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Deep Purple’s ninth studio album Stormbringer (1974) showcases the band’s short-lived but vocally powerful "Mark III" lineup, where traditional hard rock was infused with new funk and soul influences brought in by David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. However, this blues-tinged shift in musical direction caused internal friction, making the record guitarist Ritchie Blackmore's last with the band before his departure to form Rainbow. Despite the tension, the album has maintained its status as a rock classic, particularly due to its bombastic title track and Coverdale’s timeless ballad "Soldier of Fortune."