Neo Italian prog
Latest album: Return to the Castle (2016)
Io e Il Tempo (1992)
Probably more than any other band, Nuova Era can be credited with bringing back the classic early 70s Italian progressive rock sound... kicking and screaming into the 90s. They started their career with the rather tepid L'Ultimo Viaggio, but by the time of Io e Il Tempo, their 3rd album, Nuova Era were firing on all cylinders. The basic foundation of the classic Italo sound are here: Classically based compositions, turn-on-a-dime rhythms, impassioned vocals (in Italian of course), and expertly played instruments. And it's the usual palette of sounds with organ / synthesizer, guitar, flute, bass and drums. Two long suites with plenty of unexpected turns; ferocious rocked out parts are offset by tranquil piano interludes which keeps this an exciting listen throughout. The vocals are similar to Sithonia - another standout early 90's Italian band. Despite all of the parallels, there's no mistaking Nuova Era as a purposefully retro band ala La Maschera di Cera. The guitarist can fall prey to "rock star" ambition on occasion, and the overly bright production screams early 90s. But the thoughtfulness and density of the compositions is what makes albums like this stand the test of time, the lack of an abundance of analog equipment notwithstanding.
---5/4/12
Dopo L'Infinito (1989)
The late 80s were an exciting time for progressive rock, as all the signals were there for a renaissance. It had successfully moved to the underground, and there was still a market hungry for new talent. Italy was one country that hadn't seen much activity, and so when Ezra Winston arrived on the scene in 1988, happy days were ahead. Trouble was, they were more UK and Dutch influenced than what one would expect from Italy. Ah, but the cavalry was on the way. And leading the charge was Nuova Era. By their second album Dopo L'Infinito, the band had found their footing, and released the first bona fide Italian prog album in many years. Two side long tracks, going through a myriad of dynamic and meter changes, all sung in glorious Italian. As with any great prog band from Italy, the best parts are the breaks, the sudden change that is loudly announced via guitar or keyboards, followed by a barrage of heavy rhythm. And Nuova Era is relentless on this front, making the second side the stronger of the two. Make no mistake though, Dopo L'Infinito is definitely an early 70s styled prog album from a composition standpoint, but the instrumentation is very much that of 1989. So analog purists may still scoff, but for fans at the time, it was manna from heaven.
---1/28/22
5/4/12 (new entry)
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