Steve Hackett & Steve Rothery – The Roaring Waves

The Roaring Waves brings together two of progressive rock’s most distinctive guitar voices, Steve Hackett and Steve Rothery, for a long-awaited collaborative instrumental album. Built around seven pieces and a shared fascination with the sea, the record moves between intricate guitar interplay, expansive atmosphere and moments of deliberately dramatic virtuosity. The title reflects Rothery’s memories of growing up around Whitby, where the sound and scale of the sea became a lasting emotional reference point.

The project developed slowly over the best part of eight years, with the original idea dating back even further. Both musicians’ touring and recording commitments meant work often had to pause for months at a time, but sessions at the Racket Club and their respective home studios gradually produced a cohesive body of music. That extended gestation gives the album the feeling of a carefully shaped standalone statement rather than a quick meeting of famous names.

Across the record, Hackett and Rothery use the sea as both subject and metaphor. The music ranges from technically demanding passages to more spacious and reflective sections, with the common thread being scale, movement and memory. Rather than competing for attention, the two guitarists bring recognisable individual voices into a shared framework, allowing melody and atmosphere to carry as much weight as virtuosity.

This limited gatefold 180g vinyl edition includes an LP booklet and has been half-speed mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell. That presentation makes it particularly appealing to progressive-rock listeners and guitar enthusiasts who value both performance detail and high-quality analogue playback. For now, The Roaring Waves is intended as a standalone collaboration, making this release a distinctive meeting point between two long-established musical paths.

For record buyers, Steve Hackett & Steve Rothery – The Roaring Waves also works as a strong physical edition of this material, with the vinyl format giving the music room to unfold as a complete listening experience. The release sits naturally within Inside Out's catalogue while retaining the character of Steve Hackett & Steve Rothery's own work. It is a considered addition for collectors as well as listeners approaching the music for the first time.