Deep Purple "The Battle Rages On... (Reissue, Repress, Germany, RCA, 74321 15420 2)"

The Battle Rages On... is the fourteenth studio album by the English rock band Deep Purple, released on 19 July 1993 in Europe.It marked the second return of frontman Ian Gillan and was to last to feature founding member Ritchie Blackmore, prior to his second and final departure four months after release. It is the last album recorded with the band's classic Mk II line-up, which reunited for a second time (the first reunion being for 1984's Perfect Strangers).

Joe Lynn Turner was fired from the band during the early sessions, with Mike DiMeo initially chosen as his replacement. At the insistence of Jon Lord, Ian Paice and Roger Glover (as well as the band's management and record company), Ian Gillan eventually returned to the band during late 1992 in place of DiMeo, thus reforming the Mk II line-up. Gillan had to rework much of the material already existing for the album, which had been intended for Turner and/or DiMeo. Ritchie Blackmore allegedly became infuriated by Gillan's re-writes, believing the songs were more melodic in their original versions, and he left the band for the second and final time after a show on 17 November 1993 in Helsinki, Finland. Joe Lynn Turner later quoted Blackmore referring to the album as "The cattle grazes on". American guitarist Joe Satriani joined Deep Purple as a temporary replacement for the remainder of the tour. A handful of working tracks written during The Battle Rages On... sessions would turn up on subsequent solo releases by Turner under different song titles.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan and Roger Glover, except where noted.

1. "The Battle Rages On" (Blackmore, Gillan, Jon Lord, Ian Paice) 5:48
2. "Lick It Up" 3:50
3. "Anya" (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord) 6:28
4. "Talk About Love" 4:05
5. "Time to Kill" 5:44
6. "Ramshackle Man" 5:32
7. "A Twist in the Tale" 4:12
8. "Nasty Piece of Work" (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord) 4:34
9. "Solitaire" 4:35
10. "One Man's Meat" 4:38

Time: 49:26

Co-released by RCA and BMG.

Repress of Deep Purple - The Battle Rages On... released between 1994 and 2004.

Jewel case, 8-page foldout booklet (the inner side is printed black and white).

Some track durations printed on the release do not match the audio on the release:

1. 5:48

2. 3:50

5. 5:44

7. 4:12

9. 4:35

All songs published by Blackmore Music Ltd., Rugged Music Ltd., Dislocated Music, Inc., and administered by Thames Overtures Ltd.

Thanks: Rudi Gassner, Heinz Henn, Irving Azoff, Michael Domemann, Jerry Gold, Jim Manngard, Vince Gutman, Dawk Sound, Cindy DaSilva, Franz Von Augsburg, Barry Kaye, Laszlo Hegedus, Peter Maffay, Birgit Feldman, Steffi Poetsch, Dorothy Held, Greg Rike, Doree Rice, Dave Amlen, Peter Lewis, Joe Hogan, Ed Raso, Darryl Chism, Fender, Washburn, Akai, Tune, Steinberger, Pearl, Paiste, Perreaux, Marshall, Roland, Peavey, Digidesign, Korg (Wavestation) and Hammond (X82).

Produced by Thom Panunzio and Roger Glover.

Basic Tracks produced by Thom Panunzio at Bearsville Studios.

Vocals and overdubs recorded at Red Rooster Studios (engineered by Hans Gemperle) in Tutzing, Germany, and Greg Rike Studios (engineered by Jason Corsaro, assisted by Wally Walton and Darren Schneider) in Orlando, Florida.

Mixed by Pat Regan with Roger Glover at Sound on Sound Recording (engineered by Pat Regan, assisted by John Siket, Devin Emke and Peter Beckeman) in New York, and at the Ambient Recording Company (engineered by Pat Regan, assisted by Mark Conese) in Connecticut

Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound in New York.

℗ & © 1993 under exclusive license to BMG International.

Distributed by BMG - A Bertelsmann Music Group Company. All trademarks and logos are protected.

RCA is a registered trademark of General Electric Company, USA. Made in the EC. (Printed on back cover).

Made in Germany. (Printed on disc).

Recording information:

Recorded at Bearsville Studios NY / Red Rooster Studios, Tutzing, Germany / Greg Rike Studios, Orlando, FL.

Mixed at Sound On Sound Recording, NY / Ambient Recording Company, Stamford, CT.

Mastered at Sterling Sound, NY.