Edsel Records has announced a March 6, 2026 release for RAINBOW’s “The Temple Of The King: 1975–1976”, the most extensive collection to date documenting the band’s early years. Marking the first installment in a planned series of anthology releases charting the career of legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, the set comes as a nine-CD box newly mastered by Andy Pearce and Matt Wortham. It is presented in deluxe seven-inch packaging and includes a 24-page booklet filled with memorabilia, rare photos, and sleeve notes written by music journalist Rich Davenport.
Covering RAINBOW’s first two years, the set features the band’s debut album, “Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow”, the breakthrough release “Rising”, and the extended German performances later compiled for the double live album “On Stage”. The final two discs are dedicated to rare material, much of it appearing on CD for the first time, including rehearsal recordings, single edits and rough mixes.
