The name may sound familiar, and with good reason. They took their name from Deep Purple’s 15th studio album title, for what had begun as a band with self-penned material, became a cover band to help pay bills. However, that turned out so well, they not only began originating material once more but got Purple drummer Ian Paice to join them.
Now, Purpendicular is preparing for the release of their fourth studio album, Banned, due out on 10th October via Metalville Records, and ahead of that they’ve just released single taken from the longplayer, ‘Blood Red Moon’.
Writing began last year, in a remote village high in the mountains near Porto, Portugal. The concept was agreed on the first night but it took a twist when devastating fires took place, putting the lives of the band in grave danger… A situation not unfamiliar to the drummer of ‘Smoke On The Water’.
‘Blood Red Moon’ was inspired by a surreal moment when those wildfires in Portugal painted the night sky in ash and turned the moon a deep crimson. The track channels that haunting image into a driving rock anthem, filled with emotional urgency and atmospheric tension. It’s a sonic journey through devastation and reflection—where beauty emerges from chaos and silence burns louder than fire.
The band were rescued off the mountain from their villa, to a safer option and to an alternative accommodation where they spent the night watching the fires rage on the veranda. It was there, titles and more ideas came to fruition, to add to the already conceptual theme of Banned, summarising today’s sensitive culture, in that the slightest wrong word can get you banned, adding the pun that if you excluded the titles last two words it read: Band.
From thereon, Vocalist Robby Thomas Walsh, guitarist Murray Gould, keyboard player Alessandro Debiaggi, bass player Mauricio Torchio and Paice decided to add an autobiographical theme also, telling the story of events as they unfolded that treacherous night where many people lost their lives and homes. With recordings completed in Italy, Poland and the UK, Banned was produced by Debiaggi and Walsh.
Described as “a fresh modern look back at the 70s!” tracks featured are: ‘Inferno’, ‘Beast’, ‘The Escape’, Blood Red Moon’, You Better Behave’, Banned’, ‘Too Hard To Please’, ‘Seventies Kid’ and ‘The End’.
