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8-Point Rose are a Swedish band that sounds as stereotypically Swedish as you can get, but I really am not coming down on them for that, as this is one hell of an album. Primigenia is a hard-hitting, immensely melodic trip of Swedish power metal infused with subtle doses of melodic death metal on the side, and what really surprised me was how well this is done. With shades of Shadowland-era Nocturnal Rites and Bloodbound's Tabula Rasa, 8-Point Rose forge one hell of a debut.

And that's the cincher right there – this is a debut for Pete's sake! These guys sound frigging professional as hell. Every song is sleek and mature, with carefully written hooks and a confident sheen that makes them sound like they've been writing this kind of music for years. Vocalist Marcus Nygren has a powerful, ballsy wail that reminds strongly of Nocturnal Rites' Jonny Lindqvist if he was singing Urban Breed's vocal lines from Tad Morose, and if that's not enough to make you salivate, you're dead to me. There are harsher screams on most tracks here that remind of modern metalcore, but they're really not intrusive, and sometimes they actually add to the powerful punch this band is wielding. Impressive.

The instrumentation is simple and basic, but the songs are all well written and never get boring, as the band packs in a lot of dynamic and tension into the rather plain templates. This is very vocal-driven music, but the rhythmic chugging and smooth, hooky guitar riffs are heavy enough to get your head banging and your blood pumping well enough. "Resolve" opens up with a straightforward, bludgeoning riff and a fantastic chorus you won't be able to forget for weeks. Further standout tracks like the power metal smash of "Out of the Shadows," the moody "The Shadow," the frosty "Winter Storm" and the furious "I Want the World to See" drive the point home – 8-Point Rose is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years, as this music is immediate, powerful and gratifying.

8-Point Rose are poppy, but at the same time they have a great grasp on their songwriting, and they churn out some fine, fine metal on Primigenia. I have to say that "Endless Rage" is not the best song, and that some of their choruses sound a little too much alike, but even then, I really enjoy this album. This band is great, and with any justice, they're going to get a lot bigger soon, and I think we have a band to watch here. Listen to 8-Point Rose.