Deep Purple share details of new album ‘=1’

Deep Purple have shared details of a new studio album titled ‘=1’, set for release later this year.

• READ MORE: Deep Purple – ‘Whoosh!’ review: rockers’ 21st record is stupidly fun and outrageously silly

The record is set to drop on July 19 via earMUSIC. It also marks the rock veteran’s first full-length release since 2021, when they dropped the covers album ‘Turning To Crime’, and first LP of original material since 2020 with ‘Whoosh!’.

It also comes after the members shared hints at a new announcement across cities in Europe over recent days. Fans first began to speculate that new material was on the way after mysterious equations and depictions of multiverses appeared in London, Paris and Berlin, making nods to the album’s title.

‘=1’ will see the Deep Purple team up with legendary producer Bob Ezrin once again, and sees the band channel the same sound that first put them on the map over 50 years ago, but without relying on nostalgia.

According to a press release, the title of the upcoming 23rd studio album symbolises the idea that in a world growing ever more complex, everything eventually simplifies down to a single, unified essence. Everything equals one.

The first taster of the album will arrive on April 30, when the members drop the lead single. For now, you can check out the tracklist of ‘=1’ and album artwork below. Visit here to pre-order.

The ‘=1’ tracklist is:

1. ‘Show Me’
2. ‘A Bit On The Side’
3. ‘Sharp Shooter’
4. ‘Portable Door’
5. ‘Old-Fangled Thing’
6. ‘If I Were You’
7. ‘Pictures Of You’
8. ‘I’m Saying Nothin’’
9. ‘Lazy Sod’
10. ‘Now You’re Talkin’’
11. ‘No Money To Burn’
12. ‘I’ll Catch You’
13. ‘Bleeding Obvious’

The band are fronted by the legendary Ian Gillan, alongside bassist Roger Glover, drummer Ian Paice and Keyboardist Don Airey. ‘=1’ will also mark Deep Purple’s first album with guitarist Simon McBride, who joined the line-up after longtime member Steve Morse left due to personal circumstances.

Since joining the group, McBride has played live with Deep Purple at countless shows, playing to audiences totalling more than half a million people.

The news of a new album arrives just weeks after Deep Purple announced details of a new arena tour, set to take place across the UK later this year.

Called the ‘One More Time’ tour, the dates comprise five shows across the country – kicking off with an opening night in Birmingham on November 4, before continuing two days later with a show at London’s O2 arena (November 6).

A gig at the First Direct Arena in Leeds is scheduled for November 7, and the tour wraps up with slots at Manchester’s AO arena and Glasgow’s OVO Hydro – set for November 9 and 10 respectively. Visit here for remaining tickets.

In other Deep Purple news, just last week several members of the iconic rock band – past and present – spoke about an incident with the Swiss police that took place while they were recording ‘Smoke on the Water’.

The post Deep Purple share details of new album ‘=1’ appeared first on NME.