NOW WHAT?!

Some friends recommended me to hear this album, defending the point that Deep Purple was not over when Blackmore left. So, with a fast assessment here on progarchives anyone can find this album being only surpassed by the masterpieces In Rock and Machine Head. Next step than was to give it a try and the results were? oh, what a album !

We have not Deep Purple here trying to emulate their seventies sounds, not only band´s formation are different, but also their member changed and became more mature as musician and human beings. They went to explore new boundaries, and I woud say this might even be considered a better album than those ones listed above if not for those well known classic and fantastic songs. I think this way because Now, What sound to me more, how can I say, proggy. It is an even work, there are no highlights despite its strong opener, and I like when a prog album is not uneven and does not have highlights, prog is not about having singles as sellings hooks. Another strong point here is that after many listens there are still things to be discovered, there is not melodies easily remembered which is also evidence of strong prog tendencies. When you gets in a average song like Hell To Pay, you see the instrumental prowess saving the day and turning that into a strong progressive achievement. In the end, you may consider there is not a track like Perfect Stranger here, but it does not prevent this album to be a better one IMHO as a whole.

If you want superb musicianship and does not care if a band has more roots in hard rock than in progressive rock, this work for sure will match your taste. Is is very well rated here, it is easily a for star album. But I will consider this a masterpiece because more than being very good is has the exacty amount of heaviness I love so much, not more nor less. And it is not just a band, this is Deep Purple.