Mollo/Martin-The Third Cage

Frontiers Records
2012

Mollo/Martin (formerly The Cage) is a heavy metal project made up of former Black Sabbath vocalist Tony Martin and Italian guitarist/producer Dario Mollo. "The Third Cage" is really the 3rd album from The Cage. While both "The Cage" and "The Cage 2" were well received by the press and fans this is the first time I had heard the collaboration. As I am a Tony Martin fan I was looking forward to hearing "The Third Cage". Now honestly I have to say I found the album hit or miss and since I've never heard the previous two albums I can't say if this is something new or the way this outfit has worked out. For the record album opener "Wicked World" is pure heavy metal not unlike something out of the Black Sabbath/Dio hard rock camp. The same could be said for "Wardance" really. Now since Dario Mollo handles guitars, bass and keyboards the music is solid if nothing remarkable. He is backed up by drummer Roberto Gualdi, bassist Fulvio Gaslini and two additional keyboard players in Dario Patti and Brian War. The whole group gels rather well even if the album does sound quite like every other Frontiers Records release at times. In the end the album is as stated earlier hit or miss. Production wise there are not any problems as everything is clear for the most part. It is just that nothing here really reaches out and catches hold of you in the end. Not a bad record by any means just a rather standard hard rock/melodic rock affair from a record label that is flooded with similar acts.