8-POINT ROSE is a brand new band from Sweden. They are a melodic Heavy Metal band. It is ironic how they gained success: they did it by recording a tribute song in the memory of the late Michael Jackson, that song being "This is it". Their debut album named "Primigenia" is a solid effort. It surely doesn't sound like a band in its infant stages. They sound experienced enough to my ears. The band has former members from EVERMORE in their line up. The dual guitar attack at the beginning of "Endless Rage" is smile inducing. The song starts fast, gets slow in the middle and ends fast with some tremendous double bass drumming.

There are plenty of memorable guitar riffs to be found on this record. Things get pretty layered here, especially on the song "Relentless" where you have a mix of dual and backing vocals over the strong double bass and keyboards all mixed together with precision. The backing vocals are the strong point of this album. The lead singer is capable of both clean vocals and a little bit of a rasp when needed. Marcus Nygren shines as the lead vocalist. I get the feeling these guys will only get better with age.

Not many bands' debut releases sound this professional. It's not like the second coming of BOSTON mind you, but it is very good. We get to hear a very nice galloping intro to the song "I Want The Word To See". The lyrical content is very serious. You don't get any fluff or nonsense here. I like a serious album that manages that seriousness without being pretentious. It's hard to find such a thing in the Metal world. I don't feel like I am in a college auditorium being lectured to by a professor like I do when I listen to RUSH. That's a giant plus in my book. Thanks to their Michael Jackson tribute song they were given coveted slots at two Metal festivals in Sweden. I am sure the exposure will help them. Exposure is a very big thing for a new band. Imagine sharing the stage with bands like LAMB OF GOD, BEHEMOTH and HYPOCRISY before you've even recorded your first album! Talk about a boost in moral. Obviously the promoter heard the same thing I did when listening to them. I imagine it was an audition since there was no album yet. I imagine they were quite impressive. It's a good thing that young bands are given a chance to succeed in such a tough situation as the current Metal scene can be. There are so many bands out there it is hard to find a following with so much competition. I have no doubt the following will only grow larger and stronger in time.

Overall this is a very good start to their young career. This is a good album to pick up if you want something new that is melodic and inspiring. Good mid tempo songs throughout the release with excellent musicianship from start to finish. I know I will be giving this a few more spins before the week comes to a close.