ASP (band)

ASP
ASP
	ASP at Rockharz Open Air 2016
Background information
Origin	Frankfurt, Germany
Genres	Gothic rock ; dark wave ; industrial rock ; Neue Deutsche Härte ;
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Trisol
Members	Asp (Alexander Frank Spreng); Lias (Tobias Engel); Lutz Demmler; Sören Jordan; Stefan Günther
Past members	Matze (Matthias Ambré) ; Tossi (Andreas Gross); Max (Marcus Testory); Holger Hartgen; Pit Hammann; Himmi (Oliver Himmighoffen)
Website	aspswelten.de

Last updated June 01, 2024

ASP is a German gothic rock band from Frankfurt, 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).

History

ASP were formed in 1999^[1] by Alexander Frank Spreng (a.k.a. "Asp") and Matthias Ambré (a.k.a. "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 (a.k.a. "Tossi") on bass, Oliver Himmighoffen (a.k.a. "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 his place Stefan Günther, who is a friend of Sören Jordan, joined the band.

Members

Current members

Asp (Alexander Frank Spreng) – vocals (1999–present)
Lias (Tobias Engel) – bass (2021–present)
Lutz Demmler – bass, guitar, mandolin, keyboard (2011–present)
Sören Jordan – guitar (2011–present)
Stefan Günther – drums (2012–present)

Former members

Tossi (Andreas Gross) – bass (2000–2021)
Matze (Matthias Ambré) – guitar (1999–2011)
Max (Marcus Testory) – choir (2001–2004)
Holger Hartgen – choir (2000–2004)
Pit Hammann – choir (2000–2001)
Himmi (Oliver Himmighoffen) – drums (2000–2012)

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Title	Peak positions
Year	Title	GER ^[3]	AUT ^[4]
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	–
2017	Zutiefst (Fremder-Zyklus 3)	12	–
2019	Kosmonautilus (Fremder-Zyklus 4)	20	–
2021	Endlich! (Fremder-Zyklus 5)	–	–
2023	Horrors	–	–

Live albums

Year	Title	Peak positions
Year	Title	GER ^[3]
2008	Akoasma: Horror Vacui live	97
2009	Von Zaubererbrüdern	–

Compilations

Year	Title	Peak positions
Year	Title	GER ^[3]
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
Year	Title	GER ^[5]
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"
2017	"20.000 Meilen"
2017	"Zutiefst …"
2019	"Geh und heb dein Grab aus, mein Freund"
2019	"Osternacht"
2019	"Tintakel"
2019	"Kosmonautilus"
2019	"Morgengrauen irgendwo"
2019	"Abyssus 2 (Musik)"
2021	"Raise Some Hell Now!"
2021	"Spät"
2021	"Ziel"
2022	"Die letzte Zuflucht"
2023	"Ich, der Teufel und du"

Music videos

2005: "Me"
2011: "BaldAnders"
2015: "Astoria verfallen (Verfallen – Folge 1: Astoria)"
2017: "OdeM (Verfallen, Folge 2: Fassaden)"
2017: "Umrissmann (Verfallen, Folge 2: Fassaden)"
2017: "Abertausend Fragen"
2017: "20.000 Meilen"
2017: "Nehmt Abschied/Auld Lang Syne"
2019: "Die Untiefen"
2019: "Abyssus 2 (Musik)"
2019: "Tintakel"
2021: "Raise Some Hell Now!"
2021: "Echo"
2022: "ENDLICH!"
2022: "Die Letzte Zuflucht"
2023: "Ich, der Teufel und du"

DVD

2009: Von Zaubererbrüdern – Live & Unplugged
2012: Live auf dem Summer Breeze
2019: Zaubererbruder – Der Krabat-Liederzyklus – Live & für immer

Box sets

2007: The Once in a Lifetime Recollection (feat. Chamber live; Limited to 1,999 copies)
2011: Der Komplette Schwarze Schmetterling-Zyklus (10-CD box set containing all the songs within the Schwarzer Schmetterling cycle)

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References

1 2 3 4 5 6 Ankeny, Jason. "ASP Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved 29 August 2012.
↑ Mineur, Matthias (2009). "ASP – Akoasma – Horror Vacul [sic!] live". Metal Hammer (in German). No. 1.
1 2 3 "Discographie ASP". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
↑ "ASP in den österreichischen Charts". austriancharts.at (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
↑ "ASP Single-Chartverfolgung". musicline.de (in German). PHONONET GmbH. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2011.

External links

Official website
ASP at AllMusic

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[Allmusic-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ankeny, Jason. "ASP Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved 29 August 2012.

[2] Mineur, Matthias (2009). "ASP – Akoasma – Horror Vacul [sic!] live". Metal Hammer (in German). No. 1.

[MCCalbum-3] 1 2 3 "Discographie ASP". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 14 March 2019.

[AT-4] "ASP in den österreichischen Charts". austriancharts.at (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 November 2011.

[5] "ASP Single-Chartverfolgung". musicline.de (in German). PHONONET GmbH. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2011.

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