Review by Paul Sabin for MPM
Two guitar legends, five decades of friendship and one album that’s been a long time coming. Sometimes the best things are worth waiting for, and `The Sea Of Emotion’, the first full studio album from guitar heavyweights Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, certainly falls into that category. Having known each other since the early 1970s, the pair have finally got together to create a collection that celebrates everything we love about their individual playing styles, while discovering plenty of exciting new territory along the way.
Opening with ‘Mayhem’, there’s little messing about. It’s an energetic, riff-driven workout packed with soaring harmonies, dazzling lead work and some seriously impressive guitar interplay. ‘Bronco Freight Train’ keeps the momentum going, while ‘Dancing’ brings a welcome change of pace with a quirky, infectious groove that shows there’s more to this partnership than simply turning the amplifier up to eleven.
There’s plenty of variety across the ten tracks. ‘The Feeling I Know’ showcases a more melodic and atmospheric side, allowing the guitars to breathe, while ‘Zoot Suit Riot’ is an entertaining slice of guitar-driven madness. ‘Old Sins Have Long Shadows’ adds a darker, more cinematic flavour, and ‘I Wanna Play My Guitar’, featuring the unmistakable vocals of Glenn Hughes, provides a welcome change from the predominantly instrumental approach.
However, the real centrepiece is the three-part title track. It’s an ambitious, almost 18-minute musical journey that gives both guitarists room to explore, experiment and, most importantly, enjoy themselves. Rather than becoming an excuse for endless shredding, it develops naturally, moving through different moods and textures. The final section even incorporates an old recording from one of Vai’s early guitar lessons with Satriani, bringing the whole story full circle. It’s a lovely personal touch that adds genuine meaning to the project.
What makes this album particularly enjoyable is the absence of any obvious competition between the two. There’s no desperate attempt to outplay each other. Instead, their contrasting styles complement one another beautifully, with Satriani’s melodic sensibilities sitting comfortably alongside Vai’s more adventurous and occasionally eccentric approach.
The Sea Of Emotion is packed with virtuosity, but there’s plenty of heart, humour and genuine musical chemistry too. It’s an album that rewards repeated listening, revealing little details and guitar conversations that might pass you by first time around.
It’s been a long time coming, but this is a collaboration that feels well worth the wait. Guitar fans should be very happy indeed.
The album is available to pre-order on CD and vinyl from this link – https://satchvai-eu.allotment.pro/
The album is available to pre-save on all digital platforms from this link – https://satchvai.lnk.to/TheSeaOfEmotion
JOE SATRIANI – WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE
