Nuova Era was born in Florence in 1985 from an idea of the keyboardist and composer Walter Pini. The first line-up included Gianluca Lavecchi (Drums), Enrico Giordani (Bass) and Alex Camaiti (Guitars and Vocals). The recording debut takes place in 1988 with the album ‘L’ultimo viaggio‘, published for Contempo Records. The sound of the band rather than the Neo Prog of English matrix, which characterized the releases of the late 80s, is inspired by the Italian leaders of the ’70s. Tracks are very elaborate and focused on Le Orme, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso and Balletto di Bronzo style sound. Pini‘s hammond and Camaiti‘s distorted guitars are the main characters, with a baroque touch and Hard Rock influences like Deep Purple. The following year they published ‘Dopo l’infinito‘ containing two excellent suites. Their connection with the Italian sounds of the ’70s is evident, showing to be the Italian Neo Prog group more tied to the sounds of the past. They are very successful, but we have to wait until 1992 for another studio album, when they publish ‘Io e il tempo‘. No change in lineup and a sound that reinforces its vintage touch, with the addition of the flute of guest Betty Cardelli. The album is enjoying great success abroad, in Korea it is even published with the booklet translated into Korean. Here, the two suites are the main part of the album, with the addition of a good tracing track. With a symphonic style, but with more intertwining andelaborations than the previous ones. A change in the lineup sees Alex Camaiti replaced by Claudio Guerrini, giving up the guitar. Despite the change, the 1995 album ‘Il passo del soldato‘ shows a healthy band, active and directing all the sound weight on keyboards, the hammond is the protagonist. Unfortunately, after the album was released, the band broke up, making talk about itself only with some sporadic live reunions. In 2008, the turning point, Walter Pini together with Davide Guidoni and Guglielmo Mariotti began to work on new songs. With these works, they participate in the Opera Prog ‘Dante’s Inferno: The Divine Comedy part I’ with ‘Lasciate ogni speranza… Voi ch’entyrate‘, always in the same year. Also, participating in the following ‘Dante’s Purgatory: The Divine Comedy part II‘ with the track ‘Canto XXII‘ present in the second CD, published in 2009. While in the concluding ‘Dante’s Paradiso: The Divine Comedy part III‘ take part with the third song of the first disc ‘Canto II‘, published in 2010. The three releases were produced for the Musea and contain songs recorded by the best Prog groups of the moment, to be considered a masterpiece. Also in 2010 the band released a self-titled album containing previously edited tracks, demos and new studio and live recordings. Pini with the band’s historical guitarist Alex Camaiti, start working on fresh material, trying and recording. To the training, two new members are added Rudi Greco (Bass) and Maurizio Marra (Drums), thus beginning the drafting of a concept album. With a fantasy-medieval setting, the album for the first time sees the band singing in English, while maintaining all the sound characteristics of the Nuova Era. ‘Return to the castle‘ is therefore published in 2016 for BTF, with lyrics and cover by James Hoog and music by Walter Pini. An excellent record that shows how the band still has a lot to give to Progressive music. In the wake of the album’s success, they decide to resume the activity and to date another album is in the works, with the release scheduled for 2020. A band that only for a question of dates is inserted in the Neo Prog, since the sound style is closer to that of the 70s. If the Nuova Era had come out 15 years earlier, we will be here talking about a historical Prog band, having nothing to envy at the technical level of the bands of that period. A great return to that of recent years, for a band that has given so much to the new wave of Prog, in particular, in the period ’88 -’95. The keyboards lead the sound, all the instruments and the voice are of high level for a group that enters by right or within this editorial on the cornerstones of the Neo prog.
Discography
(1988) L’ultimo viaggio [Contempo Records]
(1989) Dopo l’infinito [Contempo Records]
(1992) Io e il tempo [Contempo Records]
(1995) Il passo del soldato [Pick-up Records]
(2010) Nuova Era [BTF]
(2016) Return to the castle [AMS Records]
(2008) Various Artisrts – Dante’s Inferno: The Divine Comedy part I [Musea]
(2009) Various Arstists – Dante’s Purgatorio: The Divine Comedy part II [Musea]
(2010) Various Artists – Dante’s Paradiso: The Divine Comedy part III [Musea]
Current Lineup
Walter Pini / Composer & Keyboards
Rudi Greco / Bass
Maurizio Marra / Drums
Alex Camaiti / Vocals & Guitars
Past Members
Walter Pini / Composer & Keyboards
Alex Camaiti / Vocal and Guitars
Gianluca Lavacchi / Drums
Enrico Giordani / Bass
Ivan Pini / Lyrics
Betty Cardelli / Flute (Guest)
James Hoog / Lyrics for ‘Return to the castle’
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