Re-issues have been all the rage it seems this year. Not only in the realm of movies but also that of music. Foghat recently released its iconic album, Fool For The City. The Rolling Stones have also re-issued another of its albums recently, as have the likes of Slipknot, The Cranberries, and Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes among others, with even more on the way before this year ends. One of those many others worth noting is that of Deep Purple’s 2005 album, Rapture of the Deep. Released Aug. 29, the record is an intriguing position as it is highlighted by its bonus content more than the original record. That content is a handful of instrumentals of tracks featured in the original album and one previously unreleased song recorded during the sessions for the record. While the bonus content is engaging, it does not add but so much to the presentation especially when compared to the album’s previous 2006 re-issue, which was released through Eagle Rock Records, now Mercury Studios. This will be addressed a little later. The record’s production, which was handled personally by Roger Glover, rounds out the most important aspects of this record. It will also be addressed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of this re-issue. All things considered this latest re-issue of Deep Purple’s Rapture of the Deep still proves an interesting new offering that the band’s most devoted audiences will appreciate the most.
Deep Purple’s new 20th anniversary re-issue of its 2005 album, Rapture of the Deep, is an interesting new presentation of the band’s 18th (yes, 18th) album. The record is an intriguing presentation in large part due to its featured bonus content. Housed on a second disc, the bonus content in question is primarily instrumental “studio rehearsal” takes of four of the songs featured in the record – ‘MTV,’ ‘Money Talks,’ ‘Back to Back,’ and ‘Before Time Began.’ The fifth bonus track, ‘Closing Note’ is a song that was recorded during the album’s recording sessions by Steve Morse but not included in the final release. The instrumentals are largely mirror images of their full version counterparts save for ‘Money Talks,’ which includes almost a minute more content at the beginning in the final presentation, and ‘Back to Back,’ whose final opens with a solid, funky drum into for a few bars before the bluesy, almost souful full presentation comes into play. ‘Closing Notes,’ which closes out the bonus disc, is a simple composition that is so beautiful in its simplicity. It is another instrumental track but is so rich in its presentation that is yet another example of why Morse remains today one of the most talented and respected guitarists in the rock community.
The bonus tracks featured in this latest re-issue of Rapture of the Deep is entertaining in its own right even being so close in sound and style to the final product. The thing is that as entertaining as it is, it honestly does not add but so much to the presentation, this especially considering that this is the second time the album has been re-issued since its original release in 2005. Mercury Studios’ (nee Eagle Rock) 2006 re-issue was also a double-disc presentation, that one featuring eight extras, five of which being live recordings of various Deep Purple songs, one being an updated take of ‘Clearly Quite Absurd,’ another being an outtake from the sessions for the band’s album, Bananas, and the last being another Morse track, ‘Things I Never Said,’ which is another Morse track that never made it onto the album’s original U.S. release. It was however, included in the record’s Japanese release. Why all of this content was not carried over to this release is anyone’s guess. Considering that 2006 re-issue was released through Mercury Studios and this one through earMusic, one has to at least assume the issue is that Mercury Studios owns the rights to those previously released extras. If in fact that is the case, then the lack herein makes more sense. If not, then the question remains, why was it not included here? Keeping that in mind, the inclusion of this content but not the other just makes this latest re-issue feel like just another re-issue. It is a presentation that is enjoyable but does not really stand out among this year’s field of new album re-issues.
The bonus content and lack thereof in this new re-issue of Rapture of the Deep is not enough to doom the presentation, but does not necessarily help the record, either. Keeping that in mind, there is at least one more positive to note, that being the album’s production. The production was reportedly handled personally by Roger Glover. Glover’s work paid off, as the sound is expertly balanced throughout the album, including in the bonus instrumentals. In the “full” tracks, the instrumental and vocal performances are expertly balanced. The “rehearsal” instrumentals balance everything just as well with each musician’s performance. The result of the clear attention to detail throughout is a positive aesthetic element that gives audiences at least some more reason to take in this album. Keeping this in mind, that positive effect pairs with the enjoyment offered by the bonus content to make the record in whole a presentation that while clearly imperfect, is still worth hearing at least once.
Deep Purple’s recent 20th anniversary re-issue of its 2005 album, Rapture of the Deep, released through earMusic, is an intriguing presentation. It is highlighted by its bonus content, which is comprised of four instrumental tracks and one previously unreleased track recorded by Steve Morse during his stint with the band. There are only two tracks herein that really exhibit any notable difference from the final production, and those differences while notable are minute at best. The fact that this is the second time that the album has been re-issued, the lack of the bonus content from that previous 2006 re-issue herein does detract from the presentation but not enough to doom the record. To that end, there is one more notable positive, that being the album’s production. The album’s production results in a positive aesthetic impact that will keep listeners engaged. Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of Rapture of the Deep’s 20th anniversary re-issue. All things considered they make this presentation worth hearing at least once and one that will find the majority of its appeal among the most devoted of Deep Purple’s established audiences.
Deep Purple’s 20th anniversary re-issue of Rapture of the Deep is available now through earMusic. More information on the re-issue is available along with all of Deep Purple’s latest news at:
Website: https://www.deep-purple.com
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PHOTO CREDIT: Deep Purple Rapture of the Deep Album Artwork from Earmusic For Promotional Use