If 2024’s =1 represented a significant return to relevance for Deep Purple (now firmly entrenched in their Mark IX incarnation), then Splat!, their 24th studio album, confirms beyond question that they’re currently enjoying yet another golden age.
Inevitably, time’s passage has to be respected. Ian Gillan made a conscious decision to eschew screaming at the very peak of his range at 60, and in the intervening 17 years he’s cannily fine-tuned the subtler qualities of his instrument to excellent effect. Today’s Gillan is a true exemplar of refined rock vocal maturity: his rich, confident tones masterfully suggest searing passion in lieu of ripping his voice box to shreds while shattering every single spectacle lens in the front five rows.
