= 1

Approaching nearly 60 years together as a band, it's true that only drummer Ian Paice has been with DEEP PURPLE for the band's entire 56 year existence with other members coming and going over the decades but the band as a commercial entity has sold well over 100 million albums in its amazingly fruitful career not to mention an early innovator of hard rock and heavy metal. It's hard to believe that these old timers now mostly in their 70s are still cranking out the same hard driving rock that they did in the 1970s but here we are in the year 2024 and band is releasing its 23rd studio album!

After the departure of long term guitarist Steve Morse who played with DEEP PURPLE from 1994-2022, the band sallied forth well into the 2020s with guitarist Simon McBride who has honed his bluesy hard rock skills in bands like Snakecharmer and Sweet Savage. Along with vocalist Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover, DEEP PURPLE is still 3/5 of its classic Mark II lineup and along with keyboardist Don Airey who has been cranking out his meanest organ playing skills 2002, the band is determined to keep going until every last member has taken his last breath.

=1 finds Bob Ezrin back in the producer's seat who together with all the band members crafted 13 new tracks that evoke the spirit of classic DEEP PURPLE and delivered with a loose concept of the world rapidly becoming more and more complex. After the all cover song album of "Turning To Crime" one could easily assume that DEEP PURPLE was ready to call it quits but the band demonstrates that while not up to its peak as far as energetic performances are concerned, these seasoned veterans still have a knack for writing catchy hard rock tunes that find that perfect mix of boogie rock, bluesy guitar leads and organ bombast accompanied by Ian Gillan's distinct vocal style which amazingly has held up quite well over the decades.

The album hits the ground running with the album's opening "Show Me" which finds DEEP PURPLE in fine form for a bunch of guys now well past their prime. What the band lacks in its energetic drive that catapulted classic albums like "In Rock" and "Machine Head" to the top of the charts, the modern DEEP PURPLE rather compensates with emotive performances focused more on the melodic touches and the crafty soulful rendering of their classic sound brought to a new era. Unfortunately some of these slowed down versions of classic DEEP PURPLE are a little on the mopey side with the track "I'll Catch You" falling into the dreaded AOR turf, something classic DEEP PURPLE never would've approached!

Overall this isn't a bad batch of tracks by one of the most famous rock bands ever to have existed but it's also a reminder that these guys' best days are well behind them and now they are simply doing what they love in order to keep the old adage "use it or lose it" alive and well. DEEP PURPLE has definitely been a lot more interesting since 2013's "Now What?" and in that regard the band continues to craft instantly catchy tracks that will appeal to any long time fans of classic PURPLE. While it's hard to fault this album in any particular way it is hard not to compare them to their glory days when the combo pack attack of Jon Lord's classically infused organ runs with Ritchie Blackmore's neoclassical shredding were in full force.

This is a far cry from those days but nevertheless a pleasant slice of the band in its latest formation however it seems that the much younger McBride who is only in his 40s is kept on the leash and not allowed to crank out the serious energetic drive and guitar majesty that would kick this album's energy level up a few notches with the exception of the excellent "Now You're Talkin" which takes nine tracks to get to. While not bad, it's also not going to go down in history as anything that stands out in the band's canon but rather a testament to the band's longevity and determination to sally forth no matter what obstacles lie in their path.

3.5 rounded down

New Deep Purple is irresistible for old metal heads and the line up of the big 5 is a wonderful treat. They are back on their 23rd studio album; Ian Gillan on vocals, Roger Glover on bass, Ian Paice on drums, Don Airey on keyboards, and Simon McBride on guitars. The progenitors of classic metal are in their Twilight years but can still rock with the best of them. And they have the genius of Bob Ezrin in album production. What can go wrong? Not much but don't expect another In Rock, Machine Head or Perfect Strangers. Instead prepare for an excellent album that's all killer. No filler.

They burst out the gate with the melodious Show Me, followed by cool riffing on A Bit on the Side. Gillan is in fine vocal form and the music rocks hard with touches of prog, mainly from the keyboard wizardry of Airey. The lead breaks on this are freakish with incredible speed fretwork and that melody is infectious.

Sharp Shooter has a sporadic rhythm and locks into a steady pace with great vocals.

Portable Door has a fast tempo and Gillan gives it everything accompanied by glorious organ and guitar motifs. I like the melody and the Hammond organ sounds. Another dynamic lead break enhances the enjoyment.

Old-Fangled Thing has a tremendous lead solo, lashings of organ and a quirky jazzy feel. I like that musical interlude too.

If I Were You is a power ballad that has a melancholy feel.

Pictures of You has a riff that reminds me of Alice Coopers Devils Food. I like Gillans vocals here and it's got an infectious melody.

I'm Saying Nothin' has quirky lyrics about keeping dark secrets to the grave, perhaps autobiographical. Again it has a great melody, cool guitars and keyboards trading off in style.

Lazy Sod is another song about being too lazy to get outta bed, remember Lazy, and it's got a great riff and rhythm. The lead break is killer from McBride. Aireys keyboard attack is masterful; a wonderful track on the album.

Now You're Talkin' opens with slide guitar and then it motorvates along with sizzling energy.

No Money to Burn has a 70s classic rock feel. The riff is blistering and Gillan powerfully sings about having no cash to waste. It sounds a bit like Wishing Well in the mid section. The lead break is scorching and again Airey hammers that keyboard with speed and precision.

I'll Catch You is a slow bluesy track that holds an emotional edge with Gillan reflecting about feeling broken and dreaming about a girl beyond his reach. "My bags are ready, My keys are in the car. Anytime you want to jump, I'll Catch you in my arms" is a line that jars me on each listen. This is a superb track.

Bleeding Obvious closes the album with fret melting guitar riffs and high string bends layered over. The guitars are frenetic along with Paice and Glovers rhythm section. It ends in a paroxysm of speed picking and fast tempo drumming.

At the end of this new Album I can't help but think how much they achieved with this. After so many years in the business, it is incredible they can still generate music of this calibre. The album grows on you and I am in awe of the musicianship and how Gillans vocals resonate. There's a lot of passion poured into this and if it's their last album they have gone out in a blaze of glory.