Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have announced their first studio album together as the SATCHVAI BAND.
The Sea Of Emotion will arrive on November 6 through earMUSIC.
The two guitarists also released a new single, Mayhem, ahead of the album. Unlike some other songs from the record, they have not played Mayhem on their Surfing With The Hydra Tour.
Satriani and Vai have known each other for more than 50 years. Their friendship began when they were teenagers in Long Island. Satriani was 17 and had started teaching guitar. Vai was 13 and had moved from accordion to electric guitar.
That early connection also shaped the album’s title track. Vai built the three-part piece around an old reel-to-reel recording from one of their teenage sessions. Satriani said the recording shows how far they have come as musicians.
The pair created the album during breaks between G3 tour dates. They have shared stages many times over the years. Satriani and Vai also formed part of the original G3 lineup with Eric Johnson. More recently, they reunited with Johnson for another tour and released a live album to mark it.
The Sea Of Emotion focuses mainly on Satriani and Vai. Most tracks are instrumental. However, Glenn Hughes joins them on I Wanna Play My Guitar. The pair have already performed that song during SATCHVAI BAND shows. It is one of three songs from the upcoming album that they have included in their live set.
Their current SATCHVAI BAND also features Pete Thorn on third guitar.
Satriani said the biggest surprise during the project came from their different songwriting methods. He added that those differences made the album more enjoyable and interesting to create.
Vai also reflected on their long relationship. He said both musicians found something they loved at a young age and kept pursuing it. Despite their different musical voices, they continued to support each other for decades.
The Sea Of Emotion will arrive on November 6 via earMUSIC.
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