Cage is an American
heavy metal band from
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...
. Over their career, the band has released seven studio albums and played shows with
Great White,
Manowar,
Metallica, and
Judas Priest.
Biography
Cage formed in 1992 with the original lineup being, Sean Peck (vocals), David Garcia (guitar), Eric Horton (guitar), Mike Giordano (bass), and Damian Arletto (drums). Peck had previously been the leader of a band called Nomad, while Garcia and Giordano had performed with Crusher.
Garcia and Horton had also been a part of Nomad with Peck.
Even though the band formed in 1992, the band did not release their first album, ''Unveiled'', until 1998, likely due to it being self-produced.
By 1999, Arletto had exited the band and was replaced by Mike Nielsen.
The band became known around the time of their second album, ''
Astrology
Astrology is a range of divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. Di ...
'', released in 2001, via Molten Metal.
The album was Nielsen's debut with the band. Shortly after this period of time, Cage signed to
Massacre Records
Massacre Records is an independent record label based in Abstatt, Germany, that specializes in bands of the heavier genres of metal.
The label was founded in 1991 by Torsten Hartmann. Connected to Massacre Records is the marketing and music wh ...
, then home to artists such as
King Diamond
Kim Bendix Petersen (born 14 June 1956), better known by his stage name King Diamond, is a Danish rock musician. As a vocalist, he is known for his powerful and wide-ranging countertenor singing voice, in particular his far-reaching falsetto ...
,
Virgin Black, and
Mystic Circle. Following their signing, the band released their third album, ''Darker Than Black'', which came out in 2003.
By this time, Anthony McGinnis had joined as the band's new guitarist, replacing Horton.
In 2007, the band released their fourth full-length album, ''
Hell Destroyer
''Hell Destroyer'' is the fourth album by the Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Cage (band), Cage.
Critical reception
Mark Gromen of Brave Words praised the album saying "Easily my favourite Cage disc since ''Unveiled''!" Scott Alisoglu of ...
'', which came out through MTM Music, featuring artists such as
Stryper. ''Hell Destroyer'' became the band's most commercial album to date following ta release, receiving several positive reviews from many different sites.
Mark Gromen of
Brave Words
''Brave Words'' is an album by New Zealand group The Chills, released in 1987. It was produced by Mayo Thompson
Mayo Thompson (born February 26, 1944 in Houston, Texas, United States) is an American musician and visual artist best known as ...
praised the album saying "Easily my favourite Cage disc since ''Unveiled''!"
Scott Alisoglu of
Blabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net is a website dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock news, as well as album and music DVD reviews. Blabbermouth.net was founded and is run by Borivoj Krgin. The first version of the website was launched in March 2001; in Octob ...
stated "Heavy metal concept albums are hit or miss propositions.....There are very few albums that can claim to be as quintessentially heavy metal as ''Hell Destroyer''.
In August 2007, Nielsen departed from the band, being replaced by former
Psychotic Waltz
Psychotic Waltz is a progressive metal band formed in El Cajon, California in 1988.
Biography
The first incarnation of the band was under the name Aslan, after a character in the novel '' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' by C. S. Lewis. W ...
drummer Norm Leggio.
With this lineup, the band set out to write and record their fifth album, ''
Science of Annihilation'', which was released through
Pure Steel Records
Pure Steel Records is a record label based in Germany that focuses on heavy metal music. Pure Steel produces CDs and LP album, LPs.
Founded by Kay Anders and Andreas Lorenz in 2006, the main interest of Pure Steel is to spread the true and inde ...
.
Pure Steel was home to
Mortician and
Warrant at the time. In early 2010, original bassist Mike Giordano and lead guitarist Anthony Wayne McGinnis exited the band. Giordano stated that he departed due to "medical issues", whereas McGinnis stepped down due to "family issues".
Later that year, the band recruited members; bassist Steve Brogden (guitarist/vocalist for the power/thrash metal band Howler) and former Brick Bath bassist Pete Stone.
