Deep Purple have announced the release of their 24th studio album ‘Splat!’, with Ian Gillan describing the record as the band’s heaviest work in years and a return to the spirit of the classic Mark II era.
by Paul Cashmere
Deep Purple will release their new studio album ‘Splat!’ on July 3 through earMUSIC, marking the latest chapter in a catalogue that stretches back to the band’s formation in 1968 and has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide.
The new record follows 2024’s ‘=1′ and continues the band’s long-running creative partnership with producer Bob Ezrin, whose association with Deep Purple dates back to 2013’s ‘Now What?!’. Ezrin, known for his work with Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed and KISS, has now produced six consecutive Deep Purple albums, one of the most stable creative periods in the group’s modern era.
For singer Ian Gillan, ‘Splat!’ reconnects directly with the musical chemistry that powered the band through its most influential years in the early 1970s.
“Where we are now with this incarnation of Deep Purple feels very much like a very ‘now’ version of Deep Purple as it was in the seventies,” Gillan said in a statement announcing the album.
He added, “I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with ‘Highway Star’, ‘Smoke On The Water’, ‘Lazy’, the dynamics, the balance, and the fun of the music we made from ’69 to ’73.”
The album has been described by the band as “the heaviest Deep Purple album in many years”, with the current line-up recording together live in the studio, a method closely associated with the group’s classic recordings including ‘Machine Head’ and ‘Made In Japan’. The current incarnation features Gillan alongside drummer Ian Paice, bassist Roger Glover, keyboard player Don Airey and guitarist Simon McBride, who joined the band in 2022 following the departure of longtime guitarist Steve Morse.
McBride’s arrival has injected a harder edge into Deep Purple’s recent recordings and touring performances. His role on ‘Splat!’ is particularly significant as this is his second full studio album with the band after ‘=1′. The Belfast-born guitarist stepped into one of hard rock’s most historically significant roles, originally occupied by Ritchie Blackmore and later by Morse, and has quickly established his own identity within the Deep Purple framework.
At the centre of ‘Splat!’ is a conceptual theme developed by Gillan. According to the band, the album approaches the end of humanity not through catastrophe but transformation.
Rather than focusing on destruction, the concept imagines humanity evolving beyond physical existence. The broader narrative behind the album is expected to be expanded on in the lead-up to the July release.
The announcement arrives during another remarkably active period for Deep Purple. More than five decades after defining the foundations of hard rock alongside Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, the band remains one of the few legacy acts from that era still producing new material at a consistent pace.
The continued productivity is notable within the wider rock industry, where many heritage acts now rely almost entirely on catalogue touring. Deep Purple, however, have maintained a steady release cycle over the past decade with ‘Now What?!’, ‘Infinite’, ‘Whoosh!’, ‘Turning To Crime’, ‘=1′ and now ‘Splat!’ arriving within a 13-year span.
The band will also support the album with an extensive 2026 world tour reportedly spanning 86 dates across 28 countries. The North American leg has already been announced, with Kansas joining as special guests for selected dates.
Deep Purple have also prepared multiple physical editions of ‘Splat!’, reflecting the ongoing demand for premium vinyl and collector formats in the rock market. Alongside standard CD and double vinyl editions, the release will include a limited box set featuring exclusive live recordings from the 2024 tour and a bonus seven-inch single containing the non-album track ‘Guinnesis’.
The release strategy mirrors a broader industry trend where veteran artists continue to find strong support among physical music buyers, particularly vinyl collectors. Deep Purple have consistently remained strong sellers in deluxe physical formats, especially across Europe and Japan where the band’s following remains exceptionally loyal.
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‘Splat!’ Tracklisting
Side A
Arrogant Boy
Diablo
The Rider
The Lunatic
Side B
5. The Only Horse In Town
6. Sacred Land
7. The Beating Of Wings
Side C
8. Guilt Trippin’
9. Scriblin’ Gib’rish
10. Jessica’s Bra
Side D
11. Third Call
12. My New Movie
13. Splat!
‘Splat!’ will be released on July 3 in the following formats:
Limited Box Set featuring:
2LP Gatefold (180g)
12-page vinyl-sized booklet
CD Digisleeve
Three exclusive 10-inch vinyl records featuring live recordings from the Deep Purple Tour 2024
Exclusive seven-inch single featuring the bonus track ‘Guinnesis’
CD Digisleeve
2LP Gatefold Black Vinyl (180g)
Limited Purple 2LP Gatefold (180g)
Limited Transparent Yellow 2LP (180g)
All LP editions will include a 12-page LP-sized booklet with illustrations and lyrics in the first pressing.
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