Band : Sun Caged
Album title : The Lotus Effect
Label : Lion Music
Distributor : Bertus
Release Date : 17/06/2011
Release : CD

Sun Caged is a Dutch prog metal band, existing since 1999, with different line ups during the years.  You could say the only constant factor in the band is guitarist Marcel Coenen.  Over all those years this album still is only their third release.

I have not heard the previous albums by this band, but I was stunned by the vocal performance by Paul Adrian Villarreal.  He has not the most powerful of voices, but his singing is crystal clear.
As a matter of fact the album consists of two parts.  Part one being the first six tracks, which are stand-alone tracks, and the following eight tracks, which seem to be eight interconnected tracks who seem to make one epic 24 minute song.
While listening to this music, I thought about Dream Theater as first reference, but it would do harm to Sun Caged’s reputation if that band would be the only reference.  Problem is I don’t immediately find another band with whom you could compare them, because besides the prog rock influences, there are more influences that are layered through their music. A great effort by this Dutch band, it requires a few spins to completely get into their music, but isn’t that just a confirmation of the quality this band has to offer ?

90/100

Erik Morren.