Deep Purple's 'Splat!' - Album Review

I spoke fairly recently on this blog about the greatness of some veteran bands' late career album runs. Too many bands just seem to have decided that they are now old and have nothing left to say, or seem unwilling to adapt to a modern music industry where pampering A&R departments and big advances to record new albums do not really exist. Those bands who have adapted and remain creative should be celebrated, then. Uriah Heep are probably the band that is currently on the greatest late career run, in my opinion anyway, but there is also a strong case to say that Deep Purple should have the crown. Given the eight year gap between 2005's Rapture of the Deep and 2013's Now What?! (which I reviewed here), at one point it deep seem as if Deep Purple's days as a creative force were done. Now What?! changed that, though, and kick-started a late-career run that is now five albums, not including 2021's pandemic covers album Turning to Crime, deep. This period has seen the band work with famed producer Bob Ezrin, who really seems to get the best out of Deep Purple as they are today. There are certainly decent songs on albums like 2003's Bananas and the aforementioned Rapture of the Deep - but they pale in comparison to the early releases of the Steve Morse era, let alone anything that came during the band's main 1970s and 1980s commercial peaks. Now What?! changed that, though. It is still likely my favourite of the current run, just because of how fresh it seemed at the time, but all of the albums that followed have added something positive to the overall Deep Purple canon - mixing the band's classic hard rock sound with a whimsical approach and progressive rock influences. Even a line-up change could not negatively impact this run - with Morse being replaced by Simon McBride back in 2022 following the former spending 28 years in the band. Quite the contrary, in fact, as McBride seems to have given the band yet more energy. Morse was great in Deep Purple, but his jazz fusion and progressive rock background perhaps always meant that there was a point of difference between him and the rest of the band. McBride comes from much more of a hard rock and blues background, though, which perhaps makes him, on paper, a better fit. He was certainly not a star before joining Deep Purple, but those in the know likely knew of him thanks to his presence on the scene for many years - including stints with bands like Sweet Savage and Snakecharmer, as well as working with various current Deep Purple members outside of the band. We are now four years into the McBride era, Mark IX as it is known by fans, and its second album Splat! was recently released. Mark IX got underway proper in 2024 with =1 (which I reviewed here) - a strong album that saw Deep Purple largely continue on the sound established on Now What?! and the Morse-era albums that followed, albeit with a bit more of a focus on riffs. Two years on, and Splat! essentially treads the same path. As was the case then, too, Splat! feels driven by the band's two newest members, McBride and keyboard player Don Airey - although the latter has now spent 24 years in Deep Purple. Airey has really been the driving force for years, with the three classic-era members seemingly happy to let him take the lead - adding their class and experience to allow for that classic Deep Purple vibe to establish itself as it always seems to, no matter who is in the band at any one time.

