THE IMPERIAL HOTEL
The Samurai Of Prog
•Crossover Prog
From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website
![]() Excellent addition to any Write a review |
Studio Album, released in 2014 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. After The Echoes (8:43) - Steve Unruh / vocals, guitars, flute, violin
Artwork: Ed Unitsky and to Quinino for the last updates Edit this entry |
Buy THE SAMURAI OF PROG The Imperial Hotel Music
![]() | Archiviarum Imports 2018 | $16.99 $24.79 (used) |
![]() | Lost & Found Imports 2016 | $14.99 $19.70 (used) |
![]() | On We Sail Imports 2017 | $13.50 $13.49 (used) |
More places to buy THE SAMURAI OF PROG music online
- DOUG LARSON IMPORTS — Buy prog rock music and rarities (Free shipping on orders over 10 cds)
- AmazonMP3: Search for THE SAMURAI OF PROG DRM-Free MP3 Downloads @ Amazon.com MP3
- Try Amazon Prime Music (30-day free trial)
THE SAMURAI OF PROG The Imperial Hotel ratings distribution
(177 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(29%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(31%)
Good, but non-essential (27%)
Collectors/fans only (11%)
Poor. Only for completionists (2%)
THE SAMURAI OF PROG The Imperial Hotel reviews
Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings
Collaborators/Experts Reviews
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Those fond of vintage era progressive rock in general and the symphonic varieties of it in particular should find "The Imperial Hotel" to be a real treat. There are a few select pointers towards many of the bands from the classic era that give the material a sense of familiarity, enough going on at all times to keep matters interesting, and the different instrumentalists involved all add elements and details to the proceedings that give the individual songs a distinct presence and individual character. Highly recommended to fans of progressive rock, and to those with an affection for vintage era symphonic progressive rock in particular.
PROG REVIEWER

'After the Echoes' is a complex song composed by Octavio Stampalia (JINETES NEGROS). Each musician gives his best in this highly progressive tune. The vocal harmonies of Unruh and Stampalia add to the YES-like atmosphere. 'Limoncello', a song originally from a Various Artists 4-CD project Decameron Part II (2014), catches Robert Webb (ENGLAND) singing in a slightly humorous semi-falsetto about a chance meeting of Giovanni Boccaccio. Very interesting 8-minute prog tune spinning around a violin-centred melodic pattern.
David Myers, who offered beautiful piano introductions for 'The Lamia' and 'Dancing With the Moonlit Knight' on TSOP's earlier albums, is soloing on his romantic, three-minute 'Victoria's Summer Home', bridged by Unruh's natural effects into the majestic title track (28:09). 'The Imperial Hotel', with its Victorian-ish ghost story contents, was brought to the band from the ENGLAND archives by Robert Webb who again is the lead vocalist too. What a gorgeous prog epic bowing deep for the classic side-long prog epics of bands such as Genesis, Yes and Jethro Tull -- nearly rivalling them, without stealing direct ideas from any of them. The final track 'into the Lake' is by the Swedish keyboardist-vocalist Linus Kåse (BRIGHTEYE BRISON). Not quite as impressive to my ears as the rest of the album, it nevertheless operates very skillfully in the GENTLE GIANT -like rhythmic complexity.
My hesitation between 4 and 5 stars is solved by the superb visual design of the fold-out covers and the 40-page booklet. The term "masterpiece" suits at least to the title track, but as a whole this is a (surprisingly, considering the varied composers) coherent and extremely ambitious piece of progressive rock that hits the goal perfectly.
Latest members reviews
The Single Malt Whisky of Prog
Whoa Nelly! This is an excellent CD of progressive music that took me back 40 years in time. A group that came
from nowhere and playing the kind of music You have ever dream of.
They are exactly like a single malt whisky: a hint of Gentle Giant, a whiff of Yes,
... (read more)
Report this review (#1452517) | Posted by steelyhead | Thursday, August 13, 2015 | Review Permanlink
THE SAMURAI OF PROG - The Imperial Hotel is one of the TOP PROG releases of the year (and not only!) - if you love not only Yes and Genesis BUT Gentle Giant as well with that variety of crossing parts that 'work' together like a completed puzzle - WELCOME to the hotel ! Great "more than guest" ther
... (read more)
Report this review (#1308460) | Posted by Olga Odessa | Saturday, November 15, 2014 | Review Permanlink
THE IMPERIAL HOTEL is the third album of the great band THE SAMURAI OF PROG,the guys have already
released 2 excellent albums with cover songs!!This time,we have on this album only original
compositions from the guys ,but the title track is in fact a composition of the Brit symphonic
progressiv
... (read more)
Report this review (#1276559) | Posted by Ovidiu | Monday, September 15, 2014 | Review Permanlink
Post a review of THE SAMURAI OF PROG "The Imperial Hotel"
You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.
MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE
As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.
You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).