Samurai Of Prog, The: The Man in the Iron Mask

The highly prolific Samurai Of Prog continues to release outstanding albums and are perhaps the most consistent band over the past ten years, you just know whatever the band comes out with it will be of the highest quality. I happened to miss their 2022 release Anthem to the Phoenix Star but have happily delved into their 2023 album titled The Man in the Iron Mask.

This time the concept takes us back to 17th century France and the reign of King Louis XIV. In 1669 a man was arrested and subsequently held for over three decades in several French jails, including The Bastille. His name was kept a mystery as his face was covered with an iron mask. Oliviero Lacagnina who provides keyboards wrote all the music and provided the main idea behind the concept.

I’m going to throw this out there right now. So far I have reviewed eight albums from the band, not including side projects, and each release is superb, finely crafted, and the attention to detail SoP exhibits is always top notch. And the artwork by Ed Unitsky is of that same high standard. This album continues the band's run of excellence.

There are seventeen tracks with a total running time of just short of sixty minutes. So, as is often the case, there is much to absorb and take away from this album. Roughly half the tracks are instrumentals, and on the others, Steve Unruh handles most of the vocals as well as fine tuning the lyrics into the English language.

The album begins with two instrumentals; “The Iron Mask Ouverture� and “Celebration for the Birth of the King�, both wildly entertaining symphonic progressive rock pieces held together with consummate musicianship and finely tuned arrangements. The latter including a military beat further adding to the bombastic production. “Berceuse to the King� is the first track to feature the relaxed vocals of Steve Unruh and his voice is warm and pleasant, slightly set back in the mix making room for Marcel Singor’s soaring lead guitar and the lovely saxophone work of Marek Arnold. The calming, near folk-like arrangement and serene symphonic textures remind of what a centuries old lullaby might sound like. The music turns darker on the near menacing “The Secret Twin� with its jagged and edgy electric guitar and Unruh’s near whispered vocals adding a feeling of unease and on the ensuing “The Temple of the Rosicrucians�, the somewhat angry guitar unveils a certain amount of tension, and the entire ensemble plays flawlessly. “The Conspiracy of the Rosicrucians� is a nice mix of heavy chaos and melodic classical influences, leading to the blistering instrumental “Palais Royal� with its off kilter playing, jabbing lead guitar, and very cool choir-like sounds from Unruh. “Richelieu’s Testament� is another great track showcasing a dense string and keyboard arrangement, light classical guitar, and searing electric leads. The madrigal and joyous “Dance at the Court� is a full on celebration of symphonic prog, very tasteful and detailed, every note so well fleshed out. The band’s nuanced approach is quite exceptional. The album ends with the delightful “Epilogue�, highlighting the pure symphonic nature of the band.

What can I say? The Man in the Iron Mask is another fantastic album from the Samurai of Prog crew, one of the best progressive rock bands working today. Highly recommended!

A Seacrest Oy label release.

The musicians:
Oliviero Lacagnina (keyboards)
Marco Bernard (Shuker bass)
Kimmo Pörsti (drums)
Steve Unruh (vocals, flute, acoustic and electric violin, textural vox)
Rafael Pacha (recorders, classical and electric guitars, viola de gamba)
Federico Tetti (electric guitars)
Marcel Singor (electric guitars)
Marek Arnold (sax)
Thomas Berglund (electric and lead guitar)
Juhani Nisula (electric guitar)
Lauren Trew (vocals)

Track Listing:
1. The Iron Mask Ouverture (3:23)
2. Celebration for the Birth of the King (2:13)
3. Berceuse to the King (3:25)
4. The Secret Twin (4:07)
5. The Temple of the Rosicrucians (4:05)
6. The Conspiracy of the Rosicrucians (3:53)
7. Palais Royal (3:23)
8. Richelieu’s Testament (4:29)
9. Dance at the Court (4:04)
10. A Ghost from the Past (2:34)
11. Mazzarino’s Plan (4:12)
12. The Fortress (4:15)
13. I Am No More (2:42)
14. The Ambush and the Clash (4:34)
15. Father and Daughter (2:15)
16. The New King (3:21)
17. Epilogue (2:39)

Added: February 10th 2024
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Artist's Official Site
Hits: 1190
Language: english

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