Although Genesis is not a band usually associated with heavy metal - but rather, as a prog rock trailblazer - their influence on what eventually became known as "prog metal" is undeniable. After all, such renowned acts as Rush, Iron Maiden, and Dream Theater have all been vocal about their affection for the band.
However, it was not Genesis' most commercially successful period - the '80s - that these aforementioned bands were taken by. But rather, the group's more artsy '70s era, when the band featured both singer Peter Gabriel and guitarist Steve Hackett in their ranks (rounded out of course by singer/drummer Phil Collins, bassist Mike Rutherford, and keyboardist Tony Banks).
In other words, the more challenging (and not as widely known) material on such LPs as Selling England By The Pound and The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway left more of an impression on Alex Lifeson, Steve Harris, and Mike Portnoy than say, "That's All" or "Invisible Touch" did.
But did Genesis have an influence on the more proggier moments of '80s thrash metal? Although the thrash movement seemed to have much more in common with punk than prog fashion-wise (leather jackets vs. capes), musically, there were certainly moments when thrash leaned more towards the prog side of things. Case in point, parts of Metallica's Master Of Puppets and …And Justice For All, Voivod's Dimension Hatröss, Watchtower's Control And Resistance, etc.
When Hackett (who left Genesis in 1977, two years after Gabriel's exit) recently chatted with Ultimate Guitar while promoting his forthcoming solo album, The Circus And The Nightwhale, he was asked about his thoughts about thrash metal and metal in general, and if he was familiar with any of those bands.
He replied: "Because I came up with tapping so early on, I was really handing something to a lot of the guitarists who were going to lead the charge with that type of band. I don't dislike heavy metal, believe me. Whatever we choose to call it, whatever the subdivisions are – thrash this and death that and what have you."
Hackett will release his new studio album, The Circus And The Nightwhale, on February 16 via InsideOut Music. A rite-of-passage concept album with a young character called Travla at the centre of it, The Circus And The Nightwhales’ 13 tracks have an autobiographical angle for the musician who says about his 30th solo release: “I love this album. It says the things I’ve been wanting to say for a very long time.”
Hackett discusses the album in Part 1 of an interview series, below:
The Circus And The Nightwhale is Steve’s first new music in over two years. It follows the beautiful acoustic LP Under A Mediterranean Sky from January 2021 - which rose to #2 in the UK Classical chart - and, in September of that year, his metallic masterpiece Surrender Of Silence, which hit the UK Top 40. His 2023 live album, Foxtrot At Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton, reached #2 in the Rock & Metal Chart. Steve’s new LP promises ballads, blues, blistering progressive rock… and healthy measures of theatre and fantasia.
Recorded between tours in 2022 and 2023 at Siren studio in the UK - with guest parts beamed in from Sweden, Austria, the US, Azerbaijan and Denmark, the lineup for The Circus And The Nightwhale includes some familiar faces alongside Steve on electric and acoustic guitars, 12-string, mandolin, harmonica, percussion, bass and vocals. Roger King (keyboards, programming and orchestral arrangements), Rob Townsend (sax), Jonas Reingold (bass), Nad Sylvan (vocals), Craig Blundell (drums) and Amanda Lehmann on vocals. Nick D’Virgilio and Hugo Degenhardt return as guests on the drumstool, engineer extraordinaire Benedict Fenner appears on keyboards and Malik Mansurov is back with the tar. Finally, Steve’s brother John Hackett is present once more on flute.
The new album is available to pre-order on several different formats, including a Limited CD+Blu-ray mediabook (including 5.1 Surround Sound & 24bit high resolution stereo mixes), Standard CD Jewelcase, Gatefold 180g Vinyl LP & as Digital Album. All feature the stunning cover painting by Denise Marsh. Pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"People Of The Smoke"
"These Passing Clouds"
"Taking You Down"
"Found And Lost"
"Enter The Ring"
"Get Me Out!"
"Ghost Moon And Living Love"
"Circo Inferno"
"Breakout"
"All At Sea"
"Into The Nightwhale"
"Wherever You Are"
"White Dove"
"People Of The Smoke" video:
Summing up The Circus And The Nightwhale, Steve says: “It’s a lovely journey that starts dirty, scratchy and smoky and becomes heavenly and divine. How can you resist it?”
Steve is currently on tour in North America, continuing his Foxtrot At Fifty + Hackett Highlights run. Next year he will tour the world extensively, including a brand new UK tour under the name Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights & Solo (that will see him return to the legendary Royal Albert Hall), as well as a return to the US for additional Foxtrot At Fifty shows from March 1 through April 13. For the full list of dates, head here.
(Photo - Tina Korhonen)
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