- Rock Metal Machine
- 34 minutes ago
- 3 min read
STEVE HACKETT & STEVE ROTHERY REVEAL THE ROARING WAVES
An instrumental journey finally arrives.
Published: 6 August 2026 • Author: Rock Metal Machine • Reading Time: 3 mins
Steve Hackett and Steve Rothery unite for The Roaring Waves, an atmospheric instrumental album arriving on 28th August via InsideOutMusic. New single 'Red Dragon' reveals the project's heavier edge, blending medieval hurdy-gurdy, powerful guitar riffs, soaring melodies, and Hackett's distinctive sitar guitar work.
RELEASE DETAILS
Artist:
Steve Rothery & Steve Hackett
Album:
The Roaring Waves
Release Date:
28th August 2026
Record Label:
InsideOutMusic Pre Order:
Link Formats:
CD • Vinyl • Ltd Cd & Blu-ray
PR Label:
Two titans of progressive music, Steve Hackett (Genesis) and Steve Rothery (Marillion), come together on ‘The Roaring Waves’ - a striking and deeply atmospheric instrumental album shaped by memory, imagination, and the elemental power of the sea. The record has been much talked about over the years, and it will now finally see the day on the 28th August 2026 via InsideOutMusic.
Now the duo are pleased to present the video for new single ‘Red Dragon’. Created by Simon Ward, you can watch it below.
🔥 FIREWORKS INSIGHT
Steve Hackett and Steve Rothery have unveiled 'Red Dragon', the latest single from their long-awaited collaborative instrumental album, The Roaring Waves, due on 28th August via InsideOutMusic. The track blends Rothery's heavy riffs with Hackett's melodic sitar guitar, inspired by the historic East India Trading Company vessel of the same name. Years in the making, the album promises seven cinematic, sea-inspired instrumental compositions.
Steve Rothery comments: “Red Dragon shows off the rockier side of our collaboration, it starts with the sound of a hurdy gurdy (an instrument which originated in medieval Europe around the 10th century), followed by a heavy guitar riff by myself and great guitar melodies and sitar guitar by SH.”
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▶ WATCH THE NEW SINGLE
Want to hear the first taste of The Roaring Waves for yourself? Watch the official video below.
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Steve Hackett adds: “Red Dragon was the name of the ship that was used by the East India Trading Company in its early years. I used a sitar guitar amongst others to give that authentic Eastern feel...”
Years in the making, The Roaring Waves brings together seven instrumental compositions that move fluidly between the cinematic and the intimate, as Hackett explains, “It’s not the kind of album that guitarists normally make together.”
“Red Dragon shows off the rockier side of our collaboration, it starts with the sound of a hurdy gurdy” Steve Rothery
Written and recorded intermittently over nearly a decade - with sessions at Racket Club and the duo’s home studios - the album emerged from an organic, improvisational process. Jams and shared ideas form the backbone of the music, allowing both players to explore a collaborative dynamic defined by sensitivity and mutual respect.
Throughout ‘The Roaring Waves’, the duo embrace a painterly, almost filmic approach to composition - crafting music that invites listeners to drift, imagine, and immerse themselves. “You’re trying to create an atmosphere... like painting a picture,” says Rothery. “Taking people on a journey.”
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The full tracklisting is as follows:
1. The Storm
2. Sandsend
3. Red Dragon
4. The Roaring Waves
5. K-129
6. The Black Sea
7. Pacific Coast Highway
The album is also available to pre-order on several formats, including a Ltd CD+Blu-ray mediabook edition including Dolby Atmos (by Andy Bradfield) & High Resolution Stereo mixes. The album will also be available as a Standard CD & a Gatefold 180g LP, cut at half-speed at Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell. All feature artwork and layouts by Simon Ward.
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Images courtesy of Anne-Marie Forker / The Publicity Connection
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