2025’s release of Gentō by Steve Rothery’s other recent side project, Bioscope, with Alex Reeves and Torsten Quaeschning, was an ambient/electronic/cinematic masterpiece that gave emphasis to how versatile and experimental he can be outside of his day-job with Marillion. The excitement generated by that album has now been matched by the forthcoming release of another collaborative effort, and another instrumental album, this time with long-time friend and fellow prog-God and guitar hero Steve Hackett.
In such capable hands The Roaring Waves was always odds-on to be a cracker, but there was also a faint possibility that the two titans may clash, unable to resist the temptation to over-indulge. Fortunately, the two Steve’s have avoided the obvious pitfalls and have created a balanced, bold, and bewitching set of songs, each with their own personality, and each being nurtured by two complementary and skilful musical arrangers.
The sea and open water have proved to be timeless inspiration for many artists, and for those in Prog in particular. The endless horizon, the ebbing tide, the perils of the deep, and the pluck of seafarers – ancient and modern, provide unlimited opportunities to evoke the atmosphere of adventures on the high seas. The history of cinema is also littered with epic seafaring tales and so it is no surprise that the two Steve’s have focused in on the cinematic potential of the high seas, using their combined talents to create stunningly evocative pieces that tell their own distinct stories and inspire the listener’s imagination, placing us at the heart of the action. From sea storms, sea dragons, submarines and marine cemeteries to coastal roads and harbour towns, the music ebbs and flows with the proverbial, and literal, tides.
Mr. Hackett and Mr. Rothery leave no shell unturned in exploring new guitar tones and ways to combine their skills to create the desired atmospheres and to provide the most weather-worn prog rock listener with fresh and refreshing music. Tracks one and two soundtrack contrasting scenes. Firstly The Storm, where the call and response format for the guitar parts is used to ramp up tension and to provide energy, and secondly, Sandsend where a more melodic arrangement uses gently overlapping phrasing to echo the ambience of a walk along the harbour promenade at Rothery’s home town of Whitby, with the sounds of the waves breaking along the shoreline.
Track 3 is Red Dragon, a rocking piece that summons up the wild spirits of the sea, has a strong rhythm section (provided by the Steve Rothery Band’s own Ricardo Romano and Leon Parr) underpinning the arrangement, that begins with Eastern influences but also incorporates some familiar and some less familiar guitar sounds. It has a Cannibal Surf Babe type vibe where the listener is not sure what is coming up next, and no element of the spontaneous, intuitive guitar phrasing is out of bounds. The Roaring Waves is much closer to a more typical prog arrangement, with a 12-string guitar opening heralding orchestral strings and a lone, soaring, guitar melody that develops into an all-guns-blazing solo. The closing section features a superb guitar duet that provides abundant evidence of the artful beauty created by this partnership, and finishes with an acoustic coda, accompanied by piano. Prog traditionalists will probably mark this track as a particular highlight.
The mood switches again, with K-129 opening with an electronic ambient pulse. An occasional echo finder sound effect signals the setting for this tale of a doomed Russian nuclear submarine, apparently scuttled by its commander whilst on cold war exercises in the Pacific Ocean. Subtle but expressive guitar phrases evoke the muted activity of the crew in the depths of the sea, confined in the innards of the vessel, creating a musical soundtrack to its final voyage. The two Steves combine to close out the track with an uplifting, melodic duet. It was Steve Rothery who came up with the original sequenced soundtrack and K-129 does bear the hallmarks of his recent solo and side project works. Similarly, The Black Sea has a Rothery-esque feel from the very start. The story focuses on how oxygen-depletion in the deepest water of the sea provides the right conditions for preserving ancient shipwrecks, and in some respects, this is a companion piece to Marillion’s Estonia. There is a soulful groove underlying the track with creative use of synths, and delightfully melodic guitar phrasing carrying the song. It all makes for a respectful tribute to all lives lost at sea.
To close, the two Steves let loose the shackles and give us their take on a blues rock hoedown on Pacific Coast Highway. Steve Hackett provides effervescent harmonica and Mrs. Hackett and Mrs. Rothery provide the choral finale. The ensemble nature of the track sums up the attitude of the two main players perfectly. The context, the song-writing, and the arrangements are as, if not more, important than the virtuosity (and the egos) of the lead guitarists.
The Roaring Waves is a fine album that is best enjoyed in one sitting. It maybe not what some people may have been expecting, or even what some people may have hoped for, but as a showcase for both of these musical maestros it provides both comfort and familiarity, and also innovation and experimentation. It may not surpass what has gone before, but it can certainly be looked on as a most entertaining addition to the two Steve’s respective canons.
As well as all the normal formats, The Roaring Waves release is available in a limited-edition CD/Blu-ray with a 24-page booklet, featuring Atmos mixes by Andy Bradfield.
TRACK LISTING
01. The Storm (6:50)
02. Sandsend (4:45)
03. Red Dragon (4:18)
04. The Roaring Waves (7:11)
05. K-129 (7:53)
06. The Black Sea (6:41)
07. Pacific Coast Highway (7:30)
Total Time – 45:08
MUSICIANS
Steve Hackett – Guitars, Bass, Harmonica
Steve Rothery – Guitars, Bass (7), Keyboards
Ricardo Romano – Keyboards, Bass
Leon Parr – Drums (6 & 7)
Daniele Pomo – Drums (1-5)
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Inside Out Music
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 28th August 2026
LINKS
Steve Hackett – Website | Facebook | YouTube | X | Instagram
Steve Rothery – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | Instagram
