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Well, this is a surprise. Cage got a lot of attention when they stepped up their game in 2003 with Darker Than Black, then they produced the overhyped and disappointing Hell Destroyer and capped it with The Science of Annihilation - an album so boring I couldn't stay awake long enough to review it. But this, their 6th full-length, sees them actually producing good music again.

Now, Cage have not changed their basic approach very much. They are still about Sean Peck's high-pitched wail, arrangements that are a bit too busy, and choruses that repeat more than they should. The difference is that here they have put together some actually good songs, so there is something more to the compositions than just collections of flaws. Opener "Bloodsteel" is a bit repetitive, but it has real energy and some crushing heaviness. The guitar tone here is much heavier and more abrasive than the smoothed-out tone of the last disc.

There are some actual good tunes here, like "Doctor Doom" and "King of the Wasteland", along with plenty of filler, like the dreadful "Metal Empire". But most of this is surprisingly solid. If you never liked Cage, this won't really change your mind. But if you have been a fan of their older works, then check this out.