What can I say about these two gents that I haven’t already said many times over the years? These two dudes practically raised me, or dragged me through “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland as a teenage rocker, in a crazy period of life when chaos was the norm and escapism was the game. For me, the guitar gave me a chance to get my head down and find myself in a like-minded community of crazy metalheads, all of whom lived and breathed music.
I can remember the very day I found Satch’s “Surfing With The Alien” on cassette in my brother’s flat in Dublin; I used to go down over the summer and crash for a week or two, and while he was out doing his own thing, I would rummage through his music collection and look at all the curiosities and names that I had never heard of before. Discovering artists like Joe, Steve, Yngwie, Paul, and Nuno was life-changing, and I’m still grateful. Hearing the opening onslaught of that album sent me over the edge, and I don’t think I have ever quite come back!
How it took Satch and Vai so long to finally get together and put down a full album in the studio is beyond me, but here we are: the time is now, and it drops this Friday.
The album kicks off with the aptly titled track ‘Mayhem’, exactly what you would expect from two of the greatest shredders we have ever seen; it is a bruising track that whets the appetite for what is to come. The fluid exchanges between Satch & Vai just leave you begging for more; the endless harmonic dive-bombs leave you salivating at the mouth, and this is only the opening exchange! A beauty of a track that has all the Vai and Satriani signatures all over it, you know you are in good hands. ‘Bronco Freight Train’ hits hard; those gnarly down-tuned riffs lay down a thick backbone to a song that just delivers. Their majestic use of the ‘Digitech Whammy’ is a thing of beauty; the harmonising lead lines and catch runs boggle the mind, but as with these two masters, it’s perfectly cohesive and flows perfectly. The tasty solos again highlight the two guitarists’ stylistic diversity, yet they fuse perfectly. Across the album, there are so many ‘wow’ moments as both artists effortlessly fuse their instruments seamlessly; their integration of styles across the tracks just melts the brain!
So many familiar sounds, with the foundations of their sound embedded in your brain after listening to around 30 studio albums between them, you can hear all those subtle and not-so-subtle nuances dappled around this glorious recording, both artists hitting their peak creativity and no doubt pulling the very best out of each other while in the studio. One thing is clear: this collaboration is built on mutual respect and a foundation of musical creativity as the only deciding factor in how hard either artist feels they need to push at any given time. Both are exceptional musicians capable of so much on a whim, but there is a restraint that you can feel within the four walls of the album that says less is more, no need for grandstanding, no ‘cutting heads’ here, just two long-time brothers nodding at each other across a room as they finally bring to the fore an album some five decades later.
The Sea of Emotions is far more than I expected. Time flies by while you listen; you have to give yourself space, sit down, and absorb this album, because it’s easy to miss all those glorious tricks Steve and Joe toss out at will. We take so much for granted after spending a lifetime listening to their recordings that you feel that the most mind-blowing musical expression is to be expected, but I promise you this is on another level of musicianship, one that only comes through experience, a lifetime poured into honing your craft and knowing when to push and when to hold back.
It can be easy to assume you get the full picture from single choices when they are released, and they can polarise a fan base, but trust me, this one was well worth the wait! If you were lucky enough to catch SATCHVAI live when they passed through the UK on their initial run of dates, you will know just how special this relationship is. Now, finally, on Friday, November 6th, you too can appreciate this glorious recording in full. Thank you once again, Mr Joe, Mr Steve; I tip my hat to thee.
Review: Mark
(Photo Credit: Larry DiMarzio)
SATCHVAI:
JOE SATRIANI AND STEVE VAI
UNITE FOR THE SEA OF EMOTION, OUT
NOVEMBER 6 VIA earMUSIC
“THE SEA OF EMOTION”
PRE-ORDER CD & VINYL | PRE-SAVE DIGITAL ALBUM
THE SEA OF EMOTION – TRACKLIST
- Mayhem (3:39)
2. Bronco Freight Train (5:07)
3. Dancing (3:40)
4. The Feeling I Know (5:57)
5. Zoot Suit Riot (4:36)
6. Old Sins Have Long Shadows (4:43)
7. I Wanna Play My Guitar (4:16)
8. The Sea Of Emotion Pt. 1 (5:49)
9. The Sea Of Emotion Pt. 2 (5:20)
10. The Sea Of Emotion Pt. 3 / Reflections On A Year And A Half (6:39)
“I Wanna Play My Guitar” feat. Glenn Hughes – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h86Wsj6BnU8&list=RDh86Wsj6BnU8&start_radio=1
“The Sea of Emotion, Pt. 1” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAKVmW1InBA&list=RDVAKVmW1InBA&start_radio=1
“Mayhem” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUu8vZXOP0Q&list=RDeUu8vZXOP0Q&start_radio=1
“Dancing” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVm1Z3am6qI&list=RDLVm1Z3am6qI&start_radio=1
About Joe Satriani
For over three decades, the guitar virtuoso has traveled the world, playing to sold-out crowds as both a headliner and as founder of the all-star “G3” guitar extravaganza. Satriani’s studio and live recordings have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide to date and of his many solo albums, two have gone platinum and four others went gold, with 15 Grammy nominations between them. He launched his annual “G4 Experience” in 2014 bringing aspiring guitarists together for four days of workshops, mentor sessions and live performances, providing an exclusive learning platform led by him and his accomplished peers. In 2021, he introduced the “Crystal Planet” comic series, a five-part opus interweaving the realms of music and art. The tour documentary “Beyond the Supernova,” directed by ZZ Satriani and currently available for streaming, offers an intimate behind-the-scenes glimpse that intricately chronicles his life, illuminating the profound dedication that fuels his guitar mastery. His side project, Chickenfoot, featuring former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar, former bassist Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith saw their debut album certified gold and their second studio album debuted at #9. Satriani released his 19th studio album, The Elephants of Mars, in April 2022. It was a busy 2024 and 2025 for Joe Satriani, beginning with the highly anticipated G3 Reunion tour alongside the original powerhouse lineup of Satriani, Eric Johnson and Steve Vai. That was followed by the Satch/Vai tour, where the longtime friends not only shared the stage but unveiled a new musical collaboration. Rounding out 2025 and continuing into 2026, Satriani joined forces with Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Kenny Aronoff for the Best of All Worlds tour, which sold out arenas across the U.S. and Europe and earned widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike.
JOE SATRIANI – WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE
About Steve Vai
Steve Vai is a virtuoso guitarist, composer and producer, considered by many as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. In over 45 years in the industry, Vai has sold over 15 million records, received three Grammy Awards, and recorded with music legends like Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, Whitesnake and many more. Vai has also toured extensively and recorded live projects with G3 (collaborating with different touring lineups including Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Eric Johnson, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Steve Lukather) and Generation Axe, a supergroup Vai formed with Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi. Vai is the author of Vaideology: Basic Music Theory for Guitar Players (Hal Leonard), his inaugural music theory book designed to help both beginners and veteran guitar players. In the recent past, he has travelled the globe supporting his most recent studio album Inviolate, staging performances in 51 counties across the globe. Over the course of his 43 years touring, he continues to visit locations for the first time. His final excursion in 2023 saw Vai perform in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Zallak (Bahrain), Bangalore and Kolkata (India), alongside six new markets in China (Foshan, Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Nanjing and Hefei). Beginning in 2024, BEAT (Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Danny Carey and Steve Vai) played 65 North American shows, followed by dates across South America, Mexico and Japan in 2025. In 2026, the band toured Europe before returning to North America for 40 additional performances.
STEVE VAI – WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE
