Ambivalent album

Artwork and equipment
I am only in possession of the Ultimate Edition, so can not comment on the normal version.

When unpacking it falls on - The box has an edge length of more than 30cm, and is relatively overweight. At first glance, quite impressive. The box contains the CD also includes a 92-sided artwork band and a calendar. The Calendar goes from August 2013 to December 2014, so it can hang long. Otherwise, it's just a wall calendar.
The artwork band can thereby be seen real. Timo Wurz, the illustrator, has really done a great job here and created beautiful images.
The materials feel all high quality, and convincing. Top. A limited edition of superlatives.

The Music
as usual in individual tracks

01 - Augenaufschlag
The intro of the album begins very atmospheric. Then ASP uses a very classic-acting singing, accompanied by a synth melody, which, however, very acts Midi-way. Why not have resorted here at Thomas publican bagpipes, is beyond me. Then, the percussion a, the whole is rhythmic, and also atmospheric again. Overall, it seems longing awakening, leaving goosebumps.

02 - The creature with the steely mask
A very NDH-heavy song. A trend in this direction already showed the tone Geisterfahrer EP, here the style is clearly influential. The first part of the first verse acts lyrical little imaginative, but quickly the ASP'sche brilliance sets again. The stroke of genius comes with the third verse, the sound contrasts with the rest of the song. In a Music Box ähmliche harp melody a kind dirge is sung. This contrast is the song benefited absolute and rounds it off sound.

03 - optimism
The intro has something of Nightwish, in the long run the track but then developed to the more typical ASP Rock Sound. The text is also typical ASP, and remains very dependent in the head, especially the Bridge, in the ASP is again his talent for vocal harmonies prove. The song seems quite anthemic, and spread - tadaa! - Optimism.

04 - Wanderer
A beautiful rock ballad, and next to "snowfall in hell" probably the most emotional track of the album. If you have made the appropriate experience, this song is dead on target. Honestly, I can this song so do not actually vote because that is true for me, and I am highly subjective in this song about it. But he is, nevertheless, beautifully.

05 - snowfall in hell
a romantic love ballad with positive connotations. As it were the counterpoint to work "And we danced". Here is not even sung by heartbreak, as the song goes more in the direction, "I'm glad you because bsit". One can see quite different, but in my opinion was missing something in ASP'schen repertoire, especially since it anyway in this world in my opinion, far too few songs this style.

06 - holes in the crowd
It may be that the song alludes to the Arkadi book series by Kai Meyer, which I have not read, but I do not like this song. Mir opens up the text does not really, and especially the context seems to be missing. Anyway, a good, solid rock song he is anyway.

07 - Reflections
Not really a rock ballad, one might say, a sort of spherical rock song about wearing a mask and the attempted self-exemptions. A slight hint of despair resonates here, a touch of melancholy. The song is expected to reveal the plot of the cycle at its clearest. Wonderful.

08 - The Tale of Tomboy porch (Schlüpftanz)
This song is really urtypisch ASP: The wildest and most brazen Genremixtur that I've ever heard. Overall, one can say the track is a kind tanzbaerere, harder "Kleine Ballade Black Butterfly" with wide genre influences. It is even the first time a double-bass drum part in the song, combined with a typical electric bass drum. A cursed interesting mix. At this point, however, needs for supplies be times gesgt: I just had to repeatedly think, must be the order in which "tomboy" and "porch" in the title ...

09 - Tank House (FremdkörPerson, second)
Here the direct comparison must be easy times permitted. The song is less impulsive, heavier than its predecessor from the album "alien". In relation to the text, however, is perfectly fine and even make sense. Yet the song is very rhythmic. There is also another typical ASP song, a good blend of rock and electro.

10 - Per Aspera Aspera ad
This song has what it takes to live classics. A good, energetic rock song, which is very honest. The text line by line spits out truths and wisdom that everyone can affirm only ("In the end there were only kindred spirits companions"). Sonically the song also forms a bridge to the completion of the album.

11/12 - The Cliff
Here a lot of potential is wasted. This song would have ("fear cathedral", "Requiem", "The calm before the storm") can add to this series of large ASP masterpieces. The song flirts namely with their characteristics. A terrific intro, brilliant utilization of ASP vocal range, hymn-like chorus ... the instrumentalization is overwhelming, the text well implemented, the song is staged brilliant, especially listeners of relief Mixes come here at their expense, and yet: in this song were some "made fault. Why has split the song in two tracks, is a mystery, the Cliffhanger * at the end is too abrupt, and total effect of the song somehow too short. Do not get me wrong, the song is terrific, better than anything most could put bands on the legs, an expression of ASP genius, but he would halt even better. Let's hope that if ever appear a second ASP best-of album, these small errors are eliminated in this song.

The bonus CD:
The remixes can be heard, even well done, and change the character of the song too much. The long version of "Per Aspera ad Aspera" is essentially a long version of "Per Aspera Aspera ad" without additional verses. In this respect would be a long version of "The Tale of Tomboy porch" that actually has additional verses yet been somehow meaningful. The Samsas dream cover of "The creature with the steely mask" is most likely what fans of Samsa's dream.

The conclusion:
Pooh, yes, what is the conclusion? The album is a step in a different direction, it looks closed as "foreign", which manifests itself mainly in the Stilrichtugn the songs. That's both strength of the album, as well as the most commonly called criticism because ASP yes otherwise really stand out for a large variance in this area. The result for one or other of the impression that the songs would all sound the same. I personally like this unity of the album, the songs rather subordinate to the concept, which is a marked difference to the Butterfly era. On the other hand it would have been nice if the individual character of the songs would have been a little more ground out. It is difficult to make a final assessment, just because the album forms a relatively sharp contrast to its predecessor. It is without doubts a great album, an eerie artwork, but somehow not the masterpiece that has been provided with a stranger. you can also see it maybe so "strange" the great, overwhelming masterpiece, a stroke of genius, "mask-like" and his songs was like a but just Duch their Inperfektion, they close to the heart because of their honesty **.

One can confidently say a buy recommendation, and give this album some time, does not judge rashly.

Playing tips: Hiker Per Aspera ad Asperer, The Cliff

* Cliffhanger - The cliff notes?
** What is an oxymoron anyway, after all, is the album from wear eienr mask. But perhaps because of it.