Band:	Various Artists
Album:	Blackmore's Castle - A Tribute To Deep Purple & Rainbow
Style:	Progressive metal
Release date:	2003
A review by:	Malcolm

01. Mister Kite - Bloodsucker [Deep Purple cover]
02. Transcendence - Perfect Strangers [Deep Purple cover]
03. Arabesque - Stargazer [Rainbow cover]
04. Lars Eric Mattson - Self Portrait [Rainbow cover]
05. Reign Of Terror - Sixteenth Century Greensleeves [Rainbow cover]
06. Iron Mast - Gates Of Babylon [Rainbow cover]
07. Headline - The Battle Rages On [Deep Purple cover]
08. Condition Red - Black Night [Deep Purple cover]
09. Torben Enevolden - Space Truckin' [Deep Purple cover]
10. Eric Zimmermann - Man On The Silver Mountain [Rainbow cover]
11. Winterlong - Highway Star [Deep Purple cover]
12. Jason Richardson - Lazy [Deep Purple cover]
13. Condition Red - Still I'm Sad [Rainbow cover]

Here it's important that you really think over what your opinion about cover songs and tribute albums are. If you don't like 'em, then I hope you'll find other reviews more suitable for you on Metal Storm.
But if you like them, and if you're a little open-minded, this might be something for you.
And of course, you have to be a fan of Ritchie Blackmore and his work in Deep Purple and Rainbow.

Finland's Lion Music (actually Åland, a little island between Sweden and Finland) released this tribute back in late 2003, and scheduled a second volume for early January 2005.
And it's mostly Lion's own superhero Lars Eric Mattson that's behind this release, he is contributing with no less than 3 songs here, plus that he is the producer.

I won't be able to talk about each and every of this 13 songs, so I'll just chose a few that I really finds good, and a few that I really not belong here.
I'll start with the second one, Transcendence with the cover of "Perfect Strangers", which I find very good, Greg Drew got a good voice and I think the guys doing a tremendous job in their attempt to do a decent cover of this song.

Then I'll have to say that this tribute album's biggest stars cover is one of the best, Reign of Terror's, with Joe Stump, Mike Vescera, Matt Scurfield and Jay Rigney, version of "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" is very good.
Headline's "The Battle Rages on" is also a decent cover, but I find the singer a little to weak.

On the other hand, if I shall chose some bad cover, I have to say that Arabesque's cover of "Stargazer" is terrible, and Condition Red's "Black Nights" aren't good, here Lars Eric plays the part as Diva a little to well.
Then you can choose yourself if you find an electro version of "Man on the Silver Mountain", with Eric Zimmermann, as a good song or not, I'll stay neutral.

But in general, I think this tribute is quite good. It's neither a killer nor a total waste. But I wouldn't in any situation pay full price for it, try to find it on a sell off, or in used condition.

Check Out: Transcendence - Perfect Strangers, it's my favourite.