Do you want to stay depressed? Then, this is the right band for you. Just joking! 36 years have passed since DEPRESSION began infecting the scene in 1989 as a one-man project, driven by the desire to merge the brutality of Death Metal with the speed and structure of Grindcore. With no local musicians interested, the first demo, “Tal Der Tränen” (1990), was a raw Noisecore effort. By 1992, the second demo, “Vergessene Welten”, leaned towards Grindcore with Death Metal influences. In 1993, with Marc joining on vocals, the band became a duo, and their third demo, “In Verzweiflung…”, mixed Death Metal and Grindcore, producing a huge impact. Throughout their career, the band has been prolific with splits and releases: from the debut 7” EP “Ein Hauch Von Moder” (1996) to anniversary releases like “Chronische Depression” (2000) for their 10th year, “Das Relikt” (2005) for the 15th, and “Ära Der Finsternis” (2020) for the 30th. Seeing them now, 35 years later, releasing this “35 Years Jubilee Double CD” is a monumental achievement. With their new production, “Das Monument”, Kai and company deliver a massive work clocking in at 115:43 minutes with 55 songs in total. The first disc, appropriately titled “Das Monument”, offers 20 tracks, including 16 brand new songs and 4 rare re-recorded tracks. The sound is that characteristic hybrid they have always been, seeking to mix Death Metal with Grindcore. Tracks with titles as ‘Massive, Aggressive, Depressive’, furthermore the song ‘Seelenstille’ becomes a highlight by featuring the great Dany from DEAD on guest vocals, a true badge of honor in Grindcore. On this first disc, they pay tribute to their most direct influences with ‘Messiah’ by HELLHAMMER and the classic ‘Heart Of Illinois’ by IMPETIGO. The final assault is completed with the re-recording of the EP “Die Zeiten Ändern Sich” on the tracks that close the album. The second disc, “Eine Rückbesinnung II”, is a true treasure. It contains 35 tracks and serves as a retrospective vision of the band with rarities and an impressive amount of covers, many of which had only seen the light on vinyl formats. The list of tributes on this second disc is brutal and essential to understand Deathgrind: we hear ‘Mentally Murdered’ by the fathers of Grind NAPALM DEATH, followed later by the anthem ‘Torn To Pieces’ by DEATH. They do not forget the German underground with ‘Down To The Swamp’ by BLOOD and ‘Nekrovore’ by KADAVERFICKER. The journey continues with the sick groove of ‘Suspended Animation’ by PUNGENT STENCH and the darkness of ‘The Rite Of Darkness’ and the unreleased ‘Vinterblot’ by BATHORY. They also rescue ‘Master’ by the eponymous MASTER. This double CD, featuring artwork by the Spanish artist Juanjo Castellano Rosado, is a new milestone that consolidates decades of effort and dedication of DEPRESSION. In summary, “Das Monument” is a testament. Defying Danger Records will put on the table a heavy piece of art. If you like Death Metal with attitude, without pretense and straight to the jugular, this is for you. More info here: www.facebook.com/depressiongrind, www.facebook.com/defyingdanger