Steve Vai launches explosive track Zeus In Chains from upcoming Inviolate album

Steve Vai
(Image credit: Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group)

Guitar Maestro Steve Vai has launched a vizualiser for Zeus In Chains, from upcoming album Inviolate. The release comes a month after the first single from the album, Little Pretty.  

"The title for this track Zeus In Chains was told to me by the track when I was listening back and asked it… ‘What’s your name’?," explains Vai, rather cryptically. "This happened during the heavy guitar breakdown with the dissonant high note that happens right before the solo. It sounded like Zeus in Chains. Hey, it’s art. You can make up anything you want and it’s legitimate."

The Inviolate album will be released via Favored Nations/Mascot Label Group, and is the follow-up to 2016's Modern Primitive

"It’s very ‘Vai,’ whatever that means,” he says, and then laughs. “Someone else might be better than me at explaining what that is. But it’s just very honest music. Because a lot of my records, they're long and there's a lot of concepts and playing around with stories. This one has none of that. This is nine pretty dense all-instrumental compositions that I wanted to capture and record so I could get out there and play them live for people.
 
“An inviolate inspiration is one that comes to you completely pure. It appears almost in its completeness, and there’s a recognition of it as being right for you –perfectly right for you. There’s no excuses in it. There's no fantasy in it, just enthusiasm. There's a recognition of ‘yes.’ And then you capture that in a way that’s authentic to your unique creativity, and I feel as though that’s what I’ve done with this record.”

Fans will be able to confirm if Vai is correct when Inviolate  is released on January 28.

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.