To have such diversity in your influences and still succeed in compiling songs of interest is not a usual case in the European Rock/Metal scene. Still, when we talk about the Scandinavia region truth is most bands do achieve great things up there. SOULCAGE is a band based in Finland (Helsinki) and do manage to create an album with personality. "Soul For Sale" is not the in-your-face Metal album you'll bang your head to nonstop, no way, but...

...it effectively portrays a band not forgetting its mentors (bands, artists) but also taking advantage of today's recipes and moods. They seem to have released another album too back in 2006 called "Dead Water Diary" which I have not come across for any kind of comparison. Not that this is needed, after all, with the band's newest album spinning over and over again. Not being my cup of tea in particular, it's quite a fact SOULCAGE performs some interesting blend focusing on melodies, pompous keyboards, some dark atmosphere creating a veil of emotional infusion but also classic Rock elements baking more straightforward parts.

While I could digest the more guitar-oriented tracks more easily, the key point in "Soul For Sale" seems to be the discrimination between the songs inside. One will remind you of e.g. PAIN OF SALVATION or some more gloomy DREAM THEATER while next track you may recall the legend of URIAH HEEP, ending up falling in love with a guitar melody bringing JOURNEY to mind while still remembering melodies here and there owing something to bands from (random examples?) QUEENSRYCHE to FAITH NO MORE and then to EDGUY. Not to neglect the times I confirmed I'm listening to a Scandinavian band (what huge vocals and choruses can these men create over there!), the typhoon of colors and layers in SOULCAGE's music is quite intriguing. Add to this the clear velvet vocals giving this extra warmth (going everywhere, even in AOR or emotional Pop fields) and I hope you can picture the level of effort presented in "Soul For Sale".

This album is - in terms of intensity - quite mild in total; rancid metalheads should avoid. Still, it boasts personality and enough of artistic dignity from a band whose hard work is more than obvious (the production is impressive for a semi-independent release). Even if all numbers feature some level of complexity in the making, the result sounds quite radio and memory friendly. I could describe the band's philosophy as "progressive", in a way. I'm pretty positive mostly fans of modern melodic Rock/Metal music will approve of SOULCAGE.