Deep Purple - In Rock

Just listening again to the "Child In Time" and it's amazing! Actualy i can't recollect any other rock/metal song which could match this one regarding songwriting and composition. Brilliant album, much of playful songwriting, outstanding performance.

This album is chock-ful of keyboard solos and awesome guitar work. Its not quite my favourite DP album,but its damn close.

Child in time is one of the most amazing song in the world of music

It's impossible for me to give this album the right rating, Child In Time is simply one of the most amazing songs of all time, but other than that song there isn't one song of this album I even remotely remember after a gazillion listens...

Written by Zap on 03.04.2012 at 20:15

...but other than that song there isn't one song of this album I even remotely remember after a gazillion listens...

Not even Speed King?

Child In Time is the obvious centerpiece and probably the greatest song Purple ever did, but the album is more about the intensity of the performances (the amazing Blackmore / Lord interplay, Gillan's crazy screaming) than the individual songs. That's not to say that Speed King, Bloodsucker and Flight Of The Rat aren't Purple classics too.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 03.04.2012 at 20:30

Written by Zap on 03.04.2012 at 20:15

...but other than that song there isn't one song of this album I even remotely remember after a gazillion listens...

Not even Speed King?

Not even Speed King...

Written by Zap on 05.04.2012 at 01:45


Not even Speed King...

I am surprised that you as a thrash fan (or am I confusing you with someone else? ) can't even remember Speed King, which is considered by many one fo the very first proto speed/thrash songs.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 05.04.2012 at 01:49

I am surprised that you as a thrash fan (or am I confusing you with someone else? ) can't even remember Speed King, which is considered by many one fo the very first proto speed/thrash songs.

Well, I am a thrash fan, but the thing is, I've never really liked Deep Purple that much, apart from Child in Time of course. I've always respected Deep Purple, but I just don't like listening to them . Saying this makes me feel like one of those guys that doesn't like Black Sabbath, yet still listens to metal...

Written by Zap on 05.04.2012 at 01:58

. I've always respected Deep Purple, but I just don't like listening to them . Saying this makes me feel like one of those guys that doesn't like Black Sabbath, yet still listens to metal...

Both is possible though very weird

Written by Pelagial on 02.03.2012 at 18:27

Child in time is one of the most amazing song in the world of music

You sir, have good taste in music.

And after two years since I last commented here I've come to appreciate this album more (though, for me, it's still not the masterpiece everyone makes it out to be).

( Copied from 'review' page, if anyone is interested...):
Child In Time is awesome. And this too (the mighty (John) Lord took the intro from this song):

Two unquestionable masterpiece songs and other great ones as well, but I wouldn't say all the songs are 10/10 material (mainly "Into The Fire" isn't). Not quite one of the top DP albums IMO.

Tad overrated?

Written by No False Steele on 15.02.2020 at 21:12

Two unquestionable masterpiece songs and other great ones as well, but I wouldn't say all the songs are 10/10 material (mainly "Into The Fire" isn't). Not quite one of the top DP albums IMO.

Tad overrated?

How is one of the most important early 70s albums overrated?
Your comment made me really sad.

Written by John_Doe on 18.02.2020 at 19:14

How is one of the most important early 70s albums overrated?
Your comment made me really sad.

Yes I admit it's importantance, which is not the main factor in my rating though; I'm mainly rating for how good I find the songs on this album. Personally I don't remember myself listening to this album much at all except for Speed King and Child in TIme.

Child in Time imo is one of the best songs ever, it has everything, an epic slow steady build up, with the bass and keyboards, then the vocals just go from being eerily quiet to going absolutely insane, then Ritchie takes over midway through with just a simply breathtaking solo, showing how incredibly talented of guitarist he is, then tje song slows and ends the way it started.

I'm not sure how Ian Gillen holds them high notes but that is some incredible vocal range for sure.

This band were incredibly talented, especially for the early 70s, just some of the songs on this album weren't to the same standard of Black Night, Speed King and Child in Time, brilliant album but not quite as consistent as Machine Head.

Machine Head (9.3/10) is in my top 60 albums, but I struggle to appreciate this album to the same level. 'Child In Time' is great, but the rest of the album just simply isn't very memorable IMO.

Good songwriting, sure, just not outstanding.

Child in time , one of the greatest songs ever

And finally I am going to see the legends of rock live in 2023.

Child in Time is most probably the best hard rock song, here we can also say the best metal song. Second one would be Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven.
It is timeless. But other songs are typically 70's, I don't know how good they were to listen back then, but even 20 years ago when I first tried to listen to this album, they were very skippable.

And to rate a whole album by just one really great song is very hard. It can't be a 9 or a 10.

EDIT 24.4.2024:
Changing my mind and changing score from 8 to 10. There are actually no skippable songs here. Sure the album was made 54 years ago and it doesn't sound very modern, but that isn't necessary a bad thing. Musically it is still top notch.
I'm going towards 40, so I am getting more open to music. I understand I didn't like this at 20 and 30 years old, that was mostly Iron Maiden and then everything else era.
What saddens me the most is that they stopped with heavy sound already after two albums, In Rock and Machine Head. Fireball and Burn are also good, maybe also Stormbringer.

I still have to learn why Machine Head is rated higher, it has like 6 good songs and this one has 7, and no real standout tracks like Child in Time.

First 4 tracks are the highlights, with Speed King being the best. The last 3 tracks are for the most part fillers. Overrated by nostalgic boomers for the most part. Most of the early rock/metal era is overrated due to their historical importance and how influential they would prove. However historical reputation and level of influence they would come to have does not replace good songwriting. Blackmore, Paice and Lord: these three going crazy without vocals is where the band excels on most of their great or good material. Gillan shines only when given proper tunes to sing but that wasn't that often the case in this band.

My personal Top 3 songs from the album:

Child In Time
Speed King
Hard Lovin' Man

Interesting bonus track: Black Night

The bonus tracks are better than the main 7.

Written by ivulv on 28.12.2025 at 12:25

The bonus tracks are better than the main 7.

If you say so.

The original edit of Black Night is a classic, but if you genuinely believe the rest of the outtakes and remixes are better than Child In Time you probably need your ears syringed

Written by ivulv on 28.12.2025 at 12:25

The bonus tracks are better than the main 7.

No.

Written by ivulv on 28.12.2025 at 12:25

The bonus tracks are better than the main 7.

Not in this universe.

Not now, not later, not ever.

Bro's turning Hot Takes into a competitive sport.

Written by gavdann on 28.12.2025 at 12:38

Written by ivulv on 28.12.2025 at 12:25

The bonus tracks are better than the main 7.

If you say so.

The original edit of Black Night is a classic, but if you genuinely believe the rest of the outtakes and remixes are better than Child In Time you probably need your ears syringed

'Child in Time', actually Cat Intyme, is a hot mess recording of a cat in heat.
Right now I am listening to Fireball, for the first time 😁, and I find it so good.
'Strange kind of Woman' is way better songwriting than 'Cat in Crime'.
'Slow Train' isn't childish either and 'Furball' is something that strangles the 'Cat' till it cools down.
My ears are syringed by the lament Gillan was able to pull in that song.

Written by ivulv on 31.12.2025 at 13:42

Right now I am listening to Fireball, for the first time 😁, and I find it so good.

At least we can agree on that. Fireball was the second Purple album I bought after Machine Head waaaay back in the late 80's.
To be honest, the album of theirs I tend to play the most these days is Made in Japan.

Written by ivulv on 28.12.2025 at 12:25

The bonus tracks are better than the main 7.

My brother in Christ most of the bonus tracks are just people talking.