Viridanse is a new wave and post-punk band originating from Alessandria, Italy. The group was established in 1983, disbanded in 1988, and made a comeback in 2014.

The band was founded by Flavio Gemma and Paolo Boveri, both of whom were previously members of Blaue Reiter, an early 80s group recognized for their contribution to the 1982 compilation “Gathered” by Rockerilla. The initial lineup also included Roberto Modellato on percussion, later joined by Enrico Ferraris on guitar.

In 1983, Viridanse released a demo tape titled “Gallipoli 1915,” featuring four tracks that melded post-punk influences with psychedelic elements. The band began performing in clubs that were embracing the emerging new wave trends, gradually gaining a following.

As they worked on new material with the aim of producing a proper record, Antonello DeBellis replaced Modellato on drums. This period led to a significant partnership with Contempo Records, a notable label in the Italian new wave scene, known for producing early works by bands like Diaframma and Litfiba. In September 1984, they released their EP “Benvenuto Cellini,” which received positive reviews from both audiences and critics, eventually becoming a defining record of the Italian dark wave movement of the early 1980s. The band also collaborated with Alberto Ferraris, who played piano on the track "Ultimo Canto."

From 1984 to 1985, Viridanse toured extensively to promote their EP while writing new songs intended for a full-length album. Key tracks such as "Mediterranea" and "Dolce Vita" marked a stylistic shift from the darker tones of their earlier work towards a sound more aligned with the brighter aspects of Italian new wave. During this time, they collaborated with guitarist Luca Meneghello at some concerts.

In late 1985, they released their LP “Mediterranea” through Contempo Records, which quickly rose to the top of the Rockerilla and Mucchio Selvaggio readers’ polls, establishing Viridanse as the most popular group of 1985. The following year, they toured extensively, gaining widespread acclaim. Notably, they participated in the significant concert event “Rock contro la mafia” in Palermo on September 3, 1986, and made appearances on RAI3, Discoring, and Sanremo Rock.

By the end of 1986, Enrico Ferraris departed from the band, with Maurizio Barberis stepping in to take his place. In 1987, Alberto Ferraris joined on keyboards. Following the completion of several new songs, tensions rose with Contempo Records, leading to the band’s abrupt end after they recorded demos for a new album in 1987 at Psycho Studio in Milan. These recordings remained unreleased until 2012. The band officially disbanded in 1988.

In 2012, a double CD anthology titled “Gallipoli 1915 e le altre storie” was released by Silentes/Oltrelanebbiailmare, compiling the band's two official works and a number of unreleased and live tracks, including four from the 1987 sessions.

May 2014 marked the band's reunion, thirty years after the release of "Benvenuto Cellini," with Flavio Gemma and Enrico Ferraris as the only original members forming a new lineup. Their aim was to create new music and plan a new album for 2015.

In March 2015, the reformed Viridanse began recording their first new album in thirty years at the 4/4 Sonic Factory studio in Alessandria. The album, titled simply "Viridanse," was mixed in August at Music-Ink Studios in Paruzzaro (NO) and released on November 16, 2015, by Fonoarte – Danze Moderne (Audioglobe distribution). The new material showcased a change in sound, leaning towards a harder and more psychedelic style while maintaining Italian lyrics. The album received favorable reviews from a range of music publications and websites.

In March 2016, the band released a video for "Disordine," the opening track of their latest album, directed by Andrea DiBartolo. They began working on new songs for another project, with an album titled "Hansel & Gretel e la Strega Cannibale" planned for early 2017. This concept album draws inspiration from the classic fairy tale, exploring themes of societal decline. In June 2016, Fabrizio Calabrese left the band and was replaced by Erik Nalin on drums. With a partially restructured lineup, recording for the new album commenced in October and November 2016 at the Teatro Comunale di Alessandria, which was closed for renovations at the time. The production was managed by Lorenzo Stecconi, known for his work with bands such as Zu and Ufomammut. The project also involved a collaborative effort with graphic artists, actors, photographers, and painters to create a short film based on the album's concept.

In November 2016, Rave Up Records released the complete Blaue Reiter catalog on vinyl. This LP, inspired by music journalist Federico Guglielmi and titled “My Inner Thoughts,” features original recordings from the band dating back to 1981-1982, linking the origins of Blaue Reiter to the later formation of Viridanse. In 2017, Viridanse performed some of Blaue Reiter's songs live, alongside their new repertoire.

Lineups: - 1983: Flavio Gemma (Bass, Vocals), Paolo Boveri (Vocals, Guitar), Roberto Modellato (Drums), Max Pozzi (Guitar) - 1983-1984: Flavio Gemma (Bass, Vocals), Paolo Boveri (Vocals, Guitar), Roberto Modellato (Drums), Enrico Ferraris (Guitar) - 1984-1986: Flavio Gemma (Bass, Vocals), Paolo Boveri (Vocals, Guitar), Enrico Ferraris (Guitars), Antonello DeBellis (Drums, Percussion) - 1986: Flavio Gemma (Bass), Paolo Boveri (Vocals, Guitar), Maurizio Barberis (Guitars), Antonello DeBellis (Drums, Percussion) - 1987-1988: Flavio Gemma (Bass), Paolo Boveri (Vocals, Guitar), Maurizio Barberis (Guitars), Antonello DeBellis (Drums, Percussion), Alberto Ferraris (Keyboards) - 2014-2016: Fabrizio Calabrese (Drums, Percussion), Enrico Ferraris (Guitars), Flavio Gemma (Bass), Gianluca Piscitello (Vocals), Giancarlo Sansone (Synths, Keyboards) - 2016-2017: Erik Nalin (Drums), Enrico Ferraris (Guitars), Flavio Gemma (Bass), Gianluca Piscitello (Vocals), Giancarlo Sansone (Synths, Keyboards) - 2017: Erik Nalin (Drums), Flavio Gemma (Bass), Gianluca Piscitello (Vocals), Enrico Ferraris (Guitars)