Nuova Era - Il Passo Del Soldato

Their PA bio: 

NUOVA ERA were one of the first in the new wave of Italian progressives and also one of the most highly regarded. They are a symphonic quartet (or a quintet if you count the lyricist on album cover of "Dopo L'Infinito") with a style influenced by the 70's masters but performed with contemporary technology.

For their fourth album "Il Passo Del Soldato", this famous Italian Progressive band confirms its style made from a subtle balance between the influence of the seventies Italian masters (BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO, PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI...)

 

PA reviews:

 

 

NUOVA ERA "Il Passo Del Soldato " reviews

(ratings with reviews of more than 200 characters)

Collaborators Reviews

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by Marcelo (Marcelo Matusevich)
PROG REVIEWER

Four NUOVA ERA works are highlights, but this is the pinnacle. Keyboardist Walter Pini composed a conceptual album about the war, taking a lot of elements from the classic Italian bands: high sense of melody and elegance, surprisingly changes and powerful rythms."Il Passo del Soldato" is one of the few prog stuffs without guitar I listened, but nobody will miss guitar sound, because Pini's keyboards arsenal is truly fantastic. There's a new singer, Claudio Guerrini, and his emotive voice adds dramatism to the story.This is the only album I can compare with the most maximum Italian jewel, MUSEO ROSENBACH's "Zarathustra": "Il Passo..." was made 22 years later with the 90's modern sound, and music is quite different, but spirit, power and fortress are the same.Vintage sounds are not recreated, but each time I listen to, I feel the same sensation that any great 70's band gave to me. All tracks are wonderful, conforming a real masterpiece. Highly recommended!

Posted Friday, March 05, 2004, 17:11 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by loserboy (James Unger)
PROG REVIEWER

Hold on to your hats kids... we are going on a walk on the wild side! NUOVA ERA are Italy's answer to ANEKDOTEN. NUOVA ERA deliver heavy prog designed to make you sweat as you listen. This is 90's prog but heavily rooted in the classic 70's era. NUOVA ERA are great musicians and this is very fast and complex moving music. Songs are well constructed and have a great degree of feeling.

Posted Saturday, March 13, 2004, 12:38 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by Cesar Inca (César Inca Mendoza Loyola)
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Prog Specialist

'Il Passo del Soldato' is not only Nuova Era's most prominent work, but also one of the most outstanding masterpieces of 90s prog. Sadly, it also signalled Nuova Era's farewell... anyway, what a way to go! Now ensembled as a power trio since the band had lost its guitar player, the band manages to take the hardest side of itself out and explode in a colourful fire of colours. This fire is basically provided by Walter Pini's arsenal of keyboards (heavy presence of loud Hammond, thundering synths and dense mellotron layers), though it's also fair to note down the solid foundation laid by the undefatigable rhythm section, energetic and precise. Nuova Era displays its own voice by recycling dinamically the influences of Inferno-era Metamorfosi, Balletto di Bronzo, Darwin-era BMS, as well as ELP. Since the missing guitarist was also the lead singer, he had to be replaced by a vocalist, whose range is very similar to that of Biglietto's lead singer: a very appropiate thing, since the band's direction is decidedly harder. The fact that this album is conceptually construed around the destructive power of war is also a main factor for this hard rocking emphasis. The introductory marching drums and feet at the start of 'All'ombra di un Conflitto' set the overall mood right away, as a strategy of frontal assault: the strategy is fierily continued on bombastic tracks such as 'Lo Spettro dell'Agonia sul Campo' and the ambicious title track (the two actually being my fave numbers). 'La Parata dei Simboli' is less incandescent, based on an appealing baroque-like sequence of piano, mellotron and synth chord progressions and textures. After a reflective statement made in 'Riflessi di Pace', 'Epitaffio' concludes as a splendid reprise of motifs from tracks 1, 2 and 4. As a bonus track, we are given an instrumental piece from the band's old repertoire, recorded without the guitarist, of course. I wish this bonus would have been placed somewhere else, since the structure of 'Epitaffio' demanded that it were the exclusive closure. But this is a very very minor factor: the main thing is that this album is a masterpiece, that equals the top-notch creativity and intensity of such classics of Italian hard prog as Metamorfosi's 'Inferno', Balletto' 'Ys' and Museo Rosenbach's 'Zarathustra'.

Posted Thursday, June 10, 2004, 22:24 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by Gatot (Gatot Widayanto)
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

This is a TRUE MASTERPIECE prog album! Powerful songwriting and tight composition. The music is very complex but it produces excellent melody and harmony reminiscent of 70s prog music. Yes, the band is really SUCCESSFUL in bringing the 70s prog music alive in 90s! They really produce the sound and souls of 70s music. Their masterpiece is not only on their music but also in the creation of “nuances”. Oh my God … this album is really WONDERFUL! Two thumbs UP!

