Deep Purple Machine Head (Super Deluxe Edition) LP, 3CD & Blu-Ray Audio Box Set (Purple Smoke Vinyl)

Analog Planet Rated 10/10 Music, 9/10 Sound!

Deep Purple unleashed one of the best guitar riffs since the invention of rock and roll with "Smoke on the Water," a song dubbed the Beethoven's 5th of hard rock. Since its 1972 debut on Machine Head, the song and the album have left an indelible mark on music, inspiring countless bands around the world.

Warner Records is honoring the album's enormous legacy with a comprehensive version introducing new mixes and live recordings (one previously unreleased).

Highlighting the collection are several different versions of the album, including new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes by Dweezil Zappa. The 1974 quadraphonic mix and a newly remastered version of the original album are also featured, adding depth to the extraordinary set.

The Super Deluxe Edition also contains two captivating live performances. The first, recorded on March 9, 1972, at the Paris Theatre in London, captures the group's unrivaled stage presence during the "Machine Head Tour." The second, previously unreleased, was recorded in April 1971 at the Montreux Casino in Switzerland. The band planned to record Machine Head there that December, but the venue burned down right before the sessions began, an event immortalized in "Smoke on the Water."

In the aftermath, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, keyboardist Jon Lord, singer Ian Gillan, bassist Roger Glover, and drummer Ian Paice relocated to the nearby Grand Hotel (empty for the winter season) to record the album. Despite the chaos, the band managed to create its most successful album ever, topping the U.K. album chart and cracking the Top 10 in the U.S., earning a double platinum certification in 1986.

The previously unreleased Montreux concert promises to be a highlight for fans. The audience recording covers songs the band recorded prior to Machine Head, including "Child in Time" (from 1969's Concerto for Group and Orchestra), "Speed King" (from 1970's Deep Purple in Rock), and "Strange Kind of Woman" (from 1971's Fireball).

The new Dolby Atmos and 2024 mixes provide fresh and immersive perspectives on this classic album and were made by Zappa using the original tapes. In the liner notes, Zappa says: "It's one of those records where I think, 'How did they come up with this?' It's got classical influences in the guitar and the keyboard, but then it's got the blues and there's little bits of funkiness. And you have this singer who has the most killer voice. All these things come together in a way where it doesn't sound like commercial music, yet people got really excited about it. It's a fascinating recipe."

In short, I like the new mix a lot! It sounds like Machine Head should sound, no question, yet it is more cinemascopic. The new instrumental detailing is impressive, delivering the percussive drive of Roger Glover's melodic Rickenbacker bass guitar lines that are locked in with Paice's at-times funky grooves. Dweezil's mix of Machine Head here is clearly an improvement over the original mix, while also honoring the album's original vibe and intent. For the serious fan, the Machine Head box set is a natural, must-have collection to pick up.