Classic trademarks meet an enthusiastic spirit - A review of Deep Purple's "Limitless"

Deep Purple's Limitless is a nice compilation given out with an issue of Classic Rock Magazine. It consists of four studio tracks and four live cuts. The material consists of recent singles and rare b-sides as well as songs recorded during concerts in Europe and Asia during the last four years. Limitless represents the sound and form of contemporary Deep Purple very well. It can be seen both as a nice collector's item and an appropriate introduction to the band's current sound. To me, it was the latter and it made me discover more of the band's recent recordings.

Among the studio tracks, the futuristic and moody progressive rock opener ''Time for Bedlam'' convinces with great guitar harmonies, powerful organ sounds and intellectually appealing lyrics. It's impressive how sharp the band sounds after having been around for almost five decades and this song proves that the group is still going strong. Among the live cuts, the compilation closer ''Black Night'', that was first published on this record and later included on a special edition of the new studio album, convinces the most because the band sounds very playful and the audience is audible and sounds very enthusiastic.

In the end, Deep Purple's Limitless can be seen as a greatest hits compilation of what the band has accomplished in the past four years. The eight songs are all extraordinary progressive rock tracks performed with energy, inspiration and skills. They all remind of the classic Deep Purple sound based upon vivid rhythm sections, outstanding guitar melodies, melodic vocal lines and majestic organ sounds. Despite this traditional sound, the band sounds as fresh, hungry and strong as newcomers which makes the listening experience even greater. Let's hope this band carries on and continues to prove its status as one of the world's best rock bands.

Final rating: 90%