The musical structure of this album is in the vein of Early GENESIS (less Hackett; there is no guitar used in this album) with some passages reminiscing Early KING CRIMSON and ELP. Keyboards dominate almost all tracks - supported by dynamic bass line and drumming. Music-wise this is actually a three-piece band - Walter Pini (keyboards), Enrico Giordani (bass) and Gianluca Lavacchi (drums) plus a lead singer who does not play instrument: Claudio Guerrini and a lyricist: Ivan Pini (words ) who does not play. Ehm … it reminds me to Early King Crimson where Pete Sinfields played a role as lyricist as well.

The more I spin this album, my appreciation grows steadily. All tracks in this album were composed beautifully. SUPERB! Oh by the way, you will hear so many passages where the keyboard plays dual sounds each separated clearly in right and left channel of your stereo set.

“All'ombra di un Conflicto” intro reminds me to Genesis “The Battle of Epping Forest” especially on the way drum stools are played. Punchy keyboard sound reminds me to the style of Keith Emerson. I like the part where the voice line starts to enter the music. Excellent composition. Quality of vocal and backing vocals are excellent and I like the Italian lyrics (even though I don’t understand at all. IMHO, Italian language is best for prog music). The double keyboard sounds at the interlude of this track is really superb!

“Lo Spettro dell'Agonia sul Campo” starts with dual keyboard sound: organ at left channel and keyboard melody at right. It’s an excellent opening. Some passages of this song reminds me to “The Knife Edge” of ELP. This track is purely in the vein of ELP. Great melody, harmony and composition. The lead singer demonstrates his powerful vocal through high tone voice. Amazing voice! The interlude part with solo keyboard is really stunning! “La Parata dei Simboli” is a short song with a catchy piano touch and keyboard work. The keyboard sound reminds me to the work of ALFONSO VIDALES of CAST (Mexico). It’s a melodic instrumental song.

The classic-influence piano work at the opening of “Il Passo del Soldato” is really excellent. This is the longest track in the album. The lead singer voice has now changed into more theatrical way and sometime in operatic style. A great track with frequent tempo changes through smooth and catchy transition pieces in symphonic mood. The solo synthesizer throughout this track is wonderful.

For my personal taste, all tracks in this album are excellent! It’s really hard for me to identify any shortcoming of this album. You will be amazed by this album especially if you observe how stunning the keyboard / organ is. It’s a flawless album! Powerful songwriting, tight composition, great musicianship and flawless performance. Perfect! GW, Indonesia.

Posted Wednesday, December 15, 2004, 22:03 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by Fitzcarraldo
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Errors & Omissions Editor

If you like Italian Progressive Rock it’s likely you’re going to love this concept album. NUOVA ERA was a band of the 1980s and 1990s that sounds as good as Italian Prog bands of the 1970s but without sounding stuck in the past. In fact there’s a hint of neo-Prog in the music too. There is no guitarist on this album, but the excellent keyboard player Walter Pini does such an amazing job that you don’t notice it. Pini uses piano, Hammond Suzuki with a Leslie and distorter, a Yamaha MS20 synthesizer, and a pair of Korg synthesizers to emulate the Mellotron sound. He uses all these keyboards to great effect. The singer is excellent (he reminds me of Alberto Piras of DEUS EX MACHINA), and the drummer and bass player do a fine job too. Pini’s brother wrote the lyrics, which are in Italian (thankfully). The music sounds like a fusion of DEUS EX MACHINA, METAMORFOSI, BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO, LE ORME and MUSEO ROSENBACH. It’s quite dark in places (not surprising, as the album’s concept is 'war') and reminds me quite a bit of the feel of the latter’s “Zarathustra”. I suppose I should mention Keith Emerson; yes, there are a few little reminders of the maestro, but I’m not reminded of ELP to be honest. All of the tracks are excellent and it’s difficult to single one out. I like the occasional sound effects that Pini has inserted. The tracks 'Il Passo Del Soldato' and 'Armicrazia' are even more impressive when you know that Pini composed them in 1978 when he was 17 years old. Easily 4 stars (Excellent addition to any Prog Rock collection).

Posted Thursday, December 16, 2004, 18:27 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by Menswear (Jonathan Payeur)
PROG REVIEWER

I had a 'keyboard phase' a year ago. So I bought Trace's two albums, ELP 'Brain Salad Surgery', Par Linhd Project 'Mundus Incompertus', R.D.M. 'Contaminazione', Triumvirat 'Spartacus' and 'Double Dimple', Le Orme 'Felona e Sorona'...all great keyboard records.

And I had more than enough after a while. It's comprehensible, too much too often. Keyboard oriented records sometimes lacks originality and gets repetitive. To compensate those flaws, a record has to be catchy and has to make a good use of the material. Il Passo del Soldato is both, so I don't regret the purchase. Easy to get into plus a wide range of keyboards. When there's no guitars, the keys must make more ruckuss and the drum has to be superior or at least, very competent.

This is the closest band I've seen to the sound of le Orme. In fact, the biggest influences are Le Orme and Rovescio della Medaglia. And boy it is time for this to happen. Both bands are too often overlooked and overshadowed by ELP. To give you a hint on the quality of the product, this record has more 'good/very good' songs than ELP had in all their career. We go from various moods, but the theme about WAR is constent and settles the atmosphere to 'dark', or at least not very light. A very nice feeling of 'Felona e Sorona' is evaporating along the way, with more majestic and rythmic moments a la 'Contaminazione'.

Nice vocals also. The singer gives us a powerful performance and some pretty nasty high pitch moments that reminds me Geddy Lee or Freddy Mercury. The whole thing wrapped up in darkish keyboards and good drumming...this will please Le Orme fans for sure.

Clearly a wise purchase. Easy to get into, but lots of stuff to chew on.

Another great discovery if you want ONE keyboard oriented band that does it 'old school'.

Posted Saturday, January 01, 2005, 19:25 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by James Lee
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

I came to NUOVA ERA with a bias; I like Italian prog a lot, especially the classic 70's era. However, post-70's prog albums as a whole frequently failed to move me, and many of the Italian bands I liked either disappeared from the face of the earth or released disappointing albums from the 80's onward. So if you want to be melodramatic about it (and as a prog fan, you very well may have that tendency!), you could say I first listened to "Il Passo Del Soldato" on the veritable knife-edge between hope and despair.

I was non-plussed by the lack of guitars, sure, as well as the martial and political themes that tend to occur in Italian prog. Luckily, the keyboard playing is rarely overbearing in the traditional Emerson/ Wakeman virtuosity vein, though tonal comparisons are inevitable. The main sound is a heavy, distorted Hammond that begs comparison to early ELP, with threads of analogue synth leads and effects (and the occasional "Watcher"-style Mellotron) weaving in and out of the mix. Additionally, the battlefield atmosphere and Emersonian dissonances sent me running to "Tarkus", though the similarities are actually much fewer than the differences. Surprisingly, I found myself enjoying the acoustic piano sections somewhat less than on other keyboard-heavy albums; there's an almost staccato precision and minimalism of expression that reminds me more of a sequencer than an expressive human performer.

The rest of the band is often a supporting player to these keyboard layers; the rhythm section is talented but somewhat uninspired, and the vocals range from competent (his standard voice) to slightly grating (his higher-pitched yelps). Claudio Guerrini's tone and range frequently reminds me of DEUS EX MACHINA's Alberto Piras, but Claudio stays with the band and on-key more often- and oddly achives less distinctiveness and interest doing so. Which sums up the band's appeal nicely; in being less distinctive, they may be more broadly appealing...and in keeping the instrumentation more simple and hard-hitting, they may attract fans of the classic prog sound without giving them much new territory to explore. Are you a fan of ELP, LE ORME, and METAMORFOSI? You'll love this. At best, I score two out of three on that list, and have to withhold two stars for a certain lack of innovation and expressiveness.

Posted Monday, February 21, 2005, 05:14 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by greenback
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Neo-Prog Specialist

WOW! This bombastic album was made in 1995, but the style involved is clearly around 1975, somewhere in Italy, where Italian symphonic progressive music was at its best! The band is obviously influenced by Italian progressive bands like Banco and Le Orme. However, they add early Rick Wakeman's elements in their music so that it is just unique and amazing! The style of the music cannot be completely described without mentioning the obvious ELP's influence of the 70's, especially taken from the genius of Keith Emerson.

This record is really vintage keyboards oriented: there are TONS of extremely dirty organ and crazy mini-moog, clearly reminding Rick Wakeman's "White Rock" and ELP's "Brain salad surgery" albums, among others. However, the Italian roots of the musicians is printed on the symphonic textures, on some classical piano parts and on the strong accent of the Italian lead vocals. There are a few parts where a discreet mellotron seems to occupy the background. The music is VERY structured and synchronized: the very elaborated drums and the bass follow well the extravagant keyboards. The last 2 minutes of "Il passo del soldato" is just JAW-DROPPING! A very strong point is the irreproachable sound, which enhances the overall artistic value of this album. This record is one of the best vintage progressive records of the 90's: with time, it should become a classic one at the same level as "Brain salad surgery" or "Banco". I have never seen a better album than this one to show a perfect balance between the Emerson's and the Wakeman's styles! Sincerely, how can I rate this album less than 5 stars? I wonder!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Posted Friday, December 23, 2005, 18:15 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by Andrea Cortese (Andrea Cortese)
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Italian Prog Specialist

“Mute is the battlefield, naked weapons over the helmets...”

Wow!, this one is huge italian symphonic prog from the nineties!! What a pity is also Nuova Era's last record...that's strange thing, in my opinion. Il Passo del Soldato (The Soldier's Step) is a wonderful concept album based on war, from degenerated relationship between two great countries to armistice and epitaph. Lyrics were provided by Ivan Pini who wrote them in the vein of a poems' old “raconteur”. A sort of epic poem in which the main character (and only winner) is death.

The music and its arrangements are really awesome example of one of the most powerful keyboard driven symphonic prog you can listen to! This is not very representative of the Nuova Era's previous works since this is their only one record to feature the absence of a guitar player. Guitarist and singer Alex Camaiti left the line-up in September of 1993. The singer Claudio Guerrini took his place. Whithout guitar, the band probably reached a more polished and incisive style, in a similar vein to such classic bands as Le Orme, Banco, ELP ...even heard some references from Il Balletto di Bronzo.

At the time the band was free from any contract and, after receiving many offers from the main italian independant labels, signed with Pickuprecords in April 1995...curiously that is a company settled in my town (Bassano del Grappa – Italy). It is the main sorce for my progressive records!

All'Ombra di un Conflitto (In the Shadow of a Conflict) is subtitled La Dichiarazione (Declaration...obviously referred to war). The song opens with the sound of a military march fading into a martial drumming work provided by the superb Gianluca Lavacchi. Then keyboards come well driven by the master hands of Walter Pini. 6,43 mns of pure pleasure. Two great nations who hate each other, the tall generals plan the massacre only by moving pawns over the map.

Lo Spettro dell'Agonia sul Campo (Death Throe's Spectre on the Battlefield) is subtitled Costernazione (Consternation). It describes in 7,29 mns, the night that precedes the battle throught he eyes of a simple soldier whose mind refuse to think this is his last hours on earth, hoping that someone or something stop his tremendous destiny. In vain, obviously. Awesome work from the band: real power! Great also the bass player Enrico Giordani.

La Parata dei Simboli (Symbols' Parade) is a shorter instrumental track (about 3,00 mns). The sad march of the battalions towards their emplacements.

Il Passo del Soldato is the centre of gravity of the whole album. It opens with a delicate and classical piano sounding then the it is clear martial power of Nuova Era! The song is subtitled Verso la Battaglia (Towards the Battle) and descibes the battalions' banners being face to face just before the generals give the order “fire!”. Then starts the battle and the blood is all around. The band at its best for 12,15 mns!

Armicrazia (Weaponcracy) is subtitled I Pensieri di un Cecchino (Thoughts of a Sniper) is the continuation of the previous one focusing on the single soldier's cold blood in shoting the enemy. More shots, more minutes to live (7,43 mns). Another impressive track. Really that band deserves more attention by any good prog lover!

L'Armistizio(Armistice) is subtitled Le Decisioni dei Generali (The Generals' Decisions). After the swords, it's up to the negotiation. For the soldiers alive it' time to pray. Not more for the terrifying fight.

Riflessi di Pace (Peace's Reflections) is subtitled Oltre il Confine (Beyond the Border). Finally a little bit of muscles' relaxation. Some bells erupt from behind the hill, hope strikes again the hearts of the simple man who took part to the many killings.

Epitaffio (Epitaph) aka La Morale (The Moral) as the title itself demonstrates the crude truth: the only winner is always Death. The soldier sacrified his life between tons of other unknown lives and only there, under the cold murble he finds that peace he felt just before the fight.

The last track is titled Nuova Era Atto Secondo and is another impressive instrumental one that summarizes well the band's musical talent and virtuosism.

This album was a wonderful surprise for my ears, me didn't think italian prog of nowadays was so able to capture vitality and creativity that made the seventies so great! Il Passo del Soldato is not the banal reproduction of someone who preceded, but the modern try of the most harder keyboard driven symphonic prog. Really impressed by what I've listened to, I have to tell all the people there is another mastepiece concept album to buy!!

P.S. Ah, I almost forgot to mention the nice cover: soldiers of all the times moved like puppets by two hands over them.

Posted Saturday, January 28, 2006, 17:49 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by Mandrakeroot (Andrea Salvador)
COLLABORATOR Italian Prog Specialist

My review is produced using this release: Pick Up Records PKP1910 (1995)

Rating: 9,5/10

This is the last album of Nuova Era. And one of the ten Prog album of the Rock Progressivo Italiano (this genre exist... To ask Aldo Tagliapietra of Le Orme). In this case the inspiration bands are Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso and ELP (Ok... Therefore Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, because Nuova Era is an Italian band). In this sense isn't a clone band because more POP and Nuova Era's music haven't the grandiloquent of Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso's music. In general the keyboards have a great weight but they aren't the "prince" instrument because all the instruments and the voice contribute in the same way. In this sense I noted a good study of albums like "Garofano Rosso" because it is just this album that is approached the Nuova Era (and true very... Not vice versa!!!). Another distinction is that "Il Passo Del Soldato" is more Rock respect to the Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso approaching itself mainly to the Banco's albums but with more Prog approach. For me "Il Passo Del Soldato" is an albut that it had been published in the 70's it could have been much considered from the masses. But this is my opinion, only my opinion.

This is an album of immediate understanding, but very fascinating. The Pick Up it has uncovered the Labyrinth, is true. But with "Il Passo Del Soldato" by Nuova Era it has centered an other objective. Thanks Pick Up Records in Bassano Del Grappa (Vicenza, Italy).

Posted Saturday, March 31, 2007, 06:13 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by tszirmay (Thomas Szirmay)
PROG REVIEWER

The fourth chapter in the solid career of Italian heavyweights Nuova Era, here is another example of Walter Pini's considerable keyboard skills within the framework od anti-militarist themes and lyrics, tastefully sung by newcomer Claudio Guerrini, who knows not to hog the spotlight and courteously lets his commanding officer's fingers run rampant over the ivories. A "bombastic" display it is, with wired out , strafing synths dueling with churning Hammond bursts, recalling the flamboyance of the Keith Emerson of yore. Quite evidently a salivating disc for those fans who live and die for insolent, free-wheeling keyboard attacks , with a total lack of acoustic or electric guitars, not a note of flute or sax , no violins, cellos or any other quirky progressive adornment. With only a rythmic duo as a sentinel protecting the flanks, our friend Pini's massive arsenal of pleasure-seeking machines take no prisoners. All in all, a fierce and surefire recording, to be marshalled into a tidy spot between Triumvirat's "Spartacus" and your used and abused copy of ELP's "Tarkus" . No camouflage necessary!

Posted Saturday, April 21, 2007, 19:38 EST | Permanent link

Guests Reviews

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by progadicto (Ivan Avila)

What I can say? A great album with the classic and unique Italian Prog style a little bit harder... Walter Pini keyboards sounds like a real march of soldiers going to a prog war, specially on the songs "Lo Spettro dell'Agonia sul Campo", "La Parata dei Simboli", "Il Passo del Soldato" and "Armicrazia", the best song of the album... well all the songs are really good: very prog with great athmospheres based on hammond and of course (as usual on Italian Prog) a great singer. You can feel the inffluence of the great 70's prog keyboardists, but Nuova Era sounds really different... you forget that there is no guitar on the album. I agree with some comments about the excess of keyboards, but the album really shock your senses. It has to be in any prog collection.

Posted Wednesday, July 27, 2005, 22:02 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by ekaton

IMHO the best album by Nuova Era, in this case not despite but because of the lack of guitar. This gives even more room for walter Pini's great keyboard playing and in contrast to the 3 earlier albums he put more emphasis on the hammond organ.

Posted Monday, September 26, 2005, 18:52 EST | Permanent link

NUOVA ERA — Il Passo Del Soldato

Review by Kill Fede (Federico Cataldo)

PROUD TO BE ITALIAN(whit this album :-)

The entire discography of NUOVA ERA are masterpieces,some more and other less,but "Il Passo del Soldato" is the apotheosis,the pinnacle of creation that this five guys can done.A superhuman Walter Pini(and i have the honor to know it eheheh..) composed a concept album about the war and the military life,using the best instruments that the prog italian scene can give to him.Wonderful synth melodies,sistematic changes of rhythm,powerful march drums and a lot of highly accurated arrangements.All without guitar.I'm a guitarist and the first time that I heardt this record i was spechless.And now i'm still spechless.The entire tracklist are wonderful,all the tracks are perfectly structured to give a perfect listening.A real italian symphonic masterpiece,find it and eat without remorse :-).Excellent taste..

Posted Thursday, March 15, 2007, 06:01 EST | Permanent link