Whitesnake - The Purple Album (2015)

David Coverdale earliest fortune in hard rock history was based on his endeavor with Deep Purple, way back in years 1973-1976. Only three Purple years yet Coverdale indeed the man behind the microphone of at least two historical hits : Burn and Soldier of Fortune. So, when forty years later David Coverdale resurrecting these classics under his Whitesnake banner, it is well legitimate. Whitesnake - The Purple Album is cover of Deep Purple songs that released under three albums during Coverdale era, Burn (1974), Stormbinger (1974), and Come Taste the Band (1975). Material from Burn are the most in number, understandably because Burn is the strongest album of all three. It is regarded as metal classic. Six out of eight songs taken from this. Stormbinger is Purple album notably known for Soldier of Fortune. The most interesting is songs from Come Taste the Band, if memory serves us well, Tommy Bolin is the guitar of this album, not Richie Blackmore. This is also the album where Deep Purple last standing before the first hiatus up till 1984 then.

In the first track, "Burn", we got the version that forefront the twin guitar attack  of Joel Hoekstra and Reb Beach . The mix is definitely of 21st century technology, so it is all clean. The intro's keyboard is somehow not dominant compared to the classic version, but Brian Ruedy got his glory time shredding over the keyboard solos in the middle. The song got super fast guitar shred by the two axemen.  In the singing line, David Coverdale re-adapted the song, notably in the choruses where in the original Burn, you got the higher scream. "You Fool No One" is rarely heard song from Purple. This is rather standard hard rock style, which will easily fit with the Whitesnake. Again the solos are killing us. "Love Child" is heavy on its Black Sabbath-like guitar riffs.

Reflections song on "Sail Away" which also acted as Elegy For Jon, is the song Coverdale write with Ritchie Blackmore. It is acoustic ballad and very much David Coverdale in style. "The Gypsy" is quite familiar among Purple fans, one of the song that see Deep Purple enthusiast in gypsy theme. Faster and heavier song is in "Lady Double Dealer", another song from Stormbinger album. "Mistreated" is seven minutes long taken the same format as in the original. Slow pace guitar riffs in the intro and the song actually resemble of what Deep Purple actually sounded in early '70s. "Holy Man" is another guitar acoustic track, this song entirely re-arranged and gives a good alternative to the original one. They also have some very American song such as the sliding guitar in "Might Just Take Your Life". This song enjoy the status single in the original Burn album. In the last part of album, there are two major hits "Stormbinger" and "Soldier of Fortune".

The Purple Album resurrected all Coverdale's songs in Deep Purple in good care. This is a careful re-arranged with lots of interesting moment to check out. Especially if you are Deep Purple die hard fans, the arrangement with twin shred guitar will probably provide you alternative version. This is a treat for both fans, Deep Purple and Whitesnake. It is must say that Coverdale successfully re-polished these into Whitesnake sounds. The dominant of keyboard is rather less preserved, that is the only lamented on this version. Instead fans of guitar will celebrated the rich shred solos inserted here. On the drumming, understandably Tommy Aldridge put in most of his own style rather than following Ian Paice hyper-aggressive fill. The decision to recorded all Coverdale-credited song even if the song is not popular one, is the best present for Deep Purple fans. This is the album you want to take to your kids and said about how nice the metal / rock world back in '70s.

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

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Whitesnake - The Purple Album (2015)

1. BURN (from album "Burn")
2. YOU FOOL NO ONE (Interpolating ITCHY FINGERs) (from album "Burn")
3. LOVE CHILD (from album "Come Taste The Band")
4. SAIL AWAY featuring ELEGY FOR JON (from album "Burn")
5. THE GYPSY (from album "Stormbinger")
6. LADY DOUBLE DEALER (from album "Stormbinger")
7. MISTREATED (from album "Burn")
8. HOLY MAN (from album "Stormbinger")
9. MIGHT JUST TAKE YOUR LIFE (from album "Burn")
10. YOU KEEP ON MOVING (from album "Come Taste The Band")
11. SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (from album "Stormbinger")
12. LAY DOWN STAY DOWN  (from album "Burn")
13. STORMBRINGER (from album "Stormbinger")

Deluxe Edition Bonus Tracks:
14. LADY LUCK (from album "Come Taste The Band")
15. COMIN' HOME (from album "Come Taste The Band")
16. SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (alternative mix)

David Coverdale (vocals),
Joel Hoekstra (guitars)
Reb Beach (guitars),
Michael Devin (bass),
Tommy Aldridge (drums),
Brian Ruedy (keyboards)