Description
Deep Purple – In Rock – 180 Gram Half Speed Mastered Purple Vinyl Record
Newly remastered from the original analogue tapes and cut to vinyl at half speed
Vinyl cut at half speed by Barry Grint at Alchemy
Deep Purple – In Rock, released in June 1970, is widely hailed as the definitive birth cry of British hard rock and heavy metal, and the album that established Deep Purple Mk II—with Ian Gillan (vocals) and Roger Glover (bass) joining Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Jon Lord (organ), and Ian Paice (drums)—as one of the most formidable rock bands of the era. While the band had released three earlier albums in a more psychedelic and progressive vein, In Rock marked a complete reinvention, introducing a louder, faster, and heavier sound that would directly influence countless metal and hard rock acts to follow.
From the opening salvo of “Speed King”, the band makes its intentions clear. The song explodes with feedback and rapid-fire riffs, followed by Gillan’s commanding vocals and a relentless rhythm section. It’s a high-octane blend of Little Richard-style rock ‘n’ roll aggression and proto-metal ferocity, filled with keyboard-guitar duels, manic energy, and improvisational flair.
The album’s centerpiece is the monumental “Child in Time,” a ten-minute epic that perfectly captures the fusion of classical drama and psychedelic experimentation that characterized early metal. With Gillan’s operatic screams, Lord’s haunting organ intro, and Blackmore’s emotionally searing guitar solo, the track unfolds as a slow-burning anti-war lament that builds to a crushing crescendo—a masterpiece of tension and release.
Other standout tracks include:
“Bloodsucker” – a snarling, riff-heavy cut that showcases Gillan’s spitfire delivery and Blackmore’s sharp lead work.
“Into the Fire” – with its blunt, fuzzed-out riff and blunt social commentary, feels like a proto-grunge anthem.
“Flight of the Rat” – a nearly eight-minute jam that blends breakneck speed with complex soloing from both organ and guitar.
“Hard Lovin’ Man” – one of the heaviest tracks on the album, driven by Paice’s thunderous drumming and a relentless forward push.
The production, handled by the band and Martin Birch (who would go on to produce for Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath), gives the album a raw but muscular sound, with each instrument clearly defined. Jon Lord’s Hammond organ, in particular, plays a central role—not merely as a background texture, but as a lead instrument, trading licks with Blackmore in aggressive, classically tinged solos.
In Rock wasn’t just an artistic breakthrough—it was a commercial one, propelling the band to stardom in the UK and Europe. It reached #4 on the UK Albums Chart and firmly established Deep Purple as peers of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath in the formation of heavy metal’s holy trinity.
More than five decades later, In Rock still sounds urgent, fiery, and uncompromising. It’s a cornerstone of heavy music, a blueprint for hard rock’s theatrics, intensity, and virtuosity, and arguably the first true “metal” album in spirit, if not entirely in name.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Speed King
Bloodsucker
Child In Time
Flight Of The Rat
Into The Fire
Living Wreck
Hard Lovin’ Man
