STEVE HACKETT: Surrender Of Silence released September 10

[Progatron]

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Legendary guitarist Steve Hackett, releases his new studio rock album Surrender of Silence on 10th September 2021, via Inside Out Music. The album features 11 new songs as Steve has been working hard through Lockdown and, for the first time, has completed two studio albums for release within the same year!

Hot on the heels of his classical-acoustic travelogue Under A Mediterranean Sky, which was released in January and hit Number 2 in the UK Classical Album Chart, Surrender of Silence is a further exploration of Hackett’s love of world music, discovering different sounds, moods and textures to deliver a rock album of extraordinary variety, power and beauty.

As with Under A Mediterranean Sky, Surrender of Silence was also recorded during Lockdown and, again, Hackett has called upon some of his musical friends from across the world to contribute. Hackett’s regular touring band of Roger King (keyboards, programming and orchestral arrangements), Rob Townsend (sax, clarinet), Jonas Reingold (bass), Nad Sylvan (vocals) and Craig Blundell (drums) are supplemented by Phil Ehart and Nick D’Virgilio (drums), the vocal talents of Amanda Lehmann, Durga and Lorelei McBroom, Christine Townsend (violin, viola), Malik Mansurov (tar) and Sodirkhon Ubaidulloev (dutar).

This new album is full-on electric...

“Lockdown cobwebs are blown away in one fell-swoop here!” says Steve Hackett. “With the monster rhythm section of Jonas, Craig, Nick and Phil along with Rob’s soaring sax and bass clarinet, Nad, Amanda and myself on vocals, Roger’s darkly powerful organ and my guitar, we plunge full-pelt into that wild release of energy.”

Our journey takes us from the classical orchestrations of Russia (Natalia) to the plains of Africa (Wingbeats) to mysterious Eastern shores (Shanghai To Samarkand), all via the ocean’s depths (Relaxation Music for Sharks (featuring feeding frenzy)). The Devil’s Cathedral pools the talents of Hackett’s entire touring band and features King’s atmospheric Gothic organ and a powerhouse rhythm display from Blundell and Reingold.

Hackett’s vocals have never been bettered and his duet with Amanda Lehmann adds emotion to Scorched Earth a lament for the environmental horrors facing our planet. Throughout Hackett’s guitars add a rich tapestry of colour with soaring solos and intricate weaving melodies.

“It’s a ‘no holds barred’ album,” adds Hackett, “riding that wave, unleashing those demons, dreams and nightmares, all crashing together over the shore.

“I enjoyed the power of this album allowing my guitar to scream in joy and rage... and once again flying across those oceans to distant lands. It’s terrific to connect creatively with musicians from far flung places, particularly when we’ve all been unable to meet. We all have a voice in our cacophony of sound and we cry out together in the Surrender of Silence!”

Surrender of Silence track listing:

1. The Obliterati (02:17)
2. Natalia (06:17)
3. Relaxation Music For Sharks (Featuring Feeding Frenzy) (04:36)
4. Wingbeats (05:20)
5. The Devil's Cathedral (06:31)
6. Held In The Shadows (06:20)
7. Shanghai To Samarkand (08:27)
8. Fox's Tango (04:21)
9. Day Of The Dead (06:25)
10. Scorched Earth (06:03)
11. Esperanza (01:04)

Steve Hackett shares writing credits with both Jo Hackett and Roger King on several tracks. All tracks were recorded by Roger King and produced by Steve Hackett with Roger King at Siren.

Surrender of Silence is released on 10th September 2021 as a Limited Edition CD+Blu-ray Mediabook in hardcover slipcase, Standard CD Jewel case, Gatefold 2LP+CD & LP-Booklet and Digital Album via Inside Out Music.

[Paulrus]

Say one thing about Steve Hackett: he is prolific.

[moecurlythanu]

^ When they negotiated the great Genesis divorce, Steve got all the Prolific, and Peter got all the Inertia.

[Johnkil]

^ When they negotiated the great Genesis divorce, Steve got all the Prolific, and Peter got all the Inertia.

[SRS]

Looks good - I like that it seems like he is using more of his band and also a nice selection of cool guests.

But I wish that he would do an entire album as "The Steve Hackett Band" - write and compose it all together with Roger, Rob, Jonas, Nad and Craig. Maybe too much to ask to also let Nad sing everything but maybe a 50/50 split with Steve. I think something really special could come out of a true full on "Hackett Band" offering. This seems to be closer to that direction so maybe one day.

[Top Cat]

Looks good - I like that it seems like he is using more of his band and also a nice selection of cool guests.

But I wish that he would do an entire album as "The Steve Hackett Band" - write and compose it all together with Roger, Rob, Jonas, Nad and Craig. Maybe too much to ask to also let Nad sing everything but maybe a 50/50 split with Steve. I think something really special could come out of a true full on "Hackett Band" offering. This seems to be closer to that direction so maybe one day.

