Joe Satriani Announces New Studio Album ‘The Elephants Of Mars’ Shares Single

Photo: Joe Satriani by Eduardo Pena Dolhun

JOE SATRIANI is kicking off the new year with a brand-new album. Set for release on April 8, 2022, The Elephants of Mars marks the legendary guitarist’s 19th studio album in his 35+ year career in music.

This album also marks the debut of his new label partnership with earMUSIC, the international rock label of entertainment group Edel.

The first single, “Sahara” debuts today with a video directed by ZZ Satriani.

“Sahara” is proof that Satriani can write engaging, listenable instrumentals better than any other high-velocity guitarist out there. He uses the track’s deep groove to develop melodies and cohesive sections rather than merely letting his chops out to play, which has always been his best trick. The cut is a brilliant and evolving piece of rock music that reinforces Satch’s place at the top of the shred hill without forcing him to overplay and ruin the vibe of the moment. The music video has a futuristic feel that fits the song well and shows Satriani to be as inscrutable as ever. “Sahara” is clearly the work of a master musician with nothing left to prove teaching us all how to blissfully play for the song. You’re going to like what you hear.

Watch “Sahara”

Satriani and ZZ will join fans on YouTube prior to the 9am PT / 12pm ET / 5pm UK / 6pm CET world premiere.

Joe Satriani had an admirably productive workingman’s holiday, with pandemic forced time away from the road, that ultimately gave him and his touring band, all recording remotely in separate areas of the world during lockdown, the ability to deliver an album length journey that never dulls. “The Elephants of Mars” crackles with an exciting new energy, briskly traveling through stylistic roads that feel freshly updated, viewed through new eyes.

The guitarist challenged himself to create a “new standard” for instrumental guitar albums to be measured against, one which would work from “a new platform of his own design,” as he terms it. “I want to show people that an instrumental guitar album can contain far more creative and entertaining elements than I think people are using right now.”

From the gripping, sci-fi madness of “Through A Mother’s Day Darkly,” to the isolation felt in a decaying urban landscape, as depicted in first single “Sahara,” to the general endorphin levels that peak as the elephants finally roar in the title track, “The Elephants of Mars” will stampede across your mind, leaving a sonic imprint that doesn’t fade.

In 2020 with all time constraints removed, “The Elephants of Mars” truly represents the album that Joe Satriani himself hoped he could deliver with his band. “We did everything. We tried the craziest ideas. And we entertained every notion we had about turning something backwards, upside down, seeing what could happen.”

With this new album Joe Satriani joins the eclectic and exciting roster of earMUSIC. General Manager, Max Vaccaro remarked, “Some years ago, we were lucky to be the label chosen by Joe Satriani for the extremely fortunate Chickenfoot project. It was impossible not to notice and admire the dedication, the work ethic, and the monstrous talent in the recording studio and on stage. We knew, though, that he had the same “home” for his solo music for decades and that for him, being signed to a record company meant loyalty and belonging. “It is with great joy and sense of responsibility that now, some years later, we welcome Joe for his first solo work with earMUSIC. We thank him for having written and recorded very special music that will make a lot of fans happy, and we like to think this will be the first of many great albums to come.”

Pre-orders are available now and include a special limited digi-pack CD release featuring seven double sided cards of original artwork by Satriani representing each song from the album. In addition, several colored vinyl options will be available as well to pre-order including an orange, pink (D2C only) and purple version.

TRACKLISTING

1. Sahara
2. The Elephants of Mars
3. Faceless
4. Blue Foot Groovy
5. Tension and Release
6. Sailing the Seas of Ganymede
7. Doors of Perception
8. E 104th St NYC
9. Pumpin’
10. Dance of the Spores
11. Night Scene
12. Through a Mother’s Day Darkly
13. 22 Memory Lane
14. Desolation

FORMATS:
CD Jewel case, Ltd. CD Digi sleeve (incl.14 images created by the artist himself), 2LP Gatefold, Ltd. 2LP Gatefold Orange, Ltd. 2LP Gatefold Purple, Ltd. 2LP Gatefold Pink, Digital

For over three decades, the guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani has travelled the world, playing to sold-out crowds as both a headliner and as founder of the all-star “G3” guitar extravaganza. Satriani’s studio and live recordings have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide to date and of his many solo albums, two have gone platinum and four others went gold, with 15 Grammy nominations between them. His side project, Chickenfoot, featuring former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar, former bassist Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith saw their debut album certified gold and their second studio album debuted at #9.