MOON

If you like the idea of a cross between hummable mid-paced power metal and melancholic 80s new wave music (think The Smiths and New Order on their more rockier side) with an added layer of complexity (the complex beats, the multiple interlocking instrumental lines), give Soul Cages a try. This may not be the fullest description of the band, because they are really multi-faceted, but this is the feeling they awake in me. What I also like is that albums are fairly compact and even though The Moon is self- produced, it is as clear as the predecessors.

That said, a better intro to the band would probably be their 1990s albums, like Moments and Craft, because The Moon is more harder and fast - relatively speaking of course - and I think that the clean and pensive is what they do best. As often happens, when its loud, some of the wonderful melodies end up buried. And all songs here feature some cool original melodic lines. Be warned - even Soul Cages are not inaccessible, they do require repeated listens to sink in. But if you have time to spare, in the end you will be satisfied by discovering another hidden gem in the vast prog metal world.