Deep Purple has remixed and expanded Rapture of the Deep, 20 years after its release. The often-overlooked LP was their fourth since Steve Morse took over for Ritchie Blackmore and second after Don Airey succeeded Jon Lord.
The reissue is due on Aug. 29 in CD Digipak, digital, 3LP black 180-gram vinyl or limited-edition 3LP transparent sky-blue vinyl editions. See a complete track listing and listen to the 20th anniversary remix of “Junkyard Blues” below.
Deep Purple had just been dropped by EMI, after a two-album run including 1998’s Abandon and 2003’s Bananas – neither of which charted in the U.S. Eventually released on Germany’s Edel label, Rapture of the Deep hit the Top 20 in a few countries, including Austria, Switzerland and Germany.
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As with their previous pair of albums, however, Deep Purple failed to crack the Top 75 in their native U.K. Rapture of the Deep again didn’t chart at all in America.
“We were going through a bit of a hard time when we started the songwriting and production of Rapture of the Deep,” long-time bassist Roger Glover admits in the new liner notes package, “and, strangely enough, we didn’t have a record company at that point. Let’s face it, we were a bit lost.”
So, Glover went to work on a new mix, which was analog-mastered at Chameleon Studios in Hamburg. Rapture of the Deep now includes a bonus CD/LP of previously unreleased instrumental takes and studio rehearsals that provides rare insight into the band’s songwriting process. Among the highlights is “Closing Note,” a song from the album sessions by Morse that’s never been heard before.
There’s also updated artwork. “It’s a new album now to me,” Glover argues today.
Deep Purple, ‘Rapture of the Deep’ reissue track listing
CD/LP:
“Money Talks”
“Things I Never Said”*
“Rapture of the Deep”
“Clearly Quite Absurd”
“MTV”*
“Back to Back”
“Wrong Man”
“Girls Like That”
“Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye”
“Don’t Let Go”
“Junkyard Blues”
“Before Time Again”
*Not on original album
Bonus LP/CD
(2005 studio jams and rehearsals)
“MTV”
“Money Talks”
“Back to Back”
“Before Time Began”
“Closing Note”
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Gallery Credit: Allison Rapp
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