Personnel:
Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
Ian Gillan - vocals
Roger Glover - bass
Jon Lord - organ
Ian Paice - drums
In 1969, Deep Purple was lacking a lead singer and bass guitarist after Nick Simper and Rod Evans were booted from the band and in dire need of cash after their American record label Tetragrammaton went out of business. After a brief search for a new lead singer, Ritchie Blackmore found Ian Gillan and bass guitarist Roger Glover to fill the holes. Both members joined Deep Purple in secrecy early on and it wasn't until around 1970 when the Mk II lineup would become official and in June of 1970 Deep Purple in Rock or In Rock was released through Warner Bros. Records in the United States.
The album was a moderate success in the United States but this time Deep Purple was able to break some ground in their home country, something they failed to do with their earlier albums. In the late 60's the band was struggling to find their sound but with In Rock, it was established that Deep Purple was going to be a hard rock band from then on with the album's opening song "Speed King" laying down the new law with a loud violent thud.
The Mk II lineup has the dynamic three piece of Ian Paice, Jon Lord, and Ritchie Blackmore that made Deep Purple great but with the addition of Ian Gillan on vocals, new opportunities opened for the band. Gillan brought raw power and a great falsetto that the band lacked in the 60's, not to dump on Rod Evans because he was a capable vocalist too but the way I see it, I think of Ian Gillan when I think of Deep Purple.
This album isn't entirely a straight up rock album. The band's magnum opus "Child in Time" is a progressive rock epic that showcases Ian Gillan's powerful vocals. Child in Time is followed by Flight of the Rat, a slightly shorter song but another great showcase of Deep Purple's talented three piece of Blackmore, Lord, and Ian Paice who caps the song off with a testosterone fueled drum solo.
Deep Purple in Rock is a fantastic display of five gifted members and the mastery of their instrument and role. Though the band would release good solid albums after In Rock, this one stands will stand the test of time as Deep Purple's best. The psychedelic tone of the 60's albums is gone but with great progressive/hard rock material like this, it doesn't really matter. Deep Purple in Rock is a must listen to and must own by all rock fans who call themselves experts.
The Verdict: 5.0
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