Steve Hackett & Steve Rothery - The Roaring Waves (2026)

I think The Roaring Waves is a pleasant instrumental prog album, but I don't think the compositions are memorable enough to justify the quality of the musicians involved.

The obvious strength is the interaction between Steve Hackett and Steve Rothery. Neither of them turns the album into a guitar competition, and I appreciate that restraint. The Storm develops naturally, while Sandsend has one of the clearer melodic themes on the record.

K-129 is probably the most interesting track for me because the electronic pulse, sonar effects and darker atmosphere give it a stronger identity than the rest. The Roaring Waves also works reasonably well, especially when the music rises and falls instead of simply building towards a predictable climax.

The problem is that I admire the playing much more than I remember the music.

Too many tracks rely on tasteful guitar tones, spacious keyboards and slow melodic development without producing themes that really stay with me afterwards. Everything is beautifully executed, but also very controlled. I rarely feel surprised, and there isn't much tension or emotional urgency.

The Black Sea is a good example. It sounds lovely while it is playing, but once it finishes I struggle to remember much beyond the overall mood. Pacific Coast Highway brings some welcome blues and harmonica to the ending, although by then I am more grateful for the change of colour than particularly excited by the song itself.

The forty-five-minute running time helps a lot. Nothing becomes actively tedious, and the album remains easy to listen to from beginning to end.

But that is also where I land with it: easy to listen to.

For two musicians with such distinctive histories, I expected more individual personality and stronger compositions. This is polished, atmospheric and technically excellent, but I don't feel a strong need to return to it.

Pros
Excellent interaction between Hackett and Rothery
K-129 has a genuinely distinctive atmosphere
Compact running time and very polished performances

Cons
Too many themes disappear quickly after the songs finish
Atmosphere and musicianship are stronger than the compositions
The consistently restrained approach becomes slightly too safe

Genre: Instrumental Progressive Rock
Country: UK

Final Verdict: 64% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 313th / 660

Highlight: The Roaring Waves


Made me think of:
David Gilmour
Mike Oldfield
Andy Latimer

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