METALLIAN - Elegy

September 11th, Anno 21

Labyrinth Of Dreams - 1992 - T&T
Supremacy - 1994 - T&T
Lost - 1995 - T&T
State Of Mind - 1997 - Noise
Manifestation Of Fear - 1999 - Noise
Forbidden Fruit - 2000 – Noise
Principles Of Pain – 2002 - Locomotive

Members

Vocals

Agony>>Eduard Hovinga>>Prime Time, Mother Of Sin - Hammerhead, Airrace, Solo, Mono Pacific, Vengeance, Consortium>>IAN PARRY>>Consortium, Solo, Infinity Overture, Crystal Tears

Guitar

Arno Van Brussel - Hank Van De Laars – Zarathustra>>Gilbert Pot - Jean Michel Jarre, Solo, Consortium>>Patrick Rondat>>Consortium, Solo, Ian Parry

Bass

Headless>>MARTIN HELMANTEL>>Headless

Drum

Impact, Aggressor, Tempter, Valkyrie, Gorefest>>Ed Warby>>Orphanage, Gorefest, Ayreon, Demiurg, Star One, The 1th Hour, Hail Of Bullets, Vuur, Heads For The Dead – Abyss, Church Of Indulgence, Vulture, Adagio, Ian Parry, Vulture>>Dirk Bruinenberg>>Abyss, Vulture, Adagio, Ian Parry, Bob Catley, Patrick Rondat, Place Vendome, The 11th Hour

Keyboard

Allied Forces>>Chris Allister

History & Biography

Progressive metal band Elegy has had a long career - entirely on Noise Records. But prior to being signed the act - formed by Van De Laars in 1986 - announced its existence through demos like 86's Matricide or 88's Better Than Bells. It was during this period that the band toured and opened for King Diamond. 1990 saw the release of yet another tape called The Elegant Solution. This time the band opened for Battlezone and Hellion. With Hovinga on board the band released a new tape, this time called Labyrinth Of Dreams - I'm No Fool. This brought the attention of Shark Records (now T&T and a subsidiary of Noise) and a deal. The band toured in support of its debut and was especially well-received in Japan. In 1993 Gorefest called and Warby was off and Bruinenberg was in. In 1995 Briton Parry became the new singer for the band. Elegy released an acoustic Japanese EP called Primal Instinct in 1996 and had it released in Europe later. Van Der Laars left in 1999. Hovinga went on to produce bands (Mortuary, etc.). Forbidden Fruit saw the importation of French guitar hero Rondat into the act. Drummer Bart Bisseling joined just as the act was winding down in 2002.

The last album was on Locomotive. The band called it a day in the autumn of 2003 with Rondat going back to a solo career. Ian Parry was looking to organize a farewell tour.

Crystal Tears joined forces with Ian Parry in 2008. Parry was invited to write the lyrics and vocal melody lines as a guest vocalist on that band’s new CD.

Rondat left and Henk Van Der Laars and Gilbert Pot returned in 2023. The line-up of Ian Parry – vocals, Henk Van Der Laars – guitar, Gilbert Pot – guitar and keyboards, Martin Helmantel – bass and drummer Dirk Bruinenberg reunited for The Reunion Tour. The band had its albums re-released on picture disc. In addition to Eindhoven in November 2023, the reunited Elegy announced two concerts for Greece for March 2024.

Reviews

ELEGY - FORBIDDEN FRUIT - NOISE/ CENTURY MEDIA
Coming your way here is the sixth album of the Pan-European prog-rock band Elegy and it should be fair to say that this album establishes the band as one which, while never brilliant, consistently delivers good material for its genre and fan base and can always be relied upon to satisfy any listener of bands as diverse as Dream Theater, Paradise Lost, Time Machine and so forth. Elegy never pretends it is anything but progressive and pompous, but mixes the tried and true formula with a ballad, a couple of faster numbers and some up-tempo material to keep you and I on our toes. - Ali "The Metallian"

Interviews

Elegy