Rainbow released the 1975 album Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow.
The album was the debut studio release by Rainbow, the band formed by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore after his departure from Deep Purple. It featured vocalist Ronnie James Dio, whose powerful singing became a defining part of the group’s early sound. The record combined hard rock with elements that later influenced traditional and power metal.
Songs such as “Man on the Silver Mountain” and “The Temple of the King” helped establish Rainbow’s identity. The band’s lineup changed repeatedly, with Blackmore remaining its central figure during its main period of activity.
The album title can cause confusion because it includes Blackmore’s name, but the artist is credited as Rainbow. Dio later pursued a successful solo career and also fronted Black Sabbath, while Blackmore eventually formed the Renaissance-influenced group Blackmore’s Night.