The band released their sixth full-length album, ''Supremacy of Steel'', in 2011, with the lineup of Peck, Garcia, Brogden, Stone, and Leggio. The artwork for the album was designed by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
illustrator Marc Sasso.
However, Brogden departed before the album was released, being replaced by Climhazzard member Garret Peters.
However, by 2013, the band essentially dissolved, with Stone, Peters, and Leggio departing from the band.
In 18-months time, Garcia wrote a solo album titled ''Hellscream'', working alongside former Imagika vocalist Norman Skinner.
Upon reconvening the band in 2013, Peck and Garcia were tasked with creating a new lineup. The two hired on Guitarist Casey Trask of Monarch , Nihilist drummer Sean Elg, and Dwight "Magic" Moy of Detonated on bass.
With the new band in place, the five entered the studio to record their seventh studio album, ''Ancient Evil'', a 19-track
concept album.
Shortly after the recording of the album, however, Moy quit the band and was replaced by Alex Pickard of the Vista, California-based band Monarch.
As of 2018, the band currently double as The Three Tremors, a collaborative effort of all current members of Cage,
Jag Panzer
Jag Panzer is an American power metal band from Colorado Springs, Colorado.
History
Jag Panzer came together in late 1981, being inspired by the onslaught of the new wave of British heavy metal. The original line-up consisted of Harry Conkl ...
vocalist Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin, and former
Iced Earth
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida and currently based in Columbus, Indiana. They were formed in 1984 under the name the Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer and original drummer ...
and
Judas Priest vocalist
Tim "Ripper" Owens
Timothy S. "Ripper" Owens (born September 13, 1967) is an American heavy metal singer who currently performs with KK's Priest, Spirits of Fire, the Three Tremors and A New Revenge. He first gained attention as the lead singer of Judas Priest ...
. The Three Tremors have put out three studio albums, ''The Three Tremors'', ''The Solo Versions'', and ''Guardians of the Void''.
Band members
;Current members
* Sean "The Hell Destroyer" Peck – vocals (1992–present)
* Dave "Conan" Garcia – guitars (1992–present)
* Casey "The Sentinel" Trask – guitars (2013–present)
* Rafael Gamma Jr. – bass (2021–present)
* Sean Elg – drums (2013–present)
;Former members
* Anthony Wayne McGinnis – guitars (2002–2010)
* Eric Horton – guitars (1992–2002)
* Garret Peters – guitars (2012–2013)
* Steve "MetalBrog" Brogden – guitars (2010–2012)
* Mike Giordano – bass (1992–2010)
* Pete "Hands of" Stone – bass (2010–2013)
* Dwight "Magic" Moy – bass (2013–2015)
* Damian Arletto – drums (1992–1999)
* Mike Nielsen – drums (1999–2008)
* Norm "The Legend" Leggio – drums (2008–2013)
* Alex "Captain" Pickard - Bass (2015-2021)
;Timeline
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Discography
;Studio albums
*''Unveiled '' (1998)
*''
Astrology
Astrology is a range of divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. Di ...
'' (2000)
*''Darker Than Black'' (2003)
*''
Hell Destroyer
''Hell Destroyer'' is the fourth album by the Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Cage (band), Cage.
Critical reception
Mark Gromen of Brave Words praised the album saying "Easily my favourite Cage disc since ''Unveiled''!" Scott Alisoglu of ...
'' (2007)
*''
Science of Annihilation'' (2009)
*''Supremacy of Steel'' (2011)
* ''Ancient Evil'' (2015)
;EPs
* ''Crusher Tape'' (2007)
;Live albums
* ''Live In Kalamazoo'' (2007)
;Video albums
* ''The Rise to Power'' (2011)
;Singles
* "Cage Tape" (2007)
* "Planet Crusher" (2009)
;Compilations
* ''Hidden Sessions'' (2007)
* ''Lost CD'' (2007)
References
External links
Official website*
Sweden Music Group websiteInterview with Sean Peck
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cage
Heavy metal musical groups from California
American power metal musical groups
Musical groups from San Diego