On the surface, there doesn't seem like much to the somber synth dirge instrumentals presented here by this (presumably) German entity. But "Brise des Todes," the second track, begins to instill fond remembrance of Spleen-and-Ideal-era Dead Can Dance with its plodding drums and half-step, minor-chord progression. Granted, these songs apparently came to be realized over a period of several years, but none of Vinterriket's thirteen (of COURSE there are thirteen) songs really constitutes a centerpiece, and the inclusion of some kind of thematic unifier to tie this album together as a recorded work would have helped a great deal. Also, when we finally do hear a full rock drum pattern -- on "Das fahle Liehl," that 13th track, no less -- it's a drum machine. Yes, that is in keeping with how "programmed" the CD is supposed to be, but live drums would have really blown us away after our DCD/Laibachian rigor-mortis-fest. Yet it is listenable without being (too) soundtrackish -- mysterious enough and adequately cliché-free to be perfectly good, generic background music; think of a TV hospital drama played out in a haunted house.