SUN CAGED — The Lotus Effect (review)

SUN CAGED — The Lotus Effect album cover Album · 2011 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Time Signature
Full circle...

Genre: progressive metal

As is typical of progressive metal, there is plenty of genre transgression on this album which contains virtually everything from blastbeats over ballady choruses and heavy groove guitar riffage to slapping and fretless bass as well as some jazz-fusion-like and some neoclassical elements. For instance, the opener "Seamripper (& the Blanket Statement)" contains some grinding blastbeats combined with more groovy and melodic elements, and there is some awesome slapping bass in "Tip-Toe the Fault-Line" and "Shades of Hades", while "Ashes to Earn" delivers some more classic progressive metal figures and odd time signature plus prominent keyboards and a quite melodic nature. So does the darker track "Lotus" which also involves an Epic Middle Eastern atmosphere. "Ashtamangala the 8 Auspicious Symbols" is an even more epic suite in seven parts which, needless to say, offers many twists, turns and other interesting things.

The vocals are clear and have a very melodic quality as well as an almost volatile texture but very potent at the same time, which is in an interesting contrast to the very heavy sounding guitars. The level of musicianship is obviously very high, delivering impressive work on all instruments, and fans of guitar virtuoso-playing can look forward to some very nice guitar solos.

With all its variation and both modern and classic elements, this album should appeal to fans of progressive metal.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Lysergic Ritual Sludge Metal
SUNDOWNER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Terra Preta Sludge Metal
TITANOBOA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Endless Suffering Sludge Metal
LØV
Buy this album from MMA partners
Beyond The Shed Sludge Metal
SINICYST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Being & Nothing EP Sludge Metal
CEREBRAL TOMB
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Agremorta - Adrocitas (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 20 hours ago
Agremorta - Ploratus Umbra (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 20 hours ago
Agremorta - Vertex Membrana (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 20 hours ago
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 22 hours ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 1 day ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed