Deep Purple have dropped the brand‑new single, Arrogant Boy, the first track to be unveiled from their upcoming studio album SPLAT!.
The song, a fast and forceful hard‑rock blast, is accompanied by an official performance video that premiered on YouTube.
Frontman Ian Gillan says the track centres on a character named Billy, explaining: “This is the story of Billy who couldn’t read or write. He is unhappy with things, so he speaks up, and finds a way of irritating, one way or another, the elite. And I can’t think of anything more fun than irritating the elite. It would be a joyous exercise for me every morning after coffee.”
The band have confirmed that SPLAT! will be released on July 3, adding another chapter to a career that has seen Deep Purple sell more than 120 million albums since forming in 1968.
Gillan says the current line‑up feels like a modern reflection of the group’s classic era, noting: “Where we are now with this incarnation of Deep Purple feels very much like a very ‘now’ version of Deep Purple as it was in the seventies.”
The album once again pairs the band with producer Bob Ezrin, whose long list of credits includes KISS, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed and Alice Cooper.
Recorded live in the studio, the group describe the new material as their heaviest in years.
Gillan says the songs sit naturally alongside some of their most famous work: “I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with Highway Star, Smoke on the Water, Lazy – the dynamics, the balance, and the fun of the music we made from ‘69 to ‘73.”
At the centre of the record is a concept created by Gillan exploring the end of humanity not as destruction but as transformation, with further details expected ahead of release. The band will support the album with an extensive world tour in 2026, covering 86 shows across 28 countries.
Gillan said: “Deep Purple is in a great place right now.”
SPLAT! will be released in a range of formats including CD, digital, standard 2LP, limited purple vinyl and limited transparent yellow vinyl.
A deluxe box set will include the album on 2LP and CD, a 12‑page booklet, three exclusive 10‑inch live recordings from the 2024 tour, and a 7‑inch single featuring the bonus track GUINNESIS, which is exclusive to the box.
Additional items such as a picture disc, cassette and a signed canvas limited to 199 copies will be available through the band’s official store.
More new music from the album is expected, with pre‑orders now open via www.deeppurple.lnk.to/SPLAT.