Samurai Of Prog – Omnibus 3 (Seacrest Oy, 2024)
The third boxed by The Samurai Of Prog, Omnibus 3, collects four relatively recent concept albums. These are products that sold out quickly and are available once more in digisleeve accompanied by a 24-page booklet.
This anthology includes The Lady and The Lion (2021), The White Snake (2021), The Spaghetti Epic 4 (2022) and Anthem to the Phoenix Star, featuring Marco Grieco (2022). In addition, the label has sweetened the offer with 5 bonus tracks of new material, totaling nearly 40 minutes of new music.
Progressive Rock Central already reviewed three of these albums individually: Samurai of Prog – The Lion and the Lady, The Samurai of Prog Dazzle with Their Take on The Spaghetti Western, and The Samurai of Prog Celebrate the Multifaceted Rising Phoenix. So here is a short review of the White Snake:
The Samurai of Prog’s album The White Snake (2021) was inspired by a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm. It presents an exquisite mix of western classical music elements and masterful Italian-flavored progressive rock (Rock Progresivo Italiano). The finely crafted opening instrumental track, ‘The Tricky Fiddler,’ sets the stage with Steve Unruh’s fantastic violin taking the lead, and later returns to neatly conclude the album.
‘Searching for the Fear,’ composed by Alessandro Di Benedetti, stands out with its orchestral instrumental arrangements, featuring memorable keyboard, violin, flute, and electric guitar solos, complemented by Paula Pörsti’s lovely wordless vocals.
The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs’ has an early Genesis flavor. It features the theatrical vocals that Marco Bernard likes to include in his projects. This is my least favorite component of Samurai Of Prog due to the cadence of the vocals. There is a dialogue between the male and female vocals. I much prefer the style of the female vocalist, Elisa Montaldo. The highlight is a notable guitar solo inspired by Steve Hackett’s work.
The Travelling Musicians,’ follows a similar dramatic structure with mixed English and Italian lyrics. Although I find the dramatic vocals exasperating, I must add that they sound better in Italian.
The title track, “The White Snake,” the longest at 17:37, presents a fully developed state of the art symphonic progressive rock epic with stellar French horn, trumpet, organ, Irish flute, violin, and electric guitar solos.
Musicians: Marco Bernard on Shuker and Rickenbacker basses; Marco Grieco on keyboards, electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals, ukulele, percussion; Kimmo Pörsti on drums, percussion; Steve Unruh on vocals, guitars, flute, electric and acoustic violins.
Guests: Alessandro Di Benedetti on keyboards, electric rhythm guitar, backing vocals; Rafael Pacha on acoustic guitar, zither, psaltery, mandolin, Irish flute, Mohan Veena, banjo, recorders, Spanish guitar, Uillean pipes; Jaime Rosas on keyboards; Cam Blokland on electric guitar; Ton Scherpenzeel on keyboards; Carmine Capasso on electric guitar; Tony Riveryman on lead electric guitar; Lauren Trew on vocals; Kari Riihimäki on electric guitar; Daniel Fäldt on vocals; David Myers on grand piano; Octavio Stampalía on keyboards; Bart Schwertmann on vocals; Marc Papeghin on French horn, trumpet; Marcelo Ezcurra on backing vocals; Ruben Álvarez on electric and acoustic guitars; Marek Arnold on alto and soprano saxes; Valerie Gracious on vocals; Marcel Singor on electric guitar; Mimmo Ferri on keyboards, electric and acoustic guitar, dulcimer, viola braguesa; Marco Vincini on vocals; Elisa Montaldo on vocals; Luca Scherani on keyboards; Marcella Arganese on acoustic and electric guitars; Stefano Galifi on vocals; Alessio Calandriello on vocals; Alessandro Corvaglia on vocals; Oliviero Lacagnina on keyboards; Camilla Rinaldi on vocals; Beatrice Birardi on xylophone, vibraphone, glockenspiel, tubular bells, custom percussion set “G.Tamborrino”; Linus Kåse on sax; Juhani Nisula on electric and acoustic guitars; Adam Diderrich on violin; Tommaso Fichele on vocals; Sara Traficante on flute; Kimmo Kilponen on electric guitar solo; Clive Nolan on vocals; Yogi Lang on vocals; Bruce Botts on electric guitar; Olivia Sparnenn Josh on vocals; Luke Shingler on flute; John Wilkinson on lead and backing vocals; Massimo Sposaro on acoustic guitar; Peter Matuchniak on electric guitar.
Track Listing
“THE LADY AND THE LION”
- Into the Woods (03:06)
- The Three Snake-Leaves (09:43)
- Iron John (05:57)
- White Skies Prologue (03:39)
- White Skies (10:43)
- The Lady and the Lion (03:56)
- The Blue Light (06:44)
Bonus tracks:
- From Midnight to Dawn (10:16)
Remixed:
- A Queen’s Wish (11:39)
Total time 65:49
“THE WHITE SNAKE”
- The Tricky Fiddler (06:03)
- A Searching For the Fear (09:42)
- The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs (10:34)
- The Travelling Musicians (11:01)
- The White Snake (17:376)
- The Tricky Fiddler – Reprise (02:05)
Bonus tracks:
- The Three Feathers (10:38)
Total time 67:44
“THE SPAGHETTI EPIC 4”
- Dead or Alive (06:04)
- Mira al Cuore (23:39)
- La Resa dei Conti (29:45)
- Snakebite (08:07)
- The Fabulous Felipe And His Dancing Squirrels (03:07)
- High Noon (06:32)
Bonus tracks:
- Secondo Millennio (05:36)
Total time 73:20
“ANTHEM TO THE PHOENIX STAR”
- Anthem to the Phoenix Star (07:17)
- Burning Silence (06:59)
- Killing Hopes (07:38)
- Bones (08:37)
- Don’t Be Afraid (11:23)
- Wings (04:02)
- Behind the Curtain (13:36)
Bonus tracks:
- Rebirth (08:26)
Total time 68:03
Artwork by Ed Unitsky
Buy Omnibus 3.