After their sole EP "Spettralia" release in 2010, the Italians of SETANERA did mark an imposing come-back with a full-length studio album bethinking more than well-known bands from the ilk of EVANESCENCE or WITHIN TEMPTATION, yet expanding it further rather than bare duplication of what is, a main characteristic of female-fronted Euro symphonic metal typically dominated by Scandinavian bands, thus de facto reversing the curse of the degrading quality of Italian metal over the recent years.

Since the very kickoff with the title track "New Era", the verve roughly endures from start to end with keyboards in lead and the rest solidly rythming to the alluring voice of VALENTINA BUCCI performing well-constructed melodies (although "drainingly" redundant at times) and perhaps half of the credit should go to the harmonic vocal overdub for its tremendous contribution. Another striking quality is the almost religiously calculated equitable distribution of both size and volume for all components all while respecting the keyboard's lead, the latter just seems to raise questions about the wisdom of the choice of effects only to prove the opposite in the right next bar, marking clever transitions bars between it and the solos on both bass and guitar; that's all what it takes to satisfy. Indeed, the entire record's lead is divided on multiple axes, chiefly the vocals, the keyboard as well as the bass which played more than the usual quarter notes: it initiates and maintains the course, blasts solo and sets the pace to the remaining buddies to follow up in harmony, mainly into a powerful rhythmic cluster of bass-drum-guitar cluster blended with the various effects of the keyboards which at times lean to the typical string ensemble, other times to ethnic and further unexpected turnarounds like "Dance Floor" on which the keyboards which bounce to house music join the an old school rock themed rhythmic cluster in one of the last conceivable things on a metal record. To illustrate, take the more special alliance of the keyboards and the bass detached of its guitar-drum coat on the distinctive "Oltre" and behold how much both alone could deliver! Indeed, the band members mastered how to synchronize a switch to a different mood at the damn right moment, de façon que something else is always available in the corner waiting to take over, part of which is owed to the prettily sensed comfort of the use of the native tongue not only for the singer but for the whole line-up as well.

Again, the same bass- keyboards alliance took another direction on "Heroes", playing different lines yet in supreme embrace all while the hyped-up bass verses and the guitar pillar overdub for once pushed the keyboards to occupy the second layer yet to provide an ethereal up and down scale combination with the harmonic vocals up/down. In fact, this track belongs to that crop of songs compelling you to play air guitar/bass to!

Another asset to mention is that the keyboards weren't forcibly spoon-fed: neither spanning all over the track nor overwhelming the other overdubs, with some exceptions as on "Black River" which somehow manages to assure that you can't just get easily annoyed even on this track, thanks to its unearthly Latin chorus as well as the brilliant sense of rhythm the drummer has expressed right on this point. All the same, despite its capital role, the only stage where the keyboards performed a veritable solo was on the darker-spirited "Lie" also featuring a laid-back slap bass as an added flavor. Still, one thing to be reproached is that the melodies didn't occupy enough range to show the best of the vocalist's skills. You see, nothing is jaw-dropping yet the final product is an absolute team work, take for instance the chorus passage sustaining the vocals, as well as the somewhat mediocre solo somehow saved by a piano cut in "Bring Me Back".

"Meadows Of May" with the folk connotation of its title actually starts off medieval-scaled prior to the usual main course taking over without a warning, strictly abiding to a predefined hierarchy of bass at the outset followed by keyboards then guitars, all bunched up juggling with scales and bouncing with brisk triplets gracefully parading all over the record.

The odd man that everyone looks forward to by nature comes off by the title of "I Must Go" in recourse to piano and strings consequently breaking the habit of condensed instrumentation and fast tempo. From the breed of "My Immortal" by EVANESCENCE, it even exceeds it technically with an adroit fretless bass along with a drum-less stripped down format until the whole cortege joins in smoothly with a tremendous guitar solo. The more progressive "Journey To The Freedom" seems to take off from the same vibes - bleak yet jovial at once - if not more of a love song, although the two main criticisms are the rather strenuous orchestral hits and the melodies not matching up to the vocal proficiency of the singer.

On a whole, with its undeniable professional level composing and recording quality, "New Era" is definitely a must-have for the fans of genre at least, for such a fairy depiction of femininity coupled with the strongly-sensed passion of the members can in no way remain unnoticed for long. Pour le mérite!<