A release date for Steve Vai and Joe Satriani‘s first join studio album has finally been set.
Considering the pair’s incredibly tight-knit relationship, it seems inconceivable that it took the duo 53 years to write an album together.
Vai was just a teenager when he showed up on Satriani’s doorstep with an electric guitar. That was in 1973. Fast-forward to 2026, and their highly anticipated first full album together is set for release on November 6 via earMUSIC.
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Three singles, The Sea of Emotion, Pt. 1 (there are three parts in all), I Wanna Play My Guitar, and Dancing, which features a music video directed by Brendon Small, have teased the album over the last 16 months. Those were just the tip of the iceberg.
New single, Mayhem, finds the pair harmonizing and dueling with abandon, with six more tracks set to follow.
“We’ve been planning this since 1973,” Vai laughs. “Just unconsciously.”
The seeds of the record were sown in early 2024 when Vai, Satriani, and Eric Johnson reunited the original G3 line-up. But it’s a record defined by their differences just as much as their virtuosic commonalities.
“The biggest surprise was that we write in completely different ways,” Satriani details. “That’s what made the project so fun and interesting.
“It illustrates just how far we’ve come,” he adds. “We’re these two kids who haven’t found our sound yet, but we’ve got enthusiasm. We’re chasing something, and we’re determined.”
They’re joined by some familiar faces. A wealth of bass greats provides the low end, including Billy Sheehan, Bryan Beller, and Marco Mendoza.
Drums have been tracked by longtime collaborator Kenny Aronoff, who is currently in the Best of All Worlds band with Satch, along with Gregg Bissonette, Jeremy Colson, and former Dream Theater talent Mike Mangini and more.
Eric Caudieux, a recurring figure on Satch’s albums and tours, has pulled a double shift on keyboard and production duties. Glenn Hughes, who recently retired from touring, serves guest vocals on I Wanna Play My Guitar.
“It’s a beautiful coming together of me and my friend in a very intimate musical way,” Vai wraps. “That was the reason we did the record.”
The Sea of Emotion is available to preorder now.
The Sea of Emotion tracklist
- Mayhem
- Bronco Freight Train
- Dancing
- The Feeling I Know
- Zoot Suit Riot
- Old Sins Have Long Shadows
- I Wanna Play My Guitar
- The Sea Of Emotion Pt. 1
- The Sea Of Emotion Pt. 2
- The Sea Of Emotion Pt. 3 / Reflections On A Year And A Half
