Of course, this does’t necessarily make the unsettling, highly complex narrative any more accessible. People who still reduce the band to ‘Ich will brennen’ and similar popular songs may well have problems with mastermind Asp Spreng’s courageous reflections on his own, lyrically complex powers. However, anyone who regards a music album as being more than just background noise will find fulfilment in this world of songs.
Especially because musically, it increasingly defies genre categorisation, yet in an extremely melodic manner. Because this climax to the ‘Fremder’ cycle is certainly not lacking hits, many of which are crying out more than ever for the live stage. And the surprising thing is this: although some songs clearly have their roots in metal, others represent a nostalgic nod to the band’s sound in the early days, yet without coming across as an attempt to go back to the roots.
Rather, it sounds almost as if this fourteenth studio album seeks to playfully reconcile all the styles deployed by ASP over the course of many years with one another, closing a circle. ASP remain as extravagant as ever, as even in this era of streaming, they give their all to ensure their releases are a real experience. The artwork, created with photo artist Heilemania (Nightwish/Dimmu Borgir…), helps ensure the album represents a breathtaking total work of art fusing music and imagery.
A bold, opulent chapter from ASP, which after two years’ intensive work and a decade of storytelling brings this major cycle to an end with an absolute bang. A blockbuster of an album!
The Digibook comes with all 3 CDS inside printed pockets + 27-page booklet on high quality glossy art paper with front and rear endpapers made from extra-thick paper, printed in colour. Also here, the booklet contains all song lyrics!
Released Early October 2021 by Trisol Music Group.
Track Listing:
CD1:
01. Intro: Bedenke gut
02. Was du dir wünschst
03. Echo
04. The Eternal Stranger
05. Ziel
06. Seerosenblüten von einst
07. Ausgewachsener Albdruck (Fremde Träume III)
CD2:
01. Endlich
02. Ruine (FremdkörPerson, viertens)
03. Spät
04. Widmung
05. Raise Some Hell Now!
06. Begleitung (Bedenke gut Instrumentalreprise)
07. Tor
CD3:
01. Age of the Hurricanes (Two Minds Collide feat. ASP)
02. Seemansgarnknäuel (DELVA feat. ASP)
03. Rooftop. Legs Yet Dangling. (Cassadi feat. ASP)
04. Echo (Lord Of The Lost Version)
05. Endlich (Single Edit)
06. Raise Some Hell Now! (Single Edit)
English