That would be really great to hear what a collaborative album would sound like.
But I think Steve is comfortable as an elder in the prog world, to continue expressing himself and most likely feels he has a lot more to say through his music.
I do feel he might benefit from an outside producer, because to me a lot of the newer stuff is somewhat similar, with a few standouts on each release.
Wolflight was my last purchase, but I have purchased every live release he does, and think the last one with Craig Blundell has a fresher, more invigorated band feel to it.

I'm a little tired of the Roger King touch and orchestrations to the music.
I was just listening to a few samples from the Out of the Tunnels Mouth, and really like the raw, experimental sound and writing Steve did on that. Looks like it might be a Father's Day Gift Card purchase since I don't have it in my collection.

[Fracktured]

Does Steve ever sleep?

[moecurlythanu]

Does Steve ever sleep?

Just unquiet slumbers.

[Aquatarkus]

^ When they negotiated the great Genesis divorce, Steve got all the Prolific, and Peter got all the Inertia.

Compared to Steve, every other member of Genesis has been inert! I love how devoted to music the guy is. It's never just about the past with Steve. He's always working on new music. If you would have asked me in the eighties which member of Genesis would turn out to be the most prolific I would have said Tony Banks. I imagined him releasing many albums after his main band stopped making new music. I was so wrong. Barely a peep except for the occasional reunion tour.

[Progatron]

^^^ Ant Phillips has released 31 albums, not counting compilations. Hackett has 28 (... but 48 if you include live releases).

[yesman1955]

^^^ As everyone here knows, Ant doesn't "do live" 😉

[aith01]

Compared to Steve, every other member of Genesis has been inert! I love how devoted to music the guy is. It's never just about the past with Steve. He's always working on new music. If you would have asked me in the eighties which member of Genesis would turn out to be the most prolific I would have said Tony Banks. I imagined him releasing many albums after his main band stopped making new music. I was so wrong. Barely a peep except for the occasional reunion tour.

Hey, Tony has released 3 albums of classical music since the mid-2000s.

[Aquatarkus]

^^^ Ant Phillips has released 31 albums, not counting compilations. Hackett has 28 (... but 48 if you include live releases).

I clearly need to get listening. I had no idea. I love the early work.

[Paulrus]

It's never just about the past with Steve.

With all due respect, I'd argue that with Steve it IS very much about the past. He's been devoting most of his time on stage to 70s Genesis music, and his solo albums over the past 20 years have mostly followed a template established by 1979's Spectral Mornings (a little rock here, a little exotic soundtrack there, throw in a dash of Spanish acoustic, rinse and repeat). It's not like he's evolved or changed much since then.

I'm not saying this is necessarily a bad thing. Certainly from a business standpoint Steve's done QUITE well mining the past. I think some of us would just like him to stretch out a bit. And I don't mean by playing blues with harmonica.

[Progatron]

I clearly need to get listening. I had no idea. I love the early work.

I'm happy to provide suggestions depending on what you've heard/like thus far. I'm a huge Ant fan and own his entire catalogue.

[JKL2000]

"Hackett’s vocals have never been bettered..."

Ok...

[progman1975]

Anyone else miss his brother in the band--I sure do

[boilk]

Anyone else miss his brother in the band--I sure do

I'm not familiar enough with his material to know, but I do know that my favourite Steve Hackett concert was his classical guitar based tour, that also prominently featured his brother.

Neil

[Koreabruce]

I definitely prefer John Hackett's flute to Rob Townsend's flute/soprano saxophone in Steve's music. Rob is a fantastic player, don't get me wrong, but the siblings never failed to conjure a similar and very particular sort of haunting, ethereal vibe whenever they performed together.

[progman1975]

I definitely prefer John Hackett's flute to Rob Townsend's flute/soprano saxophone in Steve's music. Rob is a fantastic player, don't get me wrong, but the siblings never failed to conjure a similar and very particular sort of haunting, ethereal vibe whenever they performed together.

:

[miamiscot]

Hey, it says in the press release that this is a "rock" album. That sounds interesting...

[SRS]

Pre-orders start today - and first song released

[Top Cat]

I saw this on Steve's FB page this morning, I quite like it.
After a year of dark clouds over the world, this song has a nice positive uplifting vibe to it.
And the overall feel reminds me of some of his earlier albums, which I say in a good way.

Steve's still got some guitar grit in him, and I have a feeling this album is gonna kick butt.
I've passed on all the new stuff since Wolflight, but will give this one a serious look.

[Wil]

Dear Steve,
You're great but please don't make any more videos. Thanks.

[JJ88]

Liked the instrumental guitar bits, but I really didn't like the song or the video. Far too corny for me. I agree with the guy in the comments who talks about the sameness of the sound. That stacked vocal harmony thing is so tired now.