Review DEEP PURPLE “=1”

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for decades, the name Deep Purple is not new to you. The legendary band is one of the pioneers of rock music with a debut album that was released in 1968.

Three years after the release of “Turning to Crime”, the band returns with a longplayer called “=1” and the album also includes a premiere. After Steve Morse left the band to care for his wife who was diagnosed with cancer, a new talented guitarist joined the classic rock veterans. Simon McBride took over the guitar duties, and “=1” is the first album to feature his guitar playing, with the bluesy solo as part of “I’ll Catch You” showing the versatility McBride adds to the album.

But let’s start at the beginning. “Show Me” is the first song you meet and it is a great start to the album as the band combines their trademarks with a more modern expression. Equipped with a very dense sound, the song is an appetizer for more, which is exactly what you can expect from a pole position song.

“=1” contains 13 songs and there is no weak point on this tracklist, which includes the lead single “Portable Door”, which you already know. Combining the traditional Deep Purple sound with the ’80s coolness, the song unfolds its magnificence right away.

A little further down the track comes “Lazy Sod”, which was also released as a single prior to the album’s release. The blues-infused rocker blossoms the first time you hear it and has a very high enjoyment factor. It’s a good vibe that spreads and it’s again McBride’s guitar that adds to the beauty of “Lazy Sod”.

The vocals also stand out. Ian Gillan is 78 years old, but his voice seems much younger. Powerful (“Now You’re Talkin”) but also very soulful (“If I Were You”) – that’s Ian Gillan’s range on “=1” and maybe the legendary screams from earlier times aren’t so present on the latest release. Meanwhile, Gillan injects plenty of emotion into each of the 13 tracks on this exciting release.

“=1” is a strong album from the rock veterans. Being in the business for so long doesn’t mean getting tired and predictable. No doubt, Deep Purple don’t reinvent their sound and stick to the trademarks that make their sound iconic and irresistible. But what is amazing is the liveliness and vitality of the album. As if the guys had discovered the fountain of youth, the quintet rocks through these 13 songs with passion and dedication. Not in a position to prove anything to anyone, Deep Purple wrote and recorded music that has the wow effect, as it is an ease that runs through songs like “No Money to Burn” and the thunderous closer “Bleeding Obvious”, the latter reminiscent of the glorious 70s era.

“=1” is the glorious new Deep Purple album everyone has been hoping for. This release features the full spectrum of the typical Deep Purple sound with songs that have a rather long lasting entertainment factor. This album is great.