Classic rock purists, plug in your amplifiers and brace yourselves. Tomorrow, July 3, 2026, English rock royalty Deep Purple is officially unleashing their 24th studio album, Splat!, via earMUSIC.
If you think a band that formed in 1968 is looking to coast on nostalgia and acoustic ballads, think again. According to the band, Splat! is locked, loaded, and dialed in as the heaviest Deep Purple album in many years.
Here is everything you need to know about the legendary band’s massive summer drop.
The Sound: A Return to the Golden Era (1969–1973)
Instead of recording across different time zones, the band did things old-school: they got into a room together and tracked it live.
Frontman Ian Gillan didn’t hold back when describing the raw energy of the new material, comparing the studio chemistry directly to their undisputed golden age:
“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 marks their sixth consecutive collaboration with legendary producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, KISS, Alice Cooper), who has directed the band’s studio sound since 2013. It also features guitarist Simon McBride’s second outing with the band, fully cementing his fiery fretwork into the Deep Purple lineage following 2024’s =1.
The Concept: A Different Kind of Apocalypse
Don’t let the title fool you; there’s deep philosophy behind the heavy riffs. Conceived by Gillan, the overarching theme of Splat! tackles the “end of humanity”—but with a twist. Instead of standard, bleak apocalyptic destruction, the album treats the end of the world as a transformation, exploring a physical metamorphosis beyond existence.
A Surprise Guest & The Tracklist
The band gave fans a taste of the record ahead of time with singles “Arrogant Boy,” “Guilt Trippin’,” and “Diablo.” If you listen closely to “Diablo,” you’ll catch a wild, cross-genre treat: country-rock guitar icon Keith Urban actually drops by to lend his blistering guitar chops to the track.
The full 13-song tracking list spans a massive 50-minute runtime:
- Arrogant Boy Deep Purple
- Diablo (feat. Keith Urban)
- The Rider
- The Lunatic
- The Only Horse in Town Deep Purple
- Sacred Land Blabbermouth
- The Beating of Wings UNCUT
- Guilt Trippin’ Blabbermouth
- Scriblin’ Gib’rish Blabbermouth
- Jessica’s Bra Blabbermouth
- Third Call
- My New Movie
- Splat!
What’s Next: A Final Massive World Tour?
Deep Purple isn’t just dropping the record and sitting at home. They are already mid-stride on a staggering 86-show world tour spanning 28 countries and three continents, currently tearing through their European summer leg before heading to North America in August with special guests Kansas.
While Ian Gillan, now 80, insists he has no plans to retire until it “becomes embarrassing,” drummer Ian Paice hinted to Uncut that this massive 2026 trek could very well be the band’s last monumental global run.
Splat! drops tomorrow on all streaming platforms, with physical formats including a massive limited-edition box set featuring exclusive 2024 live tracks and the bonus song “Guinnesis.” ***
Zrock Poll: Are you blasting the new Deep Purple tomorrow? What’s your all-time favorite Purple record? Let us know in the comments!
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