New Trolls: Italy's Pioneers of Progressive and Pop Rock

New Trolls are an Italian rock band whose long and varied career has made them a foundational act in their home country. Formed in Genoa, the group is best known for successfully blending progressive rock complexity with accessible pop melodies, achieving significant commercial success in the 1970s.

Early Career

The band's origins trace back to the mid-1960s in Genoa, initially performing under names like I Trolls and I Nuovi Trolls. They solidified their classic lineup by the end of the decade, featuring vocalist and bassist Nico Di Palo, keyboardist Vittorio De Scalzi, guitarist Mauro Chiarugi, and drummer Gianni Belleno. Their early sound was rooted in rhythm and blues and beat music, common for the era, but they quickly began incorporating more ambitious arrangements.

Breakthrough

New Trolls' major breakthrough arrived in 1971 with the ambitious double album Concerto Grosso per I New Trolls. This work, created in collaboration with composer Luis Enriquez Bacalov, fused rock with classical music, becoming a landmark in the Italian progressive rock scene. The following year, the single Una miniera was a major hit, topping the Italian charts and cementing their popularity, though internal creative tensions soon led to a famous split into two separate factions: New Trolls and Ibis.

Key Tracks

Concerto Grosso per I New Trolls - This symphonic rock suite defined their progressive ambitions and remains their most celebrated artistic statement.

Una miniera - A chart-topping single that masterfully combined the band's rock energy with immediate pop appeal.

Aldebaran - An earlier hit from 1968 that showcased their move from beat music towards a more refined, melodic rock sound.

La folle corsa - A later track exemplifying their enduring ability to craft dynamic and engaging rock songs.

Quella carezza della sera - A classic ballad highlighting the melodic sensibility that underpinned even their most complex works.

The band's history is marked by numerous reunions, lineup changes, and stylistic shifts. After the 1972 split, the various members pursued projects across the progressive, jazz fusion, and pop rock spectra. The New Trolls name was revived multiple times, with Di Palo and De Scalzi often leading separate incarnations. Their output continued for decades, including albums like 1999's Anno 2000 and 2016's Then... and Now, demonstrating a persistent creative drive. Their influence is firmly established within the Italian rock canon, bridging the gap between progressive experimentation and mainstream success. For fans of the Italian progressive rock scene, similar artists include Premiata Forneria Marconi, who also expertly merged complex compositions with melody. The symphonic scope of Banco del Mutuo Soccorso shares common ground with New Trolls' most ambitious works. The pop-rock sensibility of later Italian acts like Pooh can be traced back to the accessible side of the New Trolls catalogue.