Frentrum
Dalle Profondità

It has been only three months since the first release by Frentrum and here we are again with another of their products: "From the Depths".
An EP of about 22 minutes in which they lay out on CD the tracks present in the DEMO (but in a new form) and make everything more appetizing by adding a bonus track (here a ghost track). Reviving some INFO found on the internet, Frentrum originate from a splinter group of Malanoctem and bring out all their decay by rekindling the glories of 1990s Norwegian Black Metal, the second wave, so to speak (for more detailed biographical info refer to the DEMO 2014 review).
Frentrum find the right alliance here with an underground label that professionally produces this disc: the Venetian "Land Of Fog Records".
The artwork is excellent, as are the inserts! As was done with the tape, Frentrum attach a splendid patch to their CD, an A3 poster, and a rather curious insert: a torn page from the Bible. Does the second track, "E che Tornino a Bruciare...", have something to do with this choice? The burned wood of the Stavkirke reemerges, as does the figure of Varg Qisling Larssøn Vikernes. I don't think it's a coincidence; just listen to the track to understand what it's about.
The graphics, the concept of the three tracks, and everything else once again brought Burzum to my mind. It feels like facing Aske part two, the historic 1993 EP, which has much in common with this CD.

The tracks on the CD smell as much as the yellowed pages of a forgotten book in the attic; there's nothing new after the good DEMO produced, but we can finally listen to the tracks on a more modern medium... let's hope they continue with this format and that the next release isn't on a 7-inch open reel...
"DEMO" 2014 was released in a very limited cassette and it was a problem for those, not like me, who don't have an old deck tucked under the stereo to listen to it. From the ruins on the cover (strictly black and white), there's no doubt about our intentions: to curate and arrange songs that sound moldy just by reading the title. As mentioned, this EP "From the Depths" reinterprets in a different key what was done on DEMO '14, keeping the bar high and confirming their ability to recreate certain atmospheres. Don't expect any novelty, except for the bonus track present at the end of the third track, the recording, and the slightly higher speed during execution.

Now the sound becomes more intelligible and understandable, and the new guise fits the compositions like a glove: nothing is left to chance! The production is very dry, understandable, and devoid of modern frills. No triggered drums, no compressed guitar sounds, no overdubbed vocals, and finally a pulsing and well-audible bass (which in modern Black Metal is almost impossible to find).

Let's start with "From the Depths", a track indebted to the early Varg: obsessive, melancholic, dull, and very repetitive. Eight minutes of torment that introduce us to the true essence of Frentrum, closing on a finale with majestic choirs that faintly recall Graveland and Summoning. The second track is the already mentioned "E che Tornino a Bruciare...", a semi-instrumental piece where the crackling of flames creates the generous backing for an anxious and insidious repetitive riffing that lasts more than 4 minutes. Falco's inhuman screams emphasize the track's quality, making it truly eerie and well-conceived. My idea remains the same: you don't need to write a track with 40 riffs to be genius or unique: just play four and create the right mood. We move on to the first cover on the EP: "Transilvanian Hunger" by Darkthrone. Here we have a further reinterpretation of Black Metal. Those who truly love what they do can recreate what they have always loved, which is why I can safely say that I'm in front of one of the best Darkthrone covers I've ever heard. Slightly faster than the one offered on cassette and surprisingly slower than the original, here Frentrum makes the leap in quality by re-proposing a classic that is now 20 years old. They manage to rejuvenate a masterpiece and reinterpret it without mimicking the masters. Excellent. We find the choirs again, the atmospheric highlight of this rendition.
The last track is the ghost track that doesn't even appear on the tracklist: "Die When You Die" by GG Allin. Another cover? Yes! But what a cover!

Forget what Taake or Whiskey Ritual have already done: here we find ourselves in front of a hugely successful intensification. It is known that the link between Punk and Black Metal has always been very strong, but here I can safely say that the combination borders on perfection. The initial phrase placed at the head of the track already says everything loudly: "Figli di pu**anaaaa!"... Is there anything more to add? The latest Darkthrone has accustomed us to such blows, but here we find a very raw realization that makes the original version even dirtier.

In conclusion, they pass. A 4 out of 5 is well earned. Both for the excellent realization, for hitting the intentions, and for the expressive consistency of their work.
We await the album at this point.