ASP (band)

ASP

Asp, the singer of ASP
Background information
Origin Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, Germany
Genres Gothic rock, dark wave
Years active 1999–present
Labels Trisol
Website aspswelten.de (German)
Members Asp (Alexander Frank Spreng) (vocals)
Tossi (Andreas Gross) (bass)
Lutz Demmler (bass, guitar, mandolin, keyboard)
Sören Jordan (guitar)
Stefan Günther (drums)
Past members Matze (Matthias Ambré)
Max (Marcus Testory) (choir)
Holger Hartgen (choir)
Pit Hammann (choir)
Himmi (Oliver Himmighoffen) (drums)
The band's logo

ASP is a German rock band from Frankfurt am Main formed in 1999. The name is identical to the pseudonym of the band's leader Asp (Alexander Spreng), and is pronounced as one word (like the snake).

Alexander „Asp“ Spreng at the Rockharz Open Air 2016

Biography

ASP were formed in 1999 by Alexander Frank Spreng (aka "Asp") and Matthias Ambré (aka "Matze"), producing their first 3-track demo CD later that year. The following year saw a record deal with Trisol, who released the band's debut album Hast Du mich vermisst? ("Have you missed me [very much]?"), as well as the band's first live performance, at the 'Gothicworld' festival having added Andreas Gross (aka "Tossi") on bass, Oliver Himmighoffen (aka "Himmi") on drums and a choir section to the line-up).[1]

The following three years saw the release of two further albums Duett and Weltunter, which, along with the debut, formed the album series Der Schwarze Schmetterling ("The Black Butterfly"). ASP also became a popular live act over these years, regularly appearing at high-profile festivals.[1]

The band suffered some difficulty in 2004 with the bankruptcy of distributor EFA,[1] though their albums were reissued later that year, along with the 'Interim Works Compendium', a 2CD collection of ASP rarities as well as selected tracks from their three albums to date. Another string of live dates took them through to the release of Aus der Tiefe in May 2005, the fourth part of the 'Der Schwarze Schmetterling' series. The fifth part Requiembryo followed in 2007.[1]

The year 2008 saw the release of three new albums. First, a best of-album Horror Vacui was released in February. This was followed by a tour in Europe. At the end of August the band released Zaubererbruder - Der Krabat-Liederzyklus, an album based on the Sorbian Krabat legend (see, e.g., Krabat by Otfried Preußler). The live recording Akoasma is available since December 2008. They have also remixed Emilie Autumn's "Liar", plus provided vocals for the mix. It is known as the "Manic Depressive Mix" and is featured on Autumn's Liar/Dead Is The New Alive EP.

The band released their first DVD in August 2009, entitled Von Zaubererbrüdern.

In 2011, after almost 11 years of cooperation, the paths of the two founders of the band diverged - songwriter and singer Alexander "Asp" Spreng and producer and guitarist Matthias Ambré. ASP as a band continued with new partners, and the musicians Andreas Gross and Oliver Himmighoffen were retained for live performances. The reasons for separation are given officially as personal and professional differences.

One year later Oliver Himmighoffen also left the band. In place of him Stefan Günther, who is a friend of Sören Jordan, joined the band.

Discography

Albums

Year Title Peak positions
GER

[2]

AUT

[3]

2000 Hast Du mich vermisst? (Der Schwarze Schmetterling I)
2001 Duett (Der Schwarze Schmetterling II)
2003 Weltunter (Der Schwarze Schmetterling III)
2005 Aus der Tiefe (Der Schwarze Schmetterling IV) 50
2007 Requiembryo (Der Schwarze Schmetterling V) 38
2008 Zaubererbruder - Der Krabat-Liederzyklus 13
2011 fremd (Fremder-Zyklus 1) 9 47
2013 Maskenhaft (Fremder-Zyklus 2) 2 57
2015 Verfallen (Folge 1: Astoria) 7
2016 Verfallen (Folge 2: Fassaden) 17

Live Albums

Year Title Peak positions
GER[2]
2008 Akoasma: Horror Vacui live 97
2009 Von Zaubererbrüdern

Compilations

Year Title Peak positions
GER[2]
2004 Interim Works Compendium (Best of)
2004 DJ Revelation 03 (Compiled By ASP) This is a compilation of artists such as Janus, Umbra et Imago, Qntal and others. The only ASP track is the first one.
2008 Horror Vacui 42
2011 Der komplette Schwarze Schmetterling – Zyklus {I bis V}
2014 Per aspera ad aspera 81

EPs

Year Title
2002 Die Zusammenkunft (Duett-Remixes); re-released in 2009
2005 Hunger (only available on the Hunger tour 2005)
2006 Humility (with Chamber)
2006 Hässlich (fan remixes of the ASP song)
2007 Nie Mehr! (10 track EP beginning a new series of releases entitled "Die verschollenen Archive" [The Lost Archives])
2012 GeistErfahrer

Singles

Year Title Peak positions
GER[4]
1999 "ASP" (Promo-CD)
2003 "Weltunter (Komm zu mir)"
2003 "Stille der Nacht (Ein Weihnachtsmärchen)"
2004 "Where do the gods go" (Promo-CD)
2004 "Ich will brennen"
2005 "Schwarzes Blut" (Promo-CD)
2006 "Werben"
2006 "Ich bin ein wahrer Satan" 29
2006 "Isobel Goudie" (Limited to less than 1,999 copies)
2006 "Varieté Obscur"
2007 "Duett (Das minnelied der Incubi)" (limited to 544 copies)
2009 "Wer sonst?"/"Im Märchenland" (Limited to 3,000 copies) 56
2011 "Wechselbalg" 46
2012 "Eisige Wirklichkeit"

Music Videos

DVDs

Box Sets

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ankeny, Jason. "ASP Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  2. 1 2 3 "ASP Longplay-Chartverfolgung". musicline.de (in German). PHONONET GmbH. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  3. "ASP in den österreichischen Charts". austriancharts.at (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  4. "ASP Single-Chartverfolgung". musicline.de (in German). PHONONET GmbH. Retrieved 27 November 2011.

External links

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