in prog metal field, one of the best I've heared in years btw. with complicated passages and inventive arrangements. Definetly their best album, 4 stars easy. recommended fans of Lemur Voice, Hydrotoxin maybe at some point Threshold might jump on this one because worth it.

"Artemisia" is the second full-length studio album by Dutch progressive metal act Sun Caged. The album was released through Lion Music in March 2007. It´s the successor to the eponymously titled debut album from 2003. Sun Caged formed in 1999 after the demise of Dutch progressive metal act Lemur Voice, and the music style of Lemur Voice was pretty much carried over to Sun Caged.

So it´s still Dream Theater and Enchant, who are the greatest influences on Sun Caged. It´s all well composed, well performed and highly professional, but compared to the debut album there´s something off about the sound production on "Artemisia". The sound lacks warmth and bottom end heaviness, and it sometimes sounds like you´re listening to the album through a door or a closed window. It´s not a murky sounding production, but it sounds distant (if that makes sense). It´s a real shame that the production values end up having so much impact on the listening experience because as mentioned there´s nothing wrong with the music or the performances, which are high quality through and through. Sharp and heavy riffs, blistering melodic lead guitar playing, intricate rhythms, well played keyboards, and a strong lead vocalist in front, who can sing both regular and high pitched registers and sound convincing performing both.

So while "Artemisia" is a slight disappointment because of the sound production, which could arguably have been better sounding, it´s still a good quality progressive metal release in most other departments, and fans of artists like Dream Theater and Enchant (actually fans of something in between those two artists) should be able to find lots to appreciate here. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).