Cage can pretty much be looked at as the New York indy rap movement’s first born son. In the late nineties, just as the independent 12inch market began to take off, Cage was one of the early settlers, sticking his flag in the dirt with the classic “Agent Orange” 12inch single on Bobbito’s now defunct Fondle ‘Em imprint. He signed with Eastern Conference Records to release his debut solo album, Movies For The Blind, plus several collaborative projects (Smut Peddlers, Nighthawks, Leak Bros). Feeling like he reached a ceiling with the label, Cage moved on to El-P’s Definitive Jux imprint, seeking to reinvent himself with Hell’s Winter. 

      Hell’s Winter finds a much different character at the helm than on Movies For The Blind. Gone is the insane, drug addicted misogynist from on his debut, replaced by a focused, clean and sober artist, with a physical transformation that includes a loss of some 40 lbs, “hair like an indy rock band”, and clothes that actually fit. Longtime fans, don’t be scared – Cage hasn’t abandoned you – he’s just grown up. He’s still the original agent-orange-sprayed-radiohead we all know and love and off the bat, you won’t notice much of a difference in sound when the sleazy guitar licks of “Good Morning” kick in, as Cage attacks with his usual brand of  humorous braggadocio. But after this short introduction, things immediately begin to get much more introspective, as Cage therapeutically tackles his own demons attached to his childhood, on the disturbing “Too Heavy For Cherubs”, and then again later on “Stripes”. This eerie pair of Blockhead produced tracks traces the root of his issues to his father, as Cage paints stunningly visual depictions of his childhood over incredibly cinematic beats. 

     Exorcizing his brain from said “infected devils” and realizing the importance as a role model to his daughter, Cage finds a newfound respect for women on Hell’s Winter. Doing away with all forms of objectification, not uttering the word “bitch” once on the LP, he examines his relationships with various types of women from the mixed up party girl (“Scenester”) to the perfect one (“Perfect World”). Anyone afraid Cage has gone soft, just peep “The Subtle Art Of The Breakup Song” which is true to original form, as the emcee vividly describes a car accident on his ladies’ birthday (“her entire fuckin’ face is gone!”), letting us know he’s still a little sick and twisted inside (if that’s your thing). The production from El-P here doesn’t hurt either. 

     Speaking of which, much of the production on this album is too good to overlook, as virtually everyone has stepped up their game, bringing their best shit to the table for Hell’s Winter. DJ Shadow does his own rendition of a Def Jux-style beat on Bush-blasting “Grand Ol’ Party Crash”, as Cage lets loose on the U.S. Government with a bevy of brilliant lyrical jabs. El-P delivers several of his greatest beats yet on this record, such as the abrasive “Lord Have Mercy”, which finds Cage animating a circular narrative of unfortunate events. The RJD2 produced “Shoot Frank” is one of the album’s most musical selections, led by sung vocals from Daryl Palumbo, as Cage delves deeper into his psyche. 

     What separates Cage’s record from many other hip-hop releases is that like Kanye West’s Late Registration (which employed the talents of composer Jon Brion), music is truly being created here, not just beats. While Cage employs the talents of many of indy hip-hop’s strongest producers, they find themselves collaborating with heavy talents of the indy rock pool as well, whether it be on guitar, bass, or vocals, lending to a much fuller, more musical experience. If Leak Brothers was his last hurrah with drug-abuse, then Hell’s Winter is rehab – an album heavy on self-examination, honesty, and most importantly, some of the most focused and well produced music of his career.