Asgard Root Magazine:

This, the inaugural release on Temple of Torturous is something of a lost gem. Initially released back in 2006 on a very limited vinyl pressing on Ashen Productions, Blitzkrieg Productions and Raging Bloodlust, here we have a rather special split release of two underground black metal bands from Germany. The track listing is extended here by two tracks (one per band) and is highly recommended by me. The first band, Kältetod (Colddeath in English) would undoubtedly be classified by some (disparagingly) as depressive black metal, but to me they are much more. Incorporatinginfluences as disparate as Horna, Black Witchery and Godspeed You Black Emperor  (whether they know of the latter or not – listen to Without Mortal Agony  and you’ll get my reference) I was mightily impressed by the three lengthy tracks on offer hear and was soon lost in a world inspired in equal measures by the striking grey artwork and the hypnotic, atmospheric black metal oozing from my Mordaunt-Short speakers. Veineliis, from Brandenburg blast like a cross between Veles in the epoch of their Mussorgsky-inspired A Night on the Bare Mountain and the harsh, emotional tones of some of the Pest bands - most notably Be Persecuted and Dark Fount. Their part of this fascinating split includes 5 tracks, less lengthy than those of their counterparts but equally enthralling. One for cold frosty, nature walks – preferably through blizzard winds!!!!!!!

 

Convivial Hermit:

Compared with his demo, the eerie In The Forest Shall Be My Gallows, the material that Veineliis contributes to this split - the part that I had clearly most looked forward to - is relatively tame in relation the past.  A noisy and raw affair with few surprises, if any, the German one-man band evokes only a lukewarm funereal effect here at best, tangentially touching upon the slithering, subterranean foulness of its predecessor but never quite pulling the worms to the surface.  Like before, the work is marred by synthetic, cheap sounding drum programming - a handicap of the band  from the start, though it is not as if the drums are the only problem here, as the guitars seem, in estimation, much too fuzzed out to lend even slightest clarity, and hence drown out the potency of the riffs as they spread around the clickety-clackety drums.  All sorts of references to preceding bands can be traced from the early Norwegian artists to more recent German bands, all mixed in a blender, and in fact sounding just like they were, in fact, mixed in a blender, in real... so, in short, despite a handful of relatively good ideas, something of a disappointment. 
KÄLTETOD, on the other side, also from Germany, sound very alike to Veineliis with a similar background sea of buzzing guitar, slow riffs, demon vocals and a conscious if but crippled focus on atmosphere.  It all sounds very DIY, very rough and uncontained, except that Kaltetod's contribution to the split is considerably more substantive than Veineliis’s, I would say, as demonstrated by a higher range of melodic dynamism, drama and, well, overall creepiness.  All four tracks have an understated, dreamy quality to them, very obscure, like capturing a distorted radio signal coming from a world in the last stages of death.  I think, though am not wholly certain, that an actual drum set was used in their tracks, as well, adding some bonus points.  I can perceive one listening to this recording deep in the night, and the music reflecting back upon it in reciprocal communion...
Like in the case of Spectral Lore, reviewed elsewhere, both bands are presented in a lavish, handmade digipak constructed from thick, environmentally-unsound (one would guess) cardboard - a fitting if slightly excessive presentation in mind of the audio.  
As a final note and afterthought, I would add that while I appreciate what both bands are attempting to do, the intent and the execution fail to match up in myriad ways.  I think, if anything, the clash between the two corresponds to the source of the problem in what otherwise could have been a far more rewarding outcome.

 

Live Eclipse:

Aus dem allzu fernen China erreichte mich unerwartet ein Päckchen, in dem ich unter anderem diese Split-CD fand. Bisher hatte ich noch nichts von Temple Of Torturous in Händen halten können und war positiv überrascht, da das Digi-Pack wirklich nett anzusehen war. Abgesehen von den leicht verschwommenen Abbildungen sieht das Ganze doch halbwegs edel aus und besteht aus rauem, hartem Karton. Über Ashen Productions gab es zwei Jahre zuvor bereits eine Vinyl-Version, die allerdings nur vier Titel beherbergte. Hier hingegen sind sieben Stück zu finden. Anstatt knappen vierzig Minuten, darf man sich nun auf eine knappe Stunde Musik einstellen.

Wie schon die in diversen Grautönen illustrierte Aufmachung im Gesamten sehr gut unterstreicht, wird man hier düstere Musik vorfinden. Veineliis klingen dabei eher etwas mystisch und weniger schwungvoll, Kältetod hingegen zwar auch durchaus melodiös, das erhöhte Tempo aber selten schleifen lassend. Viel zu sagen gibt es hier eigentlich nicht, denn beide Interpreten klingen stilistisch nicht anders als gewohnt. Wenn man beide mag, kann man hier fraglos zugreifen.

Ich für meinen Teil haben den Split recht oft in der Anlage durchlaufen lassen. Atmosphärisches Kopfkino ohne Genialität, aber mit sehr viel Solidität. Falsch machen kann man mit einem Kauf jedenfalls nicht viel.

 

Underground Empire:

http://www.underground-empire.com/review.php?idx=8260

 

Metalstorm:

http://www.metalstorm.ee/pub/review.php?review_id=6397

 

Black Terror Metal:

NEW LINK TO BE INCLUDED

 

Heathen Harvest:

http://www.heathenharvest.com/article.php?story=20090228115241151