DEEP PURPLE IN ROCK

This is one of those classic rock albums you must have. But, in my opinion, Deep Purple is at it best on "Machine head". Every rock music lover should have this. I think on the first era (until Gillan left the band) Purple was Heavy Progressive Rock, and before this album, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin (why is it not on Prog Archives??), on the world of music there weren't "heavy" bands. I think in spite of these bands are not metal, metal wouldn't exist without this rock masters. And here Purple found their classical sound.

Well, the album starts with the classic "Speed King", with the unconfused Gillan's screamings, any more to say?

"Bloodsucker" has a terrific rocker riff, on the wave of "Black night". Oh my god!! It REALLY ROCKS when it says "I tried another but she didn't want to know, AHH KNOW, KNOW, KNOW!!!" And there comes another killer riff (Deep Purple trademark).

Then comes one of the best songs of all time, "Child in time". Here I realised that Ian Gillan is one of the best singers on earth. Each time I listen to this song It really touches me. Starts quietly, showing the incredible and touching Ian's voice. And then, in the instrumental section (PROG), master Blackmore does one of the best solos ever, starting quietly and growing speed, becoming now a "heavy" song. Then, the vocals come back and the outro closes this rock masterpiece. Any more to say?

"Flight of the rat" is an excellent hard - prog song which starts with another nice riff. I love the soloing time, it's extended and it starts wildly with a beautiful organ solo followed by another one with that characteristic Blackmore guitar sound. And to finish, a terrible drum solo (made with three hands??).

Another nice riff to start "Into the fire", YEAH, a typical 70's hard rock song.

"Living wreck" is a nice song with well done bass lines and excellent chorus. I also like the distorted guitar solo.

"Hard loving man" is the heaviest song of the record, and I think, on that times it would be a too much heavy song, it's almost metal and it's 1970, revolutionary!! The solos are very good again.

This 25 anniversary edition has 13 bonus tracks (CD 2), that includes: studio chats, with the guys talking and jamming a little, the original single of "Black night", an unedited "Black night" remix with extended soloing at the end, another two versions of "Speed king" (one is the same to the original, and the other one is very raw). A remix of "Flight of the rat" that it's the same recording but I think it has better sound, "Jam stew": as the name says, a jam with a guitar-piano duel, and "Cry free", another typical 70's hard rock song.

Well, this is a four star album, but not any four star album, it's a must have in your discography (I put it four stars because the masterpiece is "Machine head"). ENJOY!!

Rating: 4.3/5