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DON AIREY
Pushed To The Edge
earMUSIC, 2025

If there is a household name in rock, hard rock and heavy metal music from the 1970s to the present day, it must be Don Airey. The organist, keyboardist and composer has appeared on well over 200 albums. The list of bands and artists he has worked with reads like the who-is-who of music. We're talking GARY MOORE, OZZY OSBOURNE, JUDAS PRIEST, BLACK SABBATH, JETHRO TULL, WHITESNAKE, SAXON, WISHBORNE ASH, RAINBOW, BRIAN MAY and a host of other artists, such as the British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. Most notably, Don Airey replaced Jon Lord as the DEEP PURPLE keyboardist and organist in 2002 and was immediately accepted by the fans without the usual division and debate as was the case when guitarist Steve Morse joined the band. The Blackmore fans are still not over it - even though DEEP PURPLE guitar duties have been in the most capable hands of Simon McBride since 2022.

With such an amazing career under his belt, Don Airey, now 76 years of age, is, needless to say, one of the most versatile, virtuoso and seasoned musicians around. Airey's new album Pushed To The Edge is not just a testimony of his stellar musicianship, it is an excellently crafted album somewhere between classic rock and hard rock with a host of stylistic influences, unexpected twists and turns, all presented in a modern, cutting edge sound. Not fully unexpectedly, the material on this album is organ and keyboard driven, showcasing Don Airey's breathtaking virtuosity and energy. The first number, the high octane rocker "Tell Me", which is probably the most DEEP PURPLE-style track on the album, prepares the stage and sets the tone for what follows. The following "They Keep On Running" with its short Mexican-style trumpet intro soon erupts into a mid-tempo rocker with neo-classical elements that evoke memories of the best RAINBOW times.

Other highlights are the piano-driven "Flame In The Water", a real atmospheric gem with intriguing vocal lines and clever harmonies and a jazzy piano solo as well as the slightly progressive "Godz Of War". This track, which is almost eight minutes long, is the most demanding and sophisticated track on Pushed To The Edge. It's something you want to go back to a few times to soak it all up and to appreciate it in full, but it's definitely worth it. It will appeal to heavy rock fans and prog aficionados alike. And, finally, the closing track, the instrumental "Finnigan's Awake", rounds off this brilliant album consisting of 11 killers and zero fillers in the best possible way, showing once more DON AIREY's virtuosi as a keyboardist and his seasoned skills as a composer. At the end of the track, he actually introduces his band, which includes his DEEP PURPLE colleague Simon McBride on guitar and vocalist Carl Sentance of NAZARETH and PERSIAN RISK fame. Not only does he sound like the real English gentleman that he actually is (I have had the pleasure of meeting him twice), he also adds a touch of humor and a certain live feeling to an album that is exciting, surprising and sparkling with brilliance.

5.0 Out Of 5.0