Deep Purple have announced a new album titled =1, arriving July 19th via earMUSIC, roughly a month before the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band kicks off its North American “= 1 More Time Tour” with Yes.
The lead single from the album is expected to drop next Tuesday (April 30th), though the British rock legends did unveil the artwork and tracklist for the upcoming 13-song LP.
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=1 will mark the group’s first album with guitarist Simon McBride, who was welcomed into the band after longtime guitarist Steve Morse exited in 2022 to take care of his ailing wife. Deep Purple’s lineup is rounded out by classic members Ian Gillan (vocals), bassist Roger Glover (bass), and Ian Paice (drums), along with longtime keyboardist Don Airey.
Studio vet Bob Ezrin returned as producer for the album, which promises to capture the classic Deep Purple sound. The mystery surrounding the symbolic title =1 will be revealed in the coming days, with the band having already incited fans’ curiosity with “equations and depictions of multiverses” appearing in London, Paris, and Berlin in the days prior to the album announcement.
The album =1 will be released in a plethora of formats: CD+DVD (digipak); CD (jewel case); 2-LP gatefold vinyl (black 180g); limited purple 2-LP gatefold (180g); crystal clear 2-LP (180g); and as a limited box set including the CD+DVD digipak, 2-LP black vinyl gatefold, three additional 10″ vinyl records featuring live recordings from Deep Purple’s 2022 tour, plus more ephemera and collectibles. All vinyl editions include a 12-page LP-sized booklet, and all included bonus DVDs feature a 60-minute backstage tour documentary.
As previously reported, Deep Purple will hit the road for a North American summer tour with Yes. The outing kicks off August 14th in Hollywood, Florida, and runs through a September 8th show in Scranton, Pennsylvania, with tickets available here.
Pre-order the album in various formats and bundles via the Deep Purple online store, and stay tuned to Heavy Consequence for the release of the lead single. Check out the album art, various formats, and the tracklist below.
=1 Artwork:
=1 Tracklist:
01. Show Me
02. A Bit On The Side
03. Sharp Shooter
04. Portable Door
05. Old-Fangled Thing
06. If I Were You
07. Pictures Of You
08. I’m Saying Nothin’
09. Lazy Sod
10. Now You’re Talkin’
11. No Money To Burn
12. I’ll Catch You
13. Bleeding Obvious
