If you’re a Rainbow fan and have been waiting for an ultimate box set, well get ready for 2026!
March 6th is the release date for "The Temple Of The King: 1975-1976", the best collection of the Rainbow's early days. This will be the first in a series of anthology sets covering Ritchie Blackmore’s career, with nine-CD’s of newly mastered tracks by Andy Pearce and Matt Wortham, featuring a 24-page booklet including memorabilia, and photos.
The set showcases the first two years of the band including "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow" and the breakthrough "Rising," as well as the German concerts that made up the double live album "On Stage". Rainbow was formed as Blackmore’s solo project after the Deep Purple tour that lead to his leaving the band. On that tour, Elf featuring Ronnie James Dio opened and that led to Blackmore working with Dio and the inevitable forming of the initial band.
"Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow" was a top 30 hit in the U.S., and caused Blackmore to fall in love with the band and leave Deep Purple.