ASP - Fremd - DigiCD

release date october the 21st 2011 How can you describe an album whose intensity fully claims the listener for itself? An album whose sinister radiance and lyrics, which express in words as splendidly as ever the chasm-like contrast between a constantly perceptible feather-light languor and merciless, overpowering severity, emanate life? Whose profound embodiment actually goes beyond mere music and manifests itself as a dark yet nightmarishly beautiful cathedral building? Perhaps by mentioning the mercilessly rocking force which erects monumental memorials to goth rock and then, in the next few seconds, breaks them down with the gentle flapping of a wing which wafts directly out of the ‘Zaubererbruder’ kingdom into the here and now. But perhaps also by understanding ‘fremd’ as a uniquely intensified blend of all those essential elements which have made ASP what they are today: the most important German gothic rock project of all.Asp Spreng, singer, composer, lyricist, godfather of personnel and heart and mind behind the project takes the you, the listener, by the hand in the manner of a mysterious stranger and leads you into a dark kingdom without, however, allowing you to sink into hopelessness. Beneficial sadness is to be found in many hidden places and so at the end, the stranger is to be trusted. A place in which you were able to find yourself again.As he searches for the shades of melancholy, Asp Spreng evokes a powerful spell which makes an enchanted as well as disturbing experience from the in part epically long pieces. The album wafts like a wisp of spectral fog from an English moor in Victorian times across the cold streets of today.‘Fremd’ is a musical reinvention which nevertheless feels so familiar, as if this project had never sounded any different. It is a musical and lyrical coup which boasts an additional highlight owing to the spectacular cover artwork by Timo Würz, who is sought after worldwide and who could thrill Marvel and George Lucas. His artwork will enrich the first part of the ‘fremd’ cycle with a graphical style never before achieved.But as sombre, unsettling, teeth-baring, melancholy and plaintive as ‘fremd’ may be, the twinkle of an eye can likewise be sensed once again, a subtle humour nevertheless resonating between the lines like a strong, emotionally-charged intimacy when Asp bares his emotions for the listener.Therefore ASP perhaps never sounded more convincing, the lyrics never more expressive, the music never more substantial. A new era has begun – and never before has it been so worth the wait.You can confidently allow yourself to be carried off into the unknown by ASP; to plunge into the darkness which, with this album, they have once again transformed into a thrilling experience, a masterpiece.The limited deluxe edition of the album includes a special bonus CD containing material which was lavishly produced by Asp Spreng and Lutz Demmler especially for this version. Even during the preliminary stages, the songs from ‘fremd’ were so dear to their hearts that they decided not to allow any unfamiliar hands to take the controls, or to hand the songs over to strangers. Instead, the remixes and alternative versions were created in Demmler’s Twilight Studio with much effort and attention to detail. They wanted to create a different feel for the songs and so recorded partially new additional tracks and rearranged them. In addition, a cover version of the Nik Kershaw classic ‘Wouldn’t it be Good’ is to be heard in two magnificent versions and likewise there is a little something to watch: two videos are included in the data part of the CD. One is of Asp’s legendary appearance with Subway to Sally, the exceptional formation from Potsdam, Germany with whom ‘Ich will brennen’ was well-received as a pure rock anthem and the other is the title track from the recent single ‘Wechselbalg’, from the frenetically celebrated co-headlining appearance at 2011’s M’Era Luna festival. ATTENTION: the album appears in two editions: 1) standard edition: CD in hardback digibook 28 page booklet Semigloss art print on 130g art paper with lavish spot varnishing STANDARD CD EDITION: TRACKLISTING: 1.  A prayer for sanctuary 2.  Wechselbalg 3.  Eisige Wirklichkeit 4.  The Mysterious Vanishing of the Foremar Family 5.  Rücken an Rücken 6.  Angstkathedrale (Canterbury version) 7.  Schön, schön, schön 8.  FremdkörPerson, erstens 9.  Unverwandt