RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW

Rainbow's debut is a very charming affair where Ritchie Blackmore continued his fascination with medieval madrigals and symphonic melodies that had began on the latest Deep Purple albums. On vocals, he started his short, difficult but creatively thriving cooperation with Ronny James Dio. That little man's gigantic vocal chords have graced many landmark metal albums and have been endlessly emulated by many lesser gods.

The album mixes different styles, from forgettable rock 'n' roll to great hard rock tunes and moody ballads. It's maybe a bit uneven for 4 stars, but too good for just 3. If you're a lover for heavy-prog, hard rock, neo-prog you can't miss this album.