Splat! appears to be quite a lengthy album, with 13 songs included, but, as it is just over 50 minutes long, no song ever really outstays its welcome. The songwriting is tight, then, but there are still progressive rock influences - even if this album is perhaps the chunkiest the band have done for some time. Deep Purple have remained a rock band, but they rarely truly roar like they used to. They still do not here, but the riffier nature of the last album has been built on further. Such is on display right away on lead single Arrogant Boy, a pretty hard-hitting number that opens up the album. A pacy, shuffling groove starts things off - with McBride laying down a gritty guitar rhythm whilst Airey creates the main musical hook with a classic-sounding Hammond organ pattern. There is a strong hard rock groove throughout the song, but it really focuses on hooks, too. There are limited moments of instrumental showboating, aside from a back-and-forth between the guitar and keyboards later, which culminates in some neo-classical keyboard bombast, but instead the verses and chorus are snappy. Frontman Ian Gillan sounds great here. He has long adapted his singing style to suit his age, with the verses here full of that classic off-beat humour and wordplay that he is known for. Rumbling organ backs his snappy melodies, especially during the chorus, whilst the rhythm section keep the groove going. This song may be less riffy than some of Deep Purple's numbers, but there is still a toughness present - with the organ doing most of the heavy lifting. Those wanting something a bit tougher will love Diablo, a mid-paced, riffy track that opens with a barrelling, bluesy guitar and organ combo that has plenty of the classic Deep Purple sound on display from the off. Country star Keith Urban adds some additional guitar to the track, but it is unclear exactly why or what he offers to this song that McBride could not - I am sure that the main riff and later solos are all McBride, whilst Airey again has plenty to say with some blistering organ runs and more back-and-forth solos. This later instrumental section is quite lengthy, underpinned by some excellent bass playing from Roger Glover, and the way that it later morphs back into the song's main riff works nicely - in time for Gillan to strut his stuff during one last groovy verse, which even features some slightly demonic vocals from him. The Rider is somewhat similar to the previous number pace-wise, but it is less riff-driven - with the song instead getting underway with a darker groove, immediately setting the tone for a pulsing verse. The guitars and bass have a satisfying crunch, whilst the hard-hitting drumming of Ian Paice adds that jazzy flair that has always underpinned Deep Purple's harder rock sound. Whilst the previous couple of songs felt hookier thanks to strong choruses, this song is more atmospheric and vibe-driven. The chorus here is less interesting, but the atmosphere conjured by the heavier feeling and plenty more organ playing still ensures the song is memorable - whilst McBride's guitar solo later also has a darker, more controlled feel. The Lunatic picks up the pace somewhat, getting underway with a more snappy mid-paced guitar and keyboard pattern that is pretty hooky and forms the basis of the verses. There is a simplicity to this pattern, but the song later expands on it, creating instrumental moments around it - which showcase the band's progressive influences in my view. This song certainly feels a bit knottier musically than anything heard here so far, aside from maybe the solo showcase in Diablo, with the song's shuffle, hard rock backing, and progressive tendencies all coming together nicely. Gillan delivers during another strong chorus, too, which is more cinematic than overtly hooky, whilst lengthy organ and guitar solos yet again impress.

As is often the case with these newer Deep Purple albums, many of the songs here take a few listens to fully appreciate - but The Only Horse in Town was one that stood out from the off. It is very much typical of the band's recent core sound, with a strutting mid-paced groove driving everything whilst Airey's organ does most of the musical heavy lifting. Unlike some of the band's other songs, though, there is definitely a bit of a pop sheen here. The chorus feels sweeter than is often the case for Deep Purple, but it does not feel out of place - with Gillan instead just letting some easy-on-the-ear melodies flow. The driving organ hooks are memorable throughout, whilst the general rhythms throughout keep the song ticking. McBride's solo is one of his best, too, really channelling the feel of Ritchie Blackmore at times. Sacred Land opens slowly, with atmospheric synths and some Eastern-tinged keyboard melodies - but soon the rest of the band kick in and the song morphs into a creeping hard rocker. Ironically, there are shades of Rainbow's Gates of Babylon in the song's structure and Eastern influences, but Sacred Land is less epic - instead going for more of a typical Deep Purple groove despite the slower pace and atmospheric approach. Gillan's current vocal abilities perhaps limit this song from reaching its potential, but I still like his current approach in general - I just feel that a different singer would have probably made more of the song's chorus. Airey's synth solo is great, though, as it is different to his usual organ-based approach - shaking things up somewhat. The Beating of Wings shakes things up a bit further, too, with Airey swapping his organ for an electric piano - playing percussive counter-melodies in between movements of the song's slow-burning, bluesy guitar riff. This is one of the most guitar-driven pieces here, then, with the piano adding colour. The piano sound and approach reminds me somewhat of Led Zeppelin's No Quarter - but the song overall is more bluesy and rocking than that effort, and there is a fun, laid back, even lazy approach to the groove - which is later enhanced by McBride's quite lengthy guitar solo. Deep Purple have always had a bluesy side to their playing, but it does not always rear its head - so it is nice to hear those influences in a bigger way here. Guilt Trippin' also opens slowly, firstly with some piano melodies before a guitar melody takes over - under which the band joins in, getting the song underway proper. Once it gets going, the song is one of the hardest-hitting here. Paice's drum grooves feel heavy, whilst the guitar and organ presence is weighty - often adding faster riffs and melodies. There are some great guitar and keyboard interplay moments here, but perhaps the main point of difference is Gillan's vocals. He attempts the more screaming sound that he used to be known for, and pulls it off surprisingly well - even if vocal effects and layering are likely doing some heavy lifting. It gives the song a potent feel, which is later built upon during a powerful instrumental moment with faster-paced guitar soloing and boogie piano runs. Scriblin' Gib'rish returns more to a core mid-paced sound, but the toughness of the previous number is somewhat retained - with McBride's crunchy guitar rhythms nicely backing the verses, whilst barrelling guitar and keyboard melodies are utilised throughout as punctuation between vocal-led sections. Vocally, the song is less memorable. Gillan's vocal delivery does sit nicely within the grooves, but there is not really a chorus here to latch onto. There is quite a lot going on musically, though, with warm synths and organs creating a strong keyboard backing - with the synths being used as a lead which is rarity for Deep Purple.

