STORMBRINGER

After having revamped their group, Rithchie and the boys came back with an absolutely superb album that brought everyone in agreement: Purple was back!!!! If Burn was a stunning album, little same can be said of its follow-up Strormbringer but it was close to a disaster and little wonder Blmackmore was to leave after this one.

The two new members had now enough time to integrate (unfortunately :-( and Glen Hughes was clearly trying to impose himself, something maybe Blackmore was not willing to fight since they had sollicited Hughes from Trapeze who was on the verge of making an impact back then, before his leaving. This album is full of tracks that have nothing to do with Purple's usual catalogue (except maybe a weak Lady Double Dealer) with a funked-up sound (Hughes's input) and clearly this album has no soul (despite some tracks being close to soul music). An excruciatingly bad album that is only saved from the garbage bin by the last two tracks , with The Gypsy the only correct Purple track and Soldier Of Fortune where Coverdale shows the full extent of his fabulous voice in a rather non-Purple fashion.

Although Purple unconditional fans will love this album as much as the other ones, there is little doubt that this album caused the end of Purple in the 70's and it is certainly not that sore excuse of an album with Bolin (talented guitarist but not suited to Purple) replacing Blackmore that will show me wrong. Avoid