The music industry seems to have become a karaoke contest to see who can best replicate the current musical trendsetters, so finding a band that plays fresh and original music is a momentous occasion. PRIMACY, hailing from West Auckland, New Zealand, is one such band that has stepped outside the mass confusion of sound-alikes and posers and has put their stamp of originality on the Hard Rock genre with the release of their debut EP, "Failure and Sacrifice". While it's admiral for an artist to incorporate into their music, deep-rooted influences that have shaped their soul, there is nothing more annoying than a band that tries to sound identical to another. This is something that PRIMACY will never have to worry about. In the midst of an exhausting musical fog, this healthy breath of fresh air stands heads and shoulders above the majority of new bands that I've heard this year.

Rising from the ashes of three, now defunct bands, PRIMACY was formed in 2014 and consists of Jason McIver on vocals, Adrian Brausch on lead guitar, Jared Tobin on rhythm guitar, Sadeer Kattan on bass, and Will Bloodfarm on drums. With a wealth of influences ever present in their songwriting, PRIMACY layers these easily discernable inspirations into their own authentic creativity and talent to produce a sound that is completely original. Being primarily a straightforward Hard Rock band, PRIMACY has masterfully injected elements of early 90's Grunge and Alternative Rock to create a unique, almost modern day "Seattle" sound.

The opening track, "Failure and Sacrifice", immediately sets the tone with its infectious, groove-heavy riffs and melodic choruses that, to me, convey a grunge-infused, U2 meets ALICE IN CHAINS feel. As odd as that may sound to you, it's a really contagious sound that gives this band a distinct identity. The third and fourth tracks, "Devils Cut" and "The Secret", turn up the heat with a bit more tempo and a true modern alternative rock sound. But where PRIMACY will make a name for themselves is on the tracks, "Wicked Ways", the moody, down-tempo EP closer, and "Shadeblack", the hauntingly heavy masterpiece that was actually the first single released from the EP; this is a track that needs to be heard far and wide. "Failure and Sacrifice" was released via Southern Collective Music and was co-produced by Zorran Mendonsa (CITY OF SOULS, NEW WAY HOME, BLACK RIVER DRIVE, COBRA KAHN) and mastered at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden by famed producer Jens Bogren (OPETH, SEPULTURA, DRAGONFORCE, BABY METAL). There are times when it's hard to completely describe the feeling you get when you hear something that is special, and this is one of those times. All I can say is, "if it feels good, do it", and this one feels really good.

With the right management team around them and just the right amount of promotion, PRIMACY has the potential to put their name on a lot of "Bands To Watch" lists and has already started to create a buzz in the Hard Rock arena. If you like hard rock with a bit of grunge flavor, I highly recommend "Failure and Sacrifice". I can't wait to hear a full length from these guys.<