Review by MartinDavey87 for Deep Purple - Machine Head (1972)

By 1972, British rock legends Deep Purple had demonstrated a work ethic unheard of by today’s music industry standards. In the span of four years, they’d released five studio albums and one live album. They’d dabbled in psychedelic music, classical collaborations, and bluesy-inspired hard rock. And with recent output such as ‘In Rock’ and ‘Fireball’, they’d finally settled on a sound and established themselves as one of the premier hard rock/heavy metal bands. 

And so, with 1972’s ‘Machine Head’, it was truly time for Deep Purple to take over the world. 

Featuring a selection of absolutely iconic hits, outstanding musical performances, and without a doubt THE most famous guitar riff of all time, ‘Machine Head’ sees Deep Purple really fire on all cylinders. The production is fantastic, and holds up to this day, giving the band a heavy crunch that wasn’t too common in those days, and really helps highlight the virtuoso performances of every member. 

Particular praise must go to guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and keyboardist Jon Lord, who’s chemistry is laying the foundations for legions of guitar/keyboard duos to follow, and vocalist Ian Gillan, who is setting the standard for high-pitched metal wailers for years to come.  

Featuring classic hits such as ‘Highway Star’, ‘Space Truckin’’, ‘Maybe I’m a Leo’, ‘Pictures of Home’ and the legendary ‘Smoke On the Water’, this is Deep Purple at their very best, making ‘Machine Head’ an absolutely essential addition to every hard rock and heavy metal collection.