ASP – “Horrors – A Collection of Gothic Novellas”

Pleasurable horror
ASP
“Horrors – A Collection of Gothic Novellas.”
Album (own production)
09 September 2023

A pleasantly eerie horror movie feeling is already introduced with the first song of “Horrors”. Horror remains harmonious and melodic throughout the entire playing time. At the latest with the intermediate piece “Gefesselt” goose bumps come over you that won’t go away. “Flickenpuppe” continues the music box charm of the predecessor, surprises with multi-faceted vocals and becomes a real Rock number peppered with electronic elements as a drumbeat. “Klick” takes an appropriate amount of time for a dramatically compelling buildup with its over ten-minute length. In each of the ten pieces ASP create the appropriate soundtrack to the respective horror stories, whose subjects are different but still fit fabulously under one hat. Whether with tragic violin tones of “Ich, der Teufel und Du”, eerie dramatic sounds of “Schattenfraß”, the real Blues surprise that is “Sandmann GmbH & Compagnie”, really heavy sounds in “The Shadows Beneath the Roots” to the epic ender “Was mich besiegt” – “Horrors” represents a dark and bloody collection of stories that shines in harmony in its compilation of lyrics, content and sounds. A total work of art.

The bonus CD of “Extended Horrors” is heralded by the powerful ASPschen cover version of King Diamond’s “Halloween”. What follows is another illustrious version of the eerie “Flickenpuppe”. How “Krabat” can sound as an a cappella choir version is shown by the “Stimmgewalt-Version”, while the “Cinematic Horrors Version” of “Schattenfraß” and “Klick” offer – nomen est omen – extremely cinematic instrumental alternatives to the original songs. Here the sound becomes particularly broad and yes, even the term “epic” is quite appropriate! More radio play than music? Maybe! Or just the perfect horror soundtrack to a movie that takes place only inside your head. The limited 4-disc edition also comes up trumps with a gripping reading of “Der Fluch”. Read by Asp himself, of course. Perfect to linger in the artwork and in between close your eyes again and again, dream away and creep.

Claudia Zinn-Zinnenburg

Recorded in: Twilight Sound Studio Karlsruhe
Produced by: Lutz Demmbler
Mastered by: Vincent Sorg, Principal Studios