EarMUSIC
Hard rock drive! After almost 60 years together, nobody expects the legendary Deep Purple to make another Machine Head, nor should they. Instead, SPLAT! succeeds because it sounds like a band still enjoying the creative process rather than simply preserving a legacy.
From the opening riff of first track and single “Arrogant Boy”, Deep Purple play with a confidence that belies nearly sixty years together. Producer Bob Ezrin has once again captured the band’s live chemistry, giving the album a hallmark immediacy. The production is crisp without becoming sterile, allowing Ian Paice’s drums, Roger Glover’s bass, Don Airey’s keyboards and Simon McBride’s guitar to breathe.
Simon McBride continues to establish himself as far more than Steve Morse’s replacement. Rather than copying either Morse or Ritchie Blackmore, he brings his own muscular blues-rock style that fits comfortably within the Deep Purple tradition. His interplay with Airey is one of the album’s greatest strengths, recalling the classic keyboard-versus-guitar battles that made the band famous without sounding like an imitation. (In our recent interview with Airey, he talks about how he clicks with McBride.)
At 80, Ian Gillan’s voice inevitably lacks the range and power of his youth, but he wisely plays to his strengths. Instead of chasing impossible high notes, he delivers the lyrics with character, humour and conviction. His performances feel authentic, and his storytelling in the lyrics is playful. Gillan mixes satire and social observation, tackling everything from artificial intelligence and modern language to mortality and the absurdity of contemporary life. Songs like “The Lunatic”, the proggy “Guilt Trippin’” and the title track show that Deep Purple still enjoy challenging listeners as much as entertaining them. Speaking of the title track, a highlight is Airey’s clavinet solo.
Not every song is essential. The album occasionally settles into familiar mid-tempo grooves, and a couple of tracks feel more enjoyable than memorable. Those looking for the groundbreaking innovation of the early 1970s may find the record a little too comfortable within the band’s established formula. But SPLAT! isn’t trying to redefine hard rock; it’s demonstrating how experienced musicians can continue making relevant, energetic music without chasing trends. The performances are tight, the songwriting is strong, and there’s a genuine sense of fun running through the album.
The greatest compliment that can be paid to SPLAT! is that it never feels like an album made by a band simply going through the motions. Instead, it sounds like five musicians who still believe they have something worth saying. It may not rank alongside Machine Head, In Rock, or Perfect Strangers, but it comfortably sits among the strongest albums of Deep Purple’s later years. In an era when many classic rock bands rely almost entirely on nostalgia, SPLAT! proves that Deep Purple remain a creative force rather than a museum piece.
4.5/6 | Anne-Marie Forker
Release date: 3 July 2026
