Vai shares: “The idea for this guitar and track came to me roughly seven years ago. I envisioned composing and performing a piece of music on a multi-neck instrument where all of the sound emanated from that one creation with the exception of some keyboards and drums. I sent my ideas to Ibanez, and their builders delivered this astonishing wooden creature. I was stunned. It was awesome. When I first laid eyes on it, I named it the Hydra, and instantly knew the name of the song would be ‘Teeth Of The Hydra’.

“A Hydra is a dragon-like creature from Greek mythology possessing various heads. For every head chopped off, two would grow in its place. I then set out to write a piece of music that utilized all the features of the Hydra, but could also stand on its own as an enjoyable composition with a sultry melody and heavy dynamics.” He continues: “When I finally sat with the Hydra and started to contemplate writing this piece and how I was to navigate the instrument in a seamless way, for a moment it seemed impossible. I just started slowly, and it all began to unfold very naturally.

“Things that can seem impossible don’t seem so impossible once you just start doing them. Every new discovery and accomplishment were treated as a joyous victory, even if it only involved figuring out one bar of music. The overall inner vision was the guide through the process, but with every accomplishment, the process became more and more addictive. I became immersed in the splendors of the Hydra. It was a meditative experience, and on the day that it all finally clicked, performing the song felt like stillness in motion — that’s when the performance becomes virtually effortless, and the freedom of present-moment expression has you feeling as if your feet are about a foot off the ground. The exhilaration can be overwhelming at times. I’m very happy with the way the video came out, and having BJ McDonnell as director, along with his amazing crew, was vital. Enjoy!”

Vai‘s new studio album, “Inviolate”, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Current Hard Rock Albums chart. Cumulative streams exceed five million, with “Teeth Of The Hydra” accounting for more than one million.

Steve Vai has announced that the “Inviolate” world tour will now begin with a European leg of appearances beginning in Glasgow on June 4. He’ll be on the road in to mid-July, staging performances in the U.K., Ireland, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. A detailed itinerary follows below.

For tickets and a variety of EVO Experience VIP bundles available visit www.vai.com. Vai will be joined by his long-tenured ensemble members Dave Weiner (guitar, keys), Philip Bynoe (bass) and Jeremy Colson (drums).

Vai shares: “It’s amazing to realize that after three years of not performing our show on a stage, that it’s now on the horizon, and will start to unfold in Europe this summer. I can feel the road now and the enthusiastic audiences that we will be will be connecting with.”

Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group released Vai‘s new studio album, titled “Inviolate”, on January 28.

Confirmed appearances include:

June 04 – Glasgow, UK – o2 Academy
June 05 – Manchester, UK – The Ritz
June 07 – London, UK – Palladium
June 09 – Bristol, UK – o2 Academy
June 10 – Dublin, Ireland – Academy
June 11 – Belfast, UK – The Limelight
June 13 – Paris, France – Le Trianon
June 14 – Strasbourg, France – La Laiterie
June 16 – Oslo, Norway – Rockefeller
June 17 – Bergen, Norway – USF Verftet
June 18 – Gothenburg, Sweden – Pustervik
June 19 – Stockholm, Sweden – Fållan
June 20 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Amager Bio
June 22 – Lille, France – Splendid
June 23 – Clisson, France – Hellfest
June 24 – Bordeaux-Cenon, France – Rocher de Palmer
June 25 – Nimes, France – Paloma
June 26 – Lyon, France – Transbordeur
June 28 – Nuremberg, Germany – Hirsch
June 29 – Linz, Austria – Posthof
July 01 – Udine, Italy – Castello
July 02 – Macerata, Italy – Sferisterio
July 03 – Bari, Italy – Teatro Petruzzelli
July 04 – Firenze, Italy – Ultravox Arena
July 05 – Gardone Riviera, Italy – Anfiteatro del Vittoriale
July 06 – Zurich, Switzerland – Komplex
July 08 – Berlin, Germany – Columbia Theatre
July 09 – Weert, Netherlands – Bospop Festival
July 10 – Antwerp, Belgium – OLT Rivierenhof
July 12 – Toulouse, France – Le Bikini
July 14 – Sancti Petri, Spain – Concert Music Festival
July 16 – Valencia, Spain – Jardin de Viveros
July 17 – Vigo, Spain – Auditorio Mar do Vigo
July 19 – Barcelona, Spain – Teatro Tivoli