UMUR
"Unveiled" is the debut full-length studio album by US power metal act Cage. The album was released through Omega Records in September 1998. Cage were formed in 1992 in San Diego, California. The members came from the two disbanded acts Nomad and Crusher. While "Unveiled" is the band´s official debut album, they actually recorded a full-length album in 1995, that ended up shelved. The unreleased album saw an iTunes exclusive release in 2007.
Stylistically the music on "Unveiled" is "classic" US power metal in the harder edged end of the spectrum. That means a more butch version of traditional heavy metal with the occasional nod towards thrash metal. Lead vocalist Sean Peck is incredibly talented and has a wide range that goes from high pitched screaming to lower more raw type vocals. He is a very convincing singer and a great asset to the band´s sound. The instrumental part of the band´s sound fortunately follows suit. Crushingly heavy and tastefully played riffs, melodic solos, and a pounding and precise rhythm section are the main ingredients.
The 15 track, 53:08 minutes long album is filled to the brim with solid US power metal tracks, but 15 tracks are honestly a couple too many. The listening experience and the overall flow of the album suffer a bit from the long playing time, and I think "Unveiled" could have benefitted from trimming the fat. Still "Unveiled" is well produced and highly recommendable if you enjoy artists like Savatage and Iced Earth and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved. It´s a very promising start for Cage.