Slaves & Masters (Studio recording, 1990)

Rating: 4.15

Reviews: 10

I still like "Slaves...". It did something to me. It brought me into Deep Purple's music. And I still love it. I recently was asked to name my favourite albums of the 90's and "Slaves..." was amongst them. I would rate it 9/10. To me "Slaves..." is as far away from the origins of Deep Purple as the stuff they are doing now with Steve. It's another direction but it's somehow Purple. (Birgitt Schwanke)

Comments: Yeuch!!! Rainbow with Lord/Paice. No heart, no guts, no nothing. Lukewarm soup. (Jesper Almen)

It's totally not a DP album, in any way. But, I cannot say that it's bad as a studio effort, it's got some songs I like, and the production work is not bad, but maybe not on a DP album. (Ilija Gospodinov)

I gave this album a 4 because it was so restrained: only Ritchie Blackmore was coming across strong, and his work was not very adventurous. It was far too safe to be dangerously good like the Mk2 and Mk3 albums. I have trouble believing this really was a DP album. (Dean Webb)

Many say it sounds more like Rainbow, but I think Rainbow could never have done an album like this. I just wonder whose idea it was to record "Too Much Is Not Enough", the worst song ever recorded by Purple... (Heikki Heino)

In all, Ritchie dominates the album from start to finish... the guitar is excellent throughout, no wonder it is one of his favourites... But, as an album in the name of Deep Purple it just does not fit in with what the sound of what Purple is all about... It is, as many others have said, simply an extention of JLT`s time with Rainbow. The combination of Lord, Glover and Paice to make an impact on the album is barely noticeable. (Neil Jones)

Exit Gillan again, and this record is absolutely terrible. But I don’t think this is just the lack of Gillans voice that causes it. There is one song on this album that is very good indeed – "Fire in the Basement" – so that proves that what’s wrong with this album is not Mr Turner, but the material and the tired performance from the band that seems to be totally lost. (Per Lundblad)

Turner took over the microphone for this one and that decision has already been criticized by so many people, that it's obvious that it was wrong. Turner performed actually good, but his voice doesn't fit with the sound of DP at all. As many have stated before me, Blackmore's full dominance over the group, which has turned Lord, Paice and Glover to the best session musicians one could ever dream of, in addition with JLT's voice transformed DP to yet another version of Rainbow. Despite that, there are some good songs, like Fire in the basement and Fortune teller. Rating: 5 (Spiros Papageorgiou)

The Battle Rages On (Studio recording, 1992)

Rating: 5.78

Reviews: 9

Comments: You can feel the problems within the band, it's so perfect in playing and production that you start thinking they were working all the time just not to have the time to go anywhere for a cup of coffee and chat a bit... (Ilija Gospodinov)

Too much Gillan sings Rainbow. Still no really bad songs. (Jesper Almen)

Blackmore's guitar was this hard was on Long Live Rock'n'Roll. Sadly this was Purple's last studio album with Ritchie. Not quite as good as the best albums like Machine Head or In Rock, but a strong album anyway. (Heikki Heino)

This is another Rainbow album, right? This time Gillan's singing and the riffs are *all* reminiscent of some other song, with the exceptions of "Anya" (which is much better live) and "Ramshackle Man" (which does sound a bit like "Green Onions" by Booker T. and the MG's...) the band were not cooprating creatively and the result is a very forced work. Not as bad as Slaves & Masters, but close. (Dean Webb)

Gillan’s back again, and instead of one good song we got two:"The Battle Rages On" and "Anya". But the rest of this album sucks, mailnly because the band seems totally out of ideas again, but this time reverts in to a formula of hard rock in it’s most negative aspects: Medium tempo repetetive riffs, with no surprises anywhere. (Per Lundblad)

Gillan is back, but the lack of fresh ideas remains. The group seems tired and the result is a bit dull for Purple standards. But there are some fine moments, like the title track, Solitaire and, of course, Anya, which could evolve to another of the band's classics. Rating: 6 (Spiros Papageorgiou)

Come Hell or High Water (Live recording, 1993)

Rating: 6.90

Reviews: 5

Comments: Last tour with Ritchie. Surprisingly good. Good statement of the reunion records/tours. (Jesper Almen)

I think this album was made only because Ritchie was leaving. Some might think that there are already enough Purple live albums, but this is good. I only wish they had made it a double cd. (Heikki Heino)

From 1 to 10 I'd give it a 7. It's good, but it doesn't jump out and say "pick me instead" when I take out Made In Japan. My main gripe is that Difficult to cure, which is on the video is not on the cd. (Johnathan Dee)

As usual, DP release another live album, this time from the Battle rages on tour, which is the last with Ritchie on guitar (so far, since we never know for sure). The material on the album is good, the production work is fine, but the atmosphere in the band is bad and this reflects to the recording. Not one of the best nights for DP, but a pretty descent live album. Rating: 6 (Spiros Papageorgiou)