On the home strait, now, and Jessica's Bra is immediately an upbeat number - with a memorable organ motif that kicks things off and surfaces again throughout the song pretty regularly. This is one of those songs that sees Deep Purple acting in a more whimsical and slightly silly manner - but this is how the band have occasionally operated for many years. Gillan gets to showcase his off-kilter lyric writing here, and his storytelling vocal delivery is a big part of what makes the song fun. A classic shuffling groove and the aforementioned organ motif keep things musically interesting - but later McBride lays down what is maybe his fastest and most venomous solo on the album, which seems a little strange given the song's overall vibe. This is clearly just the band having fun, and that feeling shines through. Third Call slows the pace down somewhat, instead going for a much more overtly groove-based approach. Big riffs and musical moments are reined in somewhat, with the track again going for a bluesier feel. There are harder-hitting sections later on, with huge washes of organ and held guitar chords, but early on the verses have a shuffling, laid back feel with Paice's drumming doing a lot of the work - whilst sparser guitar leads and organ melodies intertwine around Gillan's laid back, lyrical delivery. The song has a bit of a different feel, then, but I like how it grows pretty organically throughout - and it does explode later into a strong solo section with some furious organ playing from Airey. My New Movie is much more typical of the current core Deep Purple sound - although there is perhaps something more overtly old-school-sounding about it. I could really see this song sitting on 1973's Who Do We Think We Are, as it seems to channel the slightly left-field sound that made that album a bit of a headscratcher back in the day - but the unmistakable Deep Purple hooks from the 1970s and today are still present, with a swinging chorus that really lodges in the brain and another really great solo from McBride. Classical keyboard interludes and a pretty heavy groove thanks to Paice and Glover's work add a lot, too, with the song being something of a late album highlight. The album then comes to a close with its title track, another piece led by some excellent Paice drumming - and there is also a bit of a darker tone here at times. It is not as dark-sounding as The Rider, but there is something really bassy and griding about the organ riffing this time - with plenty of crunch also added thanks to McBride's guitar playing. Hookier, lighter moments are included, with a keyboard-heavy bridge later leading into a buzzing keyboard solo - but overall the song has more of a creeping feel that sounds quite different to most of the rest of the album. It does not really feel like a great concluding piece, though. I like it when an album's closing track feels like something of a definitive statement, and that is not really the case with Splat!. It just somewhat ends, and it would have likely been better if the closing track had felt more epic and lengthy compared to the rest of the album - but this is not a massive negative overall, the ending just feels a bit abrupt and strange as a result. Overall, though, I really like this latest Deep Purple album - as I have done with everything released since Now What?!. Like most of these recent Deep Purple albums, it takes a few listens to fully appreciate, but the songwriting is tight and the musicianship of Airey and McBride in particularly really shines through. There are plenty of hooks, riffs, and solos to keep me coming back anyway, and fans of Deep Purple will just be able to enjoy how this long-standing band continues to find ways to be creative in their seventh decade as a band.

The album was released on 3rd July 2026 via earMusic. Below is the band's promotional video for Arrogant Boy.