Exposé Online banner

Exposé Online

Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
Covering music from the fringes since 1993.

Reviews

L'Ombra della Sera — Segreti nel Nero
(Black Widow BWR287, 2026, CD / 2LP / DL)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2026-07-19

Segreti nel Nero Cover art

Who is L'Ombra della Sera? A new Italian progressive rock band named after the mysterious Etruscan statuette featured in the cult television series Ritratto di Donna Velata? Not quite. L'Ombra della Sera is actually the alter ego of La Maschera di Cera. Agostino Macor (keyboards and orchestrations), Fabio Zuffanti (bass), Martin Grice (sax and flute), Andrea Orlando (drums), and Alessandro Corvaglia (vocals and keyboards) have assembled a project inspired by a very specific aspect of Italian popular culture. As children of the 70s, the band members grew up watching the early days of Italian state television, when a single channel delivered a steady stream of serials filled with mystery, science fiction, folklore, the occult, and psychological suspense. Series such as Il Segno del Comando, Gamma, La Traccia Verde, Ritratto di Donna Velata, L'Amaro Caso della Baronessa di Carini, and A Come Andromeda have since attained cult status among Italian viewers. Their memorable theme music, composed by figures such as Enrico Simonetti, Riz Ortolani, and Berto Pisano, provides the foundation for Segreti nel Nero. Rather than presenting straightforward reproductions, L'Ombra della Sera expands these themes into fully realized progressive rock arrangements. The dark cinematic atmosphere naturally recalls Goblin, while the keyboard-driven symphonic passages evoke classic Italian progressive rock. Throughout the album, Mellotron, vintage keyboards, flute, saxophone, and Corvaglia's distinctive vocals create a soundtrack-like quality that is both nostalgic and surprisingly fresh. The centerpiece is a nineteen-minute suite based on music connected to an unproduced television adaptation of Giorgio de Maria's Le Venti Giornate di Torino. Long thought lost, fragments of the original material were recovered and transformed into an ambitious composition that stands comfortably alongside the reworked television themes. What makes Segreti nel Nero so enjoyable is the obvious affection behind the project. This is not merely an exercise in nostalgia, but a loving reconstruction of a forgotten era of Italian television and soundtrack music. Gothic moods, chamber music, jazz, psychedelia, symphonic prog, and even touches of funk are woven together with remarkable skill. Fans of classic Italian progressive rock should find much to enjoy here. Another strong release from the extended Zuffanti universe.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): La Maschera di Cera / L'Ombra della Sera, Fabio Zuffanti / ZBand, Alessandro Corvaglia

More info
http://fabiozuffanti.bandcamp.com/album/lombra-della-sera-segreti-nel-nero-2026

 

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.