Sun Caged was a

progressive metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...

band originating in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Sun Caged was formed by ex-Aura and Lemur Voice guitarist Marcel Coenen and drummer

Dennis Leeflang Dennis Leeflang (born 22 May 1979, Leiderdorp) is a Dutch rock drummer, currently living in Los Angeles. He is best known for his work with Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal History Leeflang started playing the drums at age 13, playing along with records ...

in the spring of 1999. Taking influences from artists in the metal genre such as

Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of the ...

, and

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...

. They have performed as support acts for bands such as

Vanden Plas Vanden Plas is the name of coachbuilders who produced bodies for specialist and up-market automobile manufacturers. Latterly the name became a top-end luxury model designation for cars from subsidiaries of British Leyland and the Rover Group, ...

Queensrÿche Queensrÿche is an American heavy metal band. It formed in 1982 in Bellevue, Washington, out of the local band the Mob. The band has released 16 studio albums, one EP, and several DVDs, and continues to tour and record. The original lineup ...

Spock's Beard Spock's Beard is an American progressive rock band formed in Los Angeles. The band was formed in 1992 by brothers Neal (lead vocals, keyboards) and Alan Morse (vocals, guitars), John Ballard (bass) and Nick D'Virgilio (drums). Ballard was rep ...

, and

Fates Warning Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman. There have been numerous lineup ...

. Currently, the band has three albums, a

self-titled An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

which was released on October 22, 2003, a second album, ''

Artemisia Artemisia may refer to: People * Artemisia I of Caria (fl. 480 BC), queen of Halicarnassus under the First Persian Empire, naval commander during the second Persian invasion of Greece * Artemisia II of Caria (died 350 BC), queen of Caria under th ...

'', which was released on March 23, 2007 and the third album was released in 2011 and is called ''The Lotus Effect''. All three albums received critical acclaim from the media. The style stated by the band on their 2000 demo was rather experimental, with the use of female vocals,

death growl A death growl, or simply growl, is an extended vocal technique usually employed in extreme styles of music, particularly in death metal and other extreme subgenres of heavy metal music. Death growl vocals are sometimes criticized for their ...

s, some melodic vocals with a touch of

groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station * ...

. After the release of their debut album the line up of Sun Caged changed considerably. When the recordings of ''Artemisia'' had started, Coenen was the only band member left from the original line up. Leeflang left shortly after the release of the band's debut to pursue a musical career in New York and was replaced by

Roel van Helden Roel van Helden (born 2 September 1980) is a Dutch musician known mostly for his work as a drummer for German metal band Powerwolf. Early life Born in Lottum, Roel van Helden's first experience with playing drums was in a talent show at the a ...

. After singer André Vuurboom left to form Sphere Of Souls he was replaced by the American Paul Adrian Villarreal. With the departure of Vuurboom keyboard player Joost van den Broek also parted ways with Sun Caged to join

After Forever After Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death growls. In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded. Singer Floor Jans ...

, a Dutch gothic metal outfit. René Kroon was hired as Van den Broek's substitute. Shortly before the Artemisia recording sessions bass player Rob van der Loo left as well. He went to join Dutch gothic metal band Delain and was replaced by Roel Vink. The band's third studio album, ''

The Lotus Effect ''The Lotus Effect'' is the third studio album by the Dutch progressive metal band Sun Caged, released on 17 June 2011 by Lion Music. The album features the same lineup as their previous album ''Artemisia'' except for the loss of bassist Roel Vin ...

'', was released on June 17, 2011 through Lion Music. It was described as a balance between their eponymous debut and the more melodic second album, ''

''. In 2016, guitarist Marcel Coenen was cast as a guest guitarist in

Ayreon Ayreon is a musical project by Dutch songwriter, singer, musician and record producer Arjen Anthony Lucassen. Ayreon's music is described as progressive rock, progressive metal and power metal sometimes combined with genres such as folk, electro ...

's album ''

The Source ''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...

''.

Line-up

Last Line-up

* Marcel Coenen −

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...

(since 1999) * Rene Kroon −

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

(since 2004) * Paul Adrian Villarreal −

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

(since 2004) * Daniel Kohn −

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

(since 2009) * Mick Gravee −

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

(since 2012)

Previous members

− drums (1999-2003) * Rob van der Loo − bass guitar (1999-2006) * Sascha Burchardt − vocals (2000-2002) * Joost van den Broek − keyboards (2000-2004) * André Vuurboom − vocals (2002-2004) *

- drums (2003-2012) * Roel Vink − bass (2006-2009)

On a project basis

* Nick Hameury − vocals (1999) * Gregoor van der Loo − vocals (1999) * Thijs Cuppen − keyboards (1999) * Laura van Driel − vocals (1999–2000)

Discography

Studio albums

* '' Sun Caged'' (2003) * ''

'' (2007) * ''

'' (2011)

Demos albums

* ''Scar Winter'' (2000) * ''Dominion'' (2001) * ''Promo 2002'' (2002) * ''Promo 2005'' (2005)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sun Caged Musical groups established in 1999 Dutch progressive metal musical groups 1999 establishments in the Netherlands