Deep Purple in Rock

Released on June 3, 1970, *Deep Purple in Rock* signaled the start of Deep Purple’s heaviest period, for which they\'re still best known. The addition of Ian Gillan on vocals and Roger Glover on bass to a lineup already fortified with Jon Lord on organ, Ian Paice on drums, and Ritchie Blackmore on guitar made Deep Purple clear favorites to dominate the emerging heavy metal genre, which at the time was still defined largely as over-amplified blues-based rock ’n’ roll. Gillan’s high-pitched howls would influence all metal going forward, while Blackmore’s fretwork would forever rank him as one of the most influential—and greatest—guitarists of his era. Though Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin saw their fortunes rise further over the years, any serious hard rock/metal fan *knows* that this album is one of the important turning points, and that songs such as “Speed King,” “Bloodsucker,” “Into the Fire,\" and the epic “Child in Time” are textbook examples showing where the genre would soon go.