Deep Purple SPLAT! Album Review

Deep Purple goes SPLAT! "against the screen," with an album chock full of everything that is good about this over 50-year running institution of world class musicians, always adapting their sound as different players come and go. Why mention what they're up against when times continue to bring their fans more than they can ask for. Be thankful for all they've brought to rock 'n roll since day one, in 1968. The critics always have something negative to say, as they usually make the rounds first, so they hear less before "speaking in tongues" but we always get different and interesting opinions from those with their minds elsewhere. Then there's the longtime fans who are also widely published critics like me who let it all hang out and go either way, whether early on the draw or in a timelier manner once more permeated. The band tripped to Nashville again to record with Bob Ezrin, and the vocals were done in Toronto. Hat's off to earMUSIC for pulling out all the stops with a fine package design, videos and blitz marketing. So much to mow over it's not easy to describe, but it's all a welcome treat. 

The first few singles brought some promise for sure, especially the third single and video, but starting off with "Arrogant Boy" was a wise choice, followed by "Diablo" and "Guilt Trippin'" videos. The surprise of the three singles (so far) is the feature appearance of star Keith Urban on second guitar solo (I do believe it is edited down in the single version). Then came the album release on 7/ 3/2026, and after much anticipation from hearing the press quotes from the band and watching them talk about songs in clips and still not knowing what to think. I have to say I was enormously satisfied with the result, although never left feeling any other way with this band. There's still some objectivity to muddle through, so I will be as realistic as can be, especially for such a pleasing sophomore release from the new line-up with guitarist Simon McBride who set the bar high for himself on his debut = 1. The buzz from that release is still going, so it probably hasn't been easy for some fans to see the beauty yet, but Splat! is not only an improvement and a step forward, it's also a step back into other time periods of the band, with a modern sheen laid over it by Bob Ezrin. What this means for me is an album I wish they'd done in concept, many moons ago. This is where it gets interesting with themes running close to everyone from YES, ELP, Asia, Genisis, Alan Parsons, Marrillion, Pink Floyd and the Beatles, as well as more modern bands like Primus. This could be where some of their influences in this softer rock and AOR prog department comes in, but it doesn't stop there with cinematic and video game influences.

The album is that vibrant with ideas, but they do revisit some Purple cliches' of the past that might even seem new to fans who don't get it, and whether or not those are good or bad cliches', is up to the listener to point out. If you've heard it somewhere before, it could be from their own bag of tricks, or some of the others mentioned. Let's just say it's almost like a trip down memory lane and then transported through a portal to the future, with a feel of the past going through it. Aside from what the lyrics really mean or any of that, it has an esoteric vibe while retaining most of their classic ingredients, so I render it on the classic level. Topping multi-national Billboards always helps, but the general public likely isn't aware they've done that for the last five releases or more, so this was to be expected by the fans. 

Splat! kicks off burning away with "Arrogant Boy" finding Ian Gillan coming in with some restraint around sensory bombardment of McBride's frenetic guitar, and Don Airey's magical swirling Hammond, as they deliver a banger straight out of the gate in full comeback fashion. This rings of nothing from the past besides the full throttle spirit of obvious songs from classic albums like Machine Head and Fireball, when songs were normally structured this way. "Diablo" follows with a riff that a lot of fans will find reminiscent from albums of their recent past, such as Now What?!, but that can only be a good thing. I think the recycled riff actually compliments the song for an entirely different but just as interesting lyrical story from where it obviously came. The appearance of Keith Urban was quite the surprise, but he wound up buying the studio in Nashville, which I visited the spacious wonder myself before it went up for sale and almost got demolished. The outcome of his performance on the song feels somewhere safe, if that also helps describe some of the negative side of the opinions going around, along with how it might intrude on their metal because he's vastly associated with country music. But his guitar playing is well known to be as good as they come, it just doesn't get a huge billing, and although the track itself could be worse it grows on you and does play well in the track sequence. Speaking of the sequence, this is where they really took care in the running order of a loose concept album with a track or two that doesn't make it easy but sums up the magic they made in the studio this time. 

The album takes off into the stratosphere from this point and it's on until you're begging for more, and in the process of the rocket ride, several excursions take the mood from one end of the musical spectrum to the next, without losing its directional force. They play to their strengths, yes, but consider the sources. Forget about the age thing, it only has so much to do with it, combined with the massive energy of the younger McBride, it's like a rush of classic bits combined with new bits, some lightning fast, and some surprisingly slow to the point where some might find it weak in parts. It's really just a listenable album processed to enjoy at a pace that doesn't quit, with a few tasty breaks. That's really all it is, but some fans and critics want none of the new wrinkles, whether or not they be old new wrinkles as well. "The Rider" is really where it all begins, and it's also where the lyrics either start to grab you or they don't. I love the driving rhythm of the song, and the brilliant synth intro from Airey, which gets a marvelous return later (almost "Pitcures Of Home" style). And although I can appreciate the lyrics from the tour life standpoint and the humor of Gillan, I'm still not over the moon about them. It must mean things get better as they go, which they do. 

