Former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman is giving fans a preview of his upcoming album, Return to the Red Planet, with the release of the new song "The Jezero Crater."

Return to the Red Planet, dropping Oct. 16, is the second time Wakeman has released an album inspired by Mars. The first, The Red Planet, was released in 2020.

The new album is described as "a sweeping new progressive work that fuses science, imagination, and musical virtuosity." The description adds that it's inspired by "the remarkable images and research that have transformed our understanding of Mars in recent years."

"Once I started looking at the new data and photographs, I realised there was an entirely new album waiting to be written," Wakeman explained when the album was announced. "There was simply too much more to say about Mars - musically and spiritually - not to return."

On the album, Wakeman is backed by The English Rock Ensemble, made up of bassist Lee Pomeroy, guitarist Dave Colquhoun, drummer Adam Falkner and vocalist Mollie Marriott, daughter of English musician Steve Marriott.

Return to the Red Planet is available for preorder now.

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