DEEP PURPLE's 'InFinite' Album Is 'Heavier' And 'More Prog' Than 'Now What?!', Says DON AIREY

British rock legends DEEP PURPLE will release their new album, “InFinite”, the highly anticipated follow-up to their worldwide chart-topping effort “Now What?!”, on April 7 via earMUSIC.

“InFinite” was tracked in February 2016 at a studio in Nashville, Tennessee and was once again helmed by Bob Ezrin, who has previously worked with KISS, PINK FLOYD, PETER GABRIEL, ALICE COOPER and KANSAS, among others.

Speaking to Vintage Rock at last month’s Hall Of Heavy Metal History induction ceremony at the Anaheim Expo Center in Anaheim, California, DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Don Airey stated about the band’s new disc (see video below): “[It was] recorded in the same studio in Nashville [as ‘Now What?!’], [and] with the same producer. It’s a little heavier than the last one. It’s a bit more prog, as we say in England. I think it’s gonna surprise a lot of people. It surprised me when I heard it. [Laughs] I mean, it really did.”

DEEP PURPLE recently announced their “Long Goodbye Tour”, which will bring the legendary live show once again all over the world. The band has not yet answered the many questions received by fans from all over the world who are speculating about the meaning of the title “InFinite” and “Long Goodbye”.

Asked if the upcoming tour will mark DEEP PURPLE‘s farewell to the concert stage, Airey said: “Well, we’ve got two years of touring coming up. Whether there’ll be anything beyond that, time will tell. As Bruce Payne, our manager, said, never say never. But we’ll just have to see. I just heard about Ozzy Osbourne not facing up to retirement very well. He’s going, ‘What am I gonna do?’ You know, this is what we do, and if people still want you to do it and you can do it, well, let’s do it.”

PURPLE drummer Ian Paice suffered a minor stroke in 2015, forcing him to miss the band’s shows in Sweden and Denmark — the first time his medical condition prevented him from performing with the group.

DEEP PURPLE — which has been eligible for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for two decades now — finally entered the Rock Hall as part of the class of 2016. The band’s first three lineups were inducted, including drummer Ian Paice, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, late keyboardist Jon Lord, and various singers and bassists — Rod Evans; Ian Gillan and Roger Glover; and David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes.