Aufklärung is a new-progressive band from Brindisi, formed in 1990 from the merger of two local bands.
After the first few years of experiments and adjustments, due to several lineup changes, they retreated to the rehearsal room between 1992 and 1993 to complete the writing of the five songs that would later appear on their first album. From March 29 to April 16, 1994, Aufklärung went to the studio of the late Sergio Taglioni in Cascina (PI) to record the album “De la Tempesta l’Oscuro Piacere.”
De la Tempesta l’Oscuro Piacere was released shortly thereafter; The album was a great success in terms of sales and received very good reviews worldwide, so much so that it is still considered a landmark album of Italian new prog of the 1990s. Between 1997 and 1998, the band resumed writing their own songs and recorded a demo, which was never released, but contained some ideas that would later be included on the new album in 2025. In 2020, in the midst of the COVID pandemic, Michele Martello and Marco Mancarella decided to re-form the band. The working method was slowly developed and tested over the months, starting with working on old musical ideas; the songs, which are included on the album “Nell’idea di un tempo che,” partially retain the stylistic features of the old Aufklärung, but are greatly affected by the different compositional mix, in terms of “thinking minds,” compared to the songs on “De la Tempesta l’Oscuro Piacere.”
On this album, Michele and Marco have fully expressed their musical/compositional potential. Another very clear difference, noticeable from the first listen, is the use of Italian as the vocals, a clear and much-desired choice for the new direction.
This important step was made possible by the addition of Michele De Luca to the group. The group had four songs/suites in their possession, but they lacked vocals that could bring out their inherent potential.
The four songs on “Nell’idea di un tempo che” constitute a sort of concept album in themselves and are intended to be a journey into certain human states of mind. The album is inevitably rooted in the past. Michele Martello and Marco Mancarella, founding members and the only surviving members of the lineup that recorded the 1995 album, represent the “hinge” between the old and new directions of the band, which has found new life thanks to the contribution and valuable ideas of Dante Di Giorgio and Michele De Luca. The hope is to repeat the successes of the first album and achieve some great live performances in the contexts that Italian prog deserves.
