Some labels do celebrate an anniversary quite silent – regarding the Czech label Monopol Records, I guess only a very few hard-liners of the international Electro/Industrial scene have realized this. It needs to be said, that there has been some silence around this label during the last two years after the release of the last DEPRESSIVE DISORDER studio-album. This may is a logically consequence of the currently uncertain times and the ongoing lack of sales of the physical CD’s – especially young and small labels suffer enormously through this. However, it’s good to see and it warms my heart that Michal Lepsik still hasn’t given up his fight to offer quality Electro/Industrial music especially to the fans and listeners of the Czech and Slovakian and other East-European countries. And the featured content proves his efforts right, because all band take this chance to offer new and for the most unreleased stuff and some of them do really the best they can. The already mentioned DEPRESSIVE DISORDER are still highlighting the label roster and offer with "Apology" a marvelous Dark Electro tune, while the remix of Germany’s THE RORSCHACH GARDEN on "Reality" scores with its minimal EBM bass-lines. The collaboration with Aliens Production out of Slovakia is still alive, as DISHARMONY (they offer a fantastic teaser named "Evolution" of their upcoming new album...), OXYD (the rather Ambient-minded side-project of the both DISHARMONY-protagonists...), FRONTIER GUARDS (featured on here with another great and unreleased cinematic score...), ANHEDONIA ("Evacuation Guidelines", recently on returning with a new album...) and LAST INFLUENCE OF BRAIN (couldn’t decide to continue with the ex-Vendetta-Music side-label E.A.R. and have joint instead the ranks of Aliens...) prove this. Also Monopol’s projects asides DEPRESSIVE DISORDER offer remarkable stuff, MASTERMIND (offer a seducing Electropop-tune...), GREGORY and especially the trio of NO NAME DESIRE are featured and hitting the nail. Plus, there some new and undiscovered names I strongly recommend to follow regarding upcoming activities like MY ASPHYXHIA, INTERFACE SURGERY (isn’t that a DEPRESSIVE DISORDER side-project?) and/or ECLIPSED. A lot of good and interesting stuff to discover, this Monopol Records compilation is a great example and acts like a guide-line for many other labels doing something comparable. Let’s hope the best that we can welcome Michal and his fine label roster with a 6th, 7th, 8th and so on anniversary compilation again.

01 bratri v tracku : photo
02 disharmony : evolution
03 depressive disorder : reality ( the rorschach garden rmx )
04 mastermind : time is out
05 my asphyxia : poison
06 interface surgery : critical impact
07 oxyd : alcasonic
08 last influence of brain : revolution
09 anhedonia : evacuation guidelines
10 gregory : relax
11 eclipsed : countenance
12 no name desire : caustic
13 depressive disorder : apology
14 frontier guards : insider
15 broom carwell : vltima ratio regvm