Cage9 has been described as “Panama’s greatest export” for good reason. So how come nobody has heard of these guys yet? Cage9 mixes an explosive alternative rock sound with a DIY attitude and this has led them to some well deserved exposure in the North American market in 2005. But will some exposure in a new market lead to success? I think so after listening to Cage9’s latest record ‘El Motivo’.

‘El Motivo’ showcases a band that has been perfecting their craft for many years. From top notch lyrics to well structured songs, Cage9 has it all. I have not heard an album that has 17 tracks that are all worthy of my attention in a very long time, there is absolutely no filler here. This might be more evident on ‘El Motivo’ that on the bands previous releases because the band has recently revamped its line up. The band went from three members to four with the addition of guitarist Ryan Delfino whose ex-band mates ended up forming a band called The Calling. Cage9 also got a new drummer named Warren Johnson who toured with legendary punk band Scream, when he was just 16, after replacing former Scream drummer Dave Grohl.

Cage9 seems to have the ability to write hit after hit like no other band I have heard before. I could take a wide variety of songs off of ‘El Motivo’ and put them on a variety of radio stations and have many hit singles. There is proof of this already as the songs “Ice to Eskimoz”, “Hearts And Stars”, “Hollywood Car Crash” and My Doppelganger” have been receiving airplay from California to Panama. These songs all feature excellent hooks, perfect song structure, catchy lyrics and upbeat vocals. No wonder these four songs just happen to be some of my favorites on the album, they defiantly warrant the listen. Another catchy song on the album is “Four Leaf Clover” which features Spanish guitars and a furiously fast pace, it’s an instant classic that transcends genres.

No matter how much I talk about the catchiness of Cage9’s songs I can’t forget that how raw the music is. It shows that Cage9 never compromises or conforms to any set of standards laid before them. They make their music on their terms and it works. In fact it works so well that they produce almost flawless albums like ‘El Motivo’. If this is what we are to expect from this band in the future success is sure to follow. So do yourself a favor and pick up ‘El Motivo’ today before it’s too late.

Rating: 5/5