10 Underrated Hard Rock Albums Of The 1980s
2. Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers
In 1984, the classic 'Mark II' line-up of Deep Purple decided to reform after 11 years with various members rejoining the band. This famously included the return of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from Rainbow and singer Ian Gillan from Black Sabbath, the pair having not worked together since 1973. The result of this collaboration was Perfect Strangers.
The album received mixed reviews upon its initial release, with some claims that it didn't quite reach the quality of previous releases under the line-up, such as 1972's Machine Head.
Regardless though, Perfect Strangers is a solid effort from the band to retain the classic Deep Purple sound, and many critics noted it's familiarity to that period - the howls and whispers of Gillan's vocals, along with some solid bass lines, unsynthesized organs and an electrifying roar from Blackmore's Strat on many tracks make for a powerful sound. The title track in particular really combines the guitars and organ tones well, while 'Knocking At Your Back Door' remains a surreal rock song, with lyrics depicting anal sex.
Depsite the criticism, it did sell very well (hitting platinum in the US), and remains a staple of the Gillan/Blackmore era of Deep Purple.