It's that classic sound, the one you recognise just four bars in. Like the velvet crooning of a 70's disc jockey before he spins that FOGHAT record, it melts across your taste buds and spreads that old familiar taste. And you know not to touch that dial, to keep you hands away from the radio, for even without a sweet talking introduction, you know you're in for a treat of good vintage Rock 'N' Roll that is always welcomed by the transistors. IAN PARRY'S ROCK EMPORIUM does not discover fire on "Society of Friends", but shows that it still burns with it.

They say "age before beauty". Frankly, I don't know what to make of that. Yes, Ian Parry is not a young man, but you could never tell that from "Society of Friends"; it is the Jane Fonda of records. Typically I leave my evaluation of band members to the latter half of a review but here I must go ahead and note in advance just how good Parry's performance is on this album. On any given track he soars with the music, at one with each song, fully committed and in the moment. Parry delivers the notes perfectly with interminable emotion and methodical professionalism; a fantastic performance.

And now lets get to the songs. The album busts open the cracking shells of age with "Stone Cold Fever", a catchy LYNCH MOB style rocker decorated with tweaking harmonics, sturdy drumming and poised guitar leads; younger generations can start taking notes. The band then cues the cow-bell and "Shame" picks up the torch with a knocking, hip-swinging jam before giving us a pass into the "Ministry of Rock", a bluesy, uplifting CINDERELLA-esque pacy blender of country and symphonic rock.

The stylistic mix is something that should definitely be of note; for IAN PARRY'S ROCK EMPORIUM manage to achieve almost seamless transitions between genres within a single given track, whilst also maintaining a status quo of industry standard melodic rock. From symphonic basking, to a rhythmic march, and to the shredded stitching, the fabric of this record is genuine; and even tracks like "Crazy Fools & Madmen", "Start All Over Again" and the the closing title track don't act as fillers, but as necessary adhesives in a highly consistent and wholesome record.

Admittedly, this album does have that overly familiar vibe of already explored and flagged territories, yet somehow it doesn't sound dated or self-deprecatory, and instead packs a youthful punch whilst at the same time showing growth. "Circles", for example, ventures into more experimental, electronic territory without pawning off its values or sacrificing the character of a good song; instead coming to prominence as one of the albums most unusual and notable tracks. Another highlight of the record is the BLACKMORE'S NIGHT inspired, atmospheric acoustic ballad "Most Unforgivable Thing", where you can hear the crisp, brittle ring of the classical guitar so clearly that you can almost taste the strings on the tip of your tongue.

"Society of Friends" doesn't bend backwards to be contemporarily relevant but instead brings forth the sensibility of 70's keyboard rockers in the likes DEEP PURPLE with sprinkles of 80's powdered energy, and pushes itself into the new century, doing so respectably and with a steady gait. The production is incredibly spruce and truly elevates the arrangements to new heights. The song writing is exceptional albeit at times stagnant, but the melodic flare of songs like "Silhouette and Dreams" will sustain even the most jaded listener. The entire all-star line-up of the band sounds incredible, but guitarists Dimitris Goutziamanis (CRYSTAL TEARS) and Timo Somers (DELAIN/VENGEANCE) really unleash their gifts and treat this record as a playground. That is not to say that they take away the spotlight, on the contrary, the duo manages to bless this album with distinct guitar work whilst retaining a hold on the melody and ennobling the tracks with their contributions.

IAN PERRY'S ROCK EMPORIUM is diverse and yet united, familiar and at the same time fresh. Its origins may be of a different era, but it shows that its place in this one is more than welcome. If you would like to hear a great Melodic-Rock record and want to experience what the solid camaraderie of fellow seasoned musicians sounds like, then "Society of Friends" is your pick.<