Deep Purple - NOW What! (2013)

Since the inclusion of Steve Morse in Deep Purple, about almost twenty years ago, Deep Purple is almost unlikely to have a 'metal' sounds as what they did another twenty years ago. Instead, they keep coming out with 'obscure' blues and progressive rock materials. Of course creativity-wise the materials released from Perpendicular, Abandon, Banana, Rapture of the Deep were all intrigue and mind blowing at some. But those materials are usually only lasted for several round of spin, and then abandoned like a bananas in the deep forest. So that when the new 2013 album come with a title, NOW What? It become the auto critique to what their musical journey actually wanted to go.

Now What is lean more toward melodic and progressive rock, rather than say, blues as in the Bananas. The album contained several serious composition, as in Out of Hand where the orchestration combined well with '70s heavy rock riffs. Then the single Hell to Pay is catchy enough to celebrated by fans, it is something like Bruce Springsteen happy country rock combined with Deep Purple roots. Where some material are obviously the result of jam session, as in Body Line, they were a good jam by world class musicians. All The Time In The World, the second single has the nostalgic Ian Gillan ballad touch. Above and Beyond, in gospel like country rock tunes. Then Don Airey works in the fusion of symphonic rock can be found in Vincent Price.

Fans of Steve Morse will probably more celebrated NOW What, than Deep Purple fans if I may predict. Mostly because these songs still become Morse's great vehicle to landed his skillful melodious solos, together with Don Airey answering keyboard solos. The other 'founding' fathers, Ian Paice, Roger and Gilland enjoying pushing their musical skill to the limit in their late '60s. NOW What is another strange, weird, obscure Deep Purple album that combined many unrelated styles in one album. Must say I enjoy listening their music in here, but again, will this another abandoned masterpiece by the world? Most likely, as we are more into heard another Machine Head covered by Iron Maiden and Metallica, maybe.

Metal Harem class: ******** eight stars out of ten

Deep Purple - NOW What! 2013
BUY IT HERE

01. A Simple Song
02. Weirdistan
03. Out Of Hand
04. Hell To Pay
05. Body Line
06. Above And Beyond
07. Blood From A Stone
08. Uncommon Man
09. Après Vous
10. All The Time In The World
11. Vincent Price

Line-up
Ian Gillan - vocals
Donald "Don" Airey - keyboards
Steve Morse - guitars, vocals
Ian Paice - drums
Roger Glover - bass, vocals

Deep Purple NOW What album review