Parallel Lights
The boys started playing in high school around the age of 12-13 and later formed the band in 2015 after
Jamie, Paul and Shane decided to stop jamming together and take it to the next level. After a while, they decided they needed to separate themselves from the pack and stand out in the crowd, and find themselves an additional guitarist. With that said, Ryan soon stepped into the fray to play lead and give them that extra melodic sound.
This sound was influenced by Jamie and Paul’s love of Pop-punk with Blink 182, Sum 41 and Green Day as the main ingredient. But as soon as Ryan’s New Wave Pop-Punk influence from Story of the Year, Knuckle Puck and Four Year Strong and Shane’s darker influences with Knocked Loose, Slipknot and Machine Head were added to the pot, the lads were set for a recipe for success and now form the line-up that is Jamie Morrow – Guitar/Vocals Ryan Zdrojewski -Guitar/Vocals, Paul Newling – Bass/Vocals and Shane Steven – Drums, and are now constantly tapping into each other’s influences to combine one collective sound that makes Parallel Lights.
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Since that time, they have played some incredible stages over in such a short time from Main Stage O2 ABC, to the world-famous King Tuts in Glasgow. But still with an appreciation for the smaller stages, the boys feel that nothing beats an intimate gig and the vibe you get from it and have shared the stage with some great acts along the way, such as As Sirens Fall in Yorkshire, As December Falls in Nottingham and Start Static in Glasgow.
In a recent interview, I asked the band what was the meaning behind the name, they told me;
“We had been texting band names back and forth for a while. It was only until Shane was sitting in class at college and looked up to see two aligned lights and so the name Parallel Lights sprang to mind as it tied in with Jamie and Paul being electricians”.
I went on to ask what drives them as a band, they replied;
“The simple answer is our love for music, there have been many times in life when we’ve all felt down, and it’s been music that has saved us. To write a song that can help others the way bands like Angels and Airwaves have done for us”.
Official video to the new single
I followed this up by asking where they would like to see themselves in 5 years’ time, they added;
“We hope that the band makes a good name for itself and that we will be able to play at bigger venues in front of larger audiences. We’d love to take our music to different countries on future tours”.
With that said, I asked the boys what they have learned about themselves during their short time in the music industry, they told me;
“It’s a lot harder to do than what it seems on the outside, I wish there was a guide book to what you need to do, but there’s not, you’re pretty much having to learn as you go and make contacts with the right people, from venue owners, to booking agents and producers and hope they help make your band stand out from the rest”.
I went on to ask them to describe their song writing process, they replied;
“When it comes to the writing process, we usually start playing around with guitars and a beat until we find a riff or a melody that we like. We then play it over and over till we have a basic song. Everyone puts their input into the song and it usually turns out completely different from how it started and that’s the Single”.
To buy the single, click the single cover below.
And that brings me nicely to the single in question here, “Better Off This Way”.
With a very anthemic flow, this track has been tailored perfectly for any avid fan to sing back with the same passion as the band themselves as they join in on the action at every gig. Packed full of the same energy bursting at the seams, as seen in their live performances, this single emerges all guns blazing, getting its point across as soon as you hit play. The dynamics throughout hit every element designed for the ear and is the perfect package of syncopated energy that makes for a great single. Lyrically, its observational content tells a story we can all relate to, and with that and its radio friendly content, this single is a credit to their versatility and ingenuity as I feel this was a recipe for success as soon as pen hit paper.
Star Rating – an easy 10/10
As a band, they have most certainly found the right formula and ticked all the boxes for success in the industry and see great things happening for these guys very soon. So why not give Parallel Lights a try and clear a space in your record collection for 2020, because let’s face it, it’s Better off this way.
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