IAN PARRY’S ROCK EMPORIUM – Society Of Friends (2016)
IAN PARRY has had a successful career as a hard rock / metal songwriter & vocalist, notably with Vengeance, Elegy and his five really good Consortium Projects plus lending contributions to other established artists such as Ayreon, Royal Hunt, Mob Rules. Ten years ago, he cut a solo album, Visions, for Escape Music. Parry and the label reunite for his next project, IAN PARRY’S ROCK EMPORIUM and the debut album “Society Of Friends” to be released next April 1.
As the band and album name suggest, this is a collaborative effort: Parry joined by friends and musicians from the UK and European scene. Rather than belabor you with a massive list of names, take a look below in the albums personnel. It’s rather impressive.
As for Parry’s musical approach for “Society Of Friends”, he reaches back to his roots and influences. The music within is basically classic, think Eighties, melodic hard rock with a significant metal edge, yet bound up in an AOR wrapper.
By way of some analogy, after a spin or two, my first best observation was that Parry, the players, and the songs sound like Whitesnake without the significant blues element, although that comes through lightly at the start of the killer rocker ‘Ministry Of Rock’.
Mostly, this is hard hitting stuff marked by sharp riffage, a deep bottom end, and swirling solos. Of course, Parry remains in fine form with his melodic, yet forceful and bold vocal approach, with a slight timbre of raspiness.
Some the more uptempo material comes with ‘Start All Over Again’, ‘Stone Cold Fever’, and the aforementioned ‘Ministry Of Rock’, but always melodic and with a hard rock groove.
Dialing things back slightly are ‘Circles’ (akin TEN or Ayreon) and vocal layered AOR of ‘Skin Deep’ (reminds me Magnum) where the musical current is trumped by Parry’s vocal arrangement.
Yet there is some real quiet in ‘Most Unforgivable Thing’, a true hard rock ballad, with lighter, softer, guitar.
Title track ‘Society of Friends’ is another highly melodic rocker driven by a pumping bass, catchy guitar riffs and an overall melodious approach.
Basically, what “Society Of Friends” demonstrates is Ian Parry’s natural and ongoing gifted songwriting skills and vocal talent. Then, when those two things are combined with a gaggle of equally talented musicians, the results become an album of entertaining and satisfying hard / melodic rock.
Production is great, meaty and punchy enhancing the muscular playing / arrangements
Expect more from this new project in the future.
Very, HIGHLY Recommended.
01. Stone Cold Fever
02. Shame
03. Ministry of Rock
04. Circles
05. Most Unforgivable Thing
06. Silhouettes & Dreams
07. Crazy Fools & Madmen
08. Skin Deep
09. Start All Over Again
10. Society of Friends
11. Finish What You’ve Started
IAN PARRY – Vocals (Elegy, Ayreon, Vengeance)
DIMITRIS GOUTZIAMANIS – Guitar (Crystal Tears)
TIMO SOMERS – Guitar (Delain, Vengeance)
GARRY KING – Drums (Jeff Beck, Joe Lynn Turner,)
BAREND COURBOIS – Bass (Blind Guardian, Vengeance)
JEROEN VAN DER WIEL – keyboards (Thirteen, Odyssice)
Guests:
CHRISTIAN MUENZNER – additional Solo guitar (Eternity’s End)
THIAGO TRINSI – Solo guitar & orchestral strings arrangement
PETER JAN KLEEVENS – keyboards (Consortium Project)
KALIN JECHEV – keyboards (Consortium Project, Ani Lo)
HARRY DEN HARTOG – additional bass guitar
ANI LOZANOVA – female backing vocals
PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.co.uk/Society-Friends-Parrys-Rock-Emporium/dp/B01AKXCTNM
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