DEEP PURPLE — Stormbringer (review)

DEEP PURPLE — Stormbringer album cover Album · 1974 · Hard Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Raff
Though I find "Stormbringer" to be quite a pleasant listen, it is far from being the masterpiece "Burn" was. The band was already disintegrating during the recording of this album, with Blackmore leaving to form Rainbow soon after its release. Great title, great cover... What about the music? Not bad by any means (we are talking of Deep Purple, after all), but nothing earth-shaking either.

As it is quite well-known, the main reason for Blackmore's departure were the overt funk influences brought to the band by new members David Coverdale and (especially) Glenn Hughes. Personally, I do not mind funky rhythms at all, on the contrary, and Hughes knew what he was about - after all, he was chosen to fill Glover's shoes because of his remarkable work with Trapeze. His singing is much more in evidence on this album than on "Burn", where he shared vocal duties with Coverdale and had no opportunity to showcase his vocal talents on his own (as his partner did on "Mistreated"). Here, the two vocalists have a solo spot each, Coverdale with the acoustic, wistful "Soldier of Fortune" and Hughes with the soul-tinged "Holy Man", where his magnificent pipes get a chance to shine in all their glory. Since Coverdale's voice is almost a polar opposite - dark, emotional and much less polished - they are in many ways an ideal pairing. Shame about the egos taking over and wrecking the band.

The trouble with "Stormbringer" is that the songs, while eminently listenable, have little personality of their own - with the notable exception of the sweeping title-track, the aforementioned "Soldier of Fortune" and "Holy Man", and the keyboard-driven, mid-tempo "The Gypsy". There are a couple of straightforward hard rock numbers and another of more funky- and soul-influenced ones (which are, in my opinion, better than the former), but everything sounds a bit contrived and the strains tearing the band apart are quite evident. Jon Lord's mighty Hammond finds very little space, and Blackmore's incendiary guitar sounds remarkably lifeless.

Though I recognize its shortcomings (hence my rating), "Stormbringer" remains an album I have lots of time for, especially since it is not overtly commercial like other albums by other equally celebrated bands. Therefore, open-minded metal fans may find it a pleasant change of pace from edgier stuff.
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