"The Lunatic" comes swirling to life and it's just about over, because suddenly we're rocking and only looking back for a few odd take it or leave it moments. This one keeps you on the path of developing characters, with Gillan carrying on something about The Plight Of Winston Smith combined with common lunacy, giving it both a fictional and non-fictional feel around a standard display of standard Purple jamming. Eventually intensifying one of Aiery's most essential solos on the disc being an all-out Hammond assault. Riffs and melodies galore, and it doesn't stop here. As the album wears on, Airey gores onto challenge himself, the band, and the fans with some of the most varied keyboard use on a Deep Purple album since 1974's Burn. However, "The Only Horse In Town" is a track where the hit and miss with fans either happens or it doesn't. As for me, it's a slam dunk, although I can see where it's not such a thing for plenty of the fans, because it helps put an overall mellowness on what proves to rock hard so far. Okay, so if you're not hearing the speed of Asia here, as well as Genisis, listen closer to the keyboard work of Airey completely carrying the track along before a guitar solo that only reminds of a horseback ride. This seemed to be a no-brainer for Gillan to characterize an easy short story from, which doesn't need to be analyzed no matter what era we are living in. It's a song I could've used long ago, as well as the album itself, not to mention the cosmic celestial keyboard outro. Let them give us some AOR, it's all so well sequenced it works, as where I can see how it wouldn't if they didn't take such care in the order. Consider it like their Misplaced Childhood or even that Sgt. Pepper's style of album they've hinted on doing before and finally got around to it.

"Sacred Land" should be enough to sweep the naysayers of the former back into gear, with its prodding highlander theme about some mighty proud Scottish characters. The keyboard intro is good enough, but the solo is brilliant, whether it suits the mix or not, which there is a full explanation for as to why they sound muted on some parts of the album. Astral and post-apocalyptic sounding either way, in the case of this song. Apparently, it was intentional to being the rhythm section up a new notch. If you want Spinal Tap and Blackmore's Night, you get it full European style here. You can also feel a great sense of British rock about this album, throughout most of the songs, with Gillan keeping rare accent, bringing on that Beatles vibe. 

"The Beating Of Wings" brings on another questionable point for some fans, with another take it or leave it mood piece. I'll take it, in fact, I'll take as many of these as I can get, as I find it to be one of the highest points on the disc. In some ways it reminds of "Haunted" from the Bananas album, in other ways it follows a deeper blues pattern, which could be found on "Blood From A Stone" without getting too heavy about it. The lyrics seem to play to Gillan's late wife, but once again embody the magic of whatever meaning to be made from the listener, and I find it to simply be a masterstroke. "Guilt Trippin'" is up next, as the SPLAT! album comes to a central peak, and this is where it gets all kinds of interesting and leaves much to describe not only about the subject matter but the array of different influences. The topic of God having a beer with Darwin is just the tip of the iceberg here, and he goes on a guilt trip about creation and how it's all his fault. The video helps depict where I find similarities to Alan Parsons, starting with the eye in the sky and everything falling like chess pieces, which also includes the color because the sky is blue. The speed of the song also reminds of more energetic, but APP also reminiscent of Supertramp style piano. I'm okay with these things infiltrating the Purple, others mileage may vary, as well as perhaps never making the connection. Either way, this has got to be one of their best tracks in years, a real complex and interesting piece of work, with everything ballsy going for it. 

"Scriblin' Gib'rish" is a bit of fun with lyrics about yelling back at computers and devices that depict us as robots who have to prove we're human to get through the captcha of everyday modern life, and they do revisit themselves instrumentally here between "Silver Tongue" and "Back To Back" from the Bananas and Rapture Of The Deep albums. The humor of Gillan cannot be mistaken over the seriousness of lyrics on the entire album, as it starts to wind down to the metamorphosis, he ultimately describes it to be. Enter "Jessica's Bra" with a grain of salt for some more lyrics that could be over simplified as nothing new, but the British way comes back strong here, with a lot of classic romping Purple appeal, some of it obvious, some of it not. You get a good dose of what first reminded me of at least two Billy Joel songs, but then I digressed to his biggest influence being the Beatles. But from where could that be but tracks like "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite."

Several songs on the album contain piano, and this is one of them where it is appropriately placed in the overall domination of different keyboards featured throughout. "Third Call" is up next, and where the lose concept takes lyrical displacement if you lose it in the sequence, but they still fit it in there cleverly between the former and next cut, and this one is where it just goes off the beaten path with some romance. McBride finally catching guitar solo fire late on the album here. "Heard It Through The Grapevine" soul meets "Dazed And Confused" rock. At first, I wasn't into it, but then I caught onto how the former cut sets it up and you walk right onto the set of "My New Movie" setting yet another tone on the album to dazzle before the grand finale, with more of those amazing display of swirling vocal melodies from Gillan. Whether or not they saved the best for last is anyone's guess among this consistent collection of songs that does come in some formats with the instrumental track ""Guinnesis" depends on how you like your Purple here. They go out with a pure banger in the same vein as Machine Head's "Space Truckin'" with the title track: "Splat!" smoldering away through the atmosphere with some funky vintage Clavinet from Airey combined with a thumping lead bass groove from Roger Glover and powerhouse performance from Ian Paice. The two make their way together throughout the album with a subtlety all lost on this amazing song that leaves you wanting and expecting more from the kings of hard rock, metal and prog. Deep Purple remain without a screw out of place.

9/10 stars
Larry Toering

Revox company in Switzerland have a long-standing relationship, and they made a special release limited edition with master reels and cassette with a number of turntables, tape machines and speaker units. Check it out: Deep Purple & Revox Limited Edition

As we "look into the future" I see The Venue at Thunder Valley, in Lincoln, CA, as the next show on the journey to see them far and wise since 1985 (concert review coming). Hoping it's not the last.

Catch them on tour: Deep Purple - 2026 Tour Dates & Concert Schedule - Live Nation

Photo: Alberto Marin