"Stormbringer" is the ninth studio album by the English rock band Deep Purple, released in November 1974. It marked the band's second studio release with the Mk III lineup, which included vocalist David Coverdale and bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes.
The album's cover features a photograph taken on 8 July 1927, when a tornado near the town of Jasper, Minnesota, was captured by Lucille Handberg. This iconic image, which became widely recognized, was used for the Stormbringer album cover after being edited for the band's release. This same photograph had previously been used for Miles Davis' 1970 album Bitches Brew and Siouxsie and the Banshees' 1986 album Tinderbox.
The album title, Stormbringer, refers to the magical sword in Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone fantasy novels, though David Coverdale later admitted he was unaware of the connection at the time of recording. He initially believed the name was from mythology. Interestingly, a few years later, Moorcock worked with Blue Öyster Cult to write "Black Blade," a song directly inspired by the sword Stormbringer.
Regarding the album's content, it is notable that the opening of the title track includes slurred gibberish spoken by Coverdale, which, according to Glenn Hughes, is a backward recitation of dialogue from Linda Blair's character in The Exorcist.
Upon its release, Stormbringer received mixed to positive reviews. In a retrospective assessment, AllMusic's Alex Henderson remarked that while the album didn't quite reach the heights of Machine Head or Who Do We Think We Are, it still contained memorable tracks like "Lady Double Dealer," "Stormbringer," "High Ball Shooter," and the ballad "Soldier of Fortune." However, Stormbringer would be the last album to feature guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who left the band following the album's release, citing his dissatisfaction with the band's evolving musical direction towards a funkier style. Glenn Hughes, however, praised Blackmore's contributions to the album, acknowledging his ability to play funk despite his own reservations about it.
The album was reissued several times, with notable remasters and expanded versions. In 1990, Stormbringer was remastered and re-released by Metal Blade Records in the U.S., followed by a re-release by Friday Music in 2007. EMI also worked on a remastered, expanded edition with bonus remixes and alternative takes, and in 2009, a 35th Anniversary Edition was released with a second disc containing a 5.1 surround sound DVD of the quadraphonic mix. This limited edition was available only in Europe and was eventually followed by a single CD edition. Additionally, a limited double gatefold vinyl edition of the album was made available.
