Taking hardcore ethics to a whole new level, Germany's MAROON are quickly outplaying and outlasting their contemporaries around the globe. Formed in early 1998, the vegan, straightedge five-piece is clearly showing their dedication and no signs of slowing down. After an early MCD and a split EP with Self Conquest, the band released their major introduction to the music world in the form of their first full-length, "Antagonist", which was out on Alveran Records in Europe and Catalyst Records in America. The band then headlined a European tour and even ventured over to South American and Japan in 2003 in support of the record. It's those initial years of hard work that have caused the band's reputation to spread all over the world, earning them slots at major festivals like With Full Force, Pressure Fest and more, in addition to high profile shows alongside acts such as Hatebreed, Agnostic Front, Earth Crisis, Heaven Shall Burn and Sepultura. The band's sophomore album, 2004"s "Endorsed By Hate", was a fantastic example of passion and anger. After it"s release the Nordhausen five-piece relentlessly played Europe"s festivals as well as toured with Cataract in late 2004 and Downset in early 2005. They didn"t even take much of a break and kept playing shows and festivals such as Pressure, Fury, With Full Force, Dour, Groezrock or Summerbreeze Festival during the summer of 2005 while writing their new masterpiece "When Worlds Collide". In late October 2005 they finally took off to Denmark to record the new album with Jacob Hansen in his Hansen Studios (Mercenary, Fear My Thoughts). During the recording process their labelmates Mercenary popped in to add some back-up vocals and keyboards while some of Roger Miret"s (Agnostic Front) unique shouting was captured spontaneously during the Persistance Tour. Right after the mix of "When Worlds Collide" MAROON set out for a full European tour supporting death metal legends Obituary and Switzerland"s dark visionaries Samael. Without a single doubt the album showcases some surprising moments when the melodic vocals of Mercenary"s Mikkel Sandager kick into the heavy, riff-driven "Annular Eclipse" or when MAROON close their album with the ultra-brutal and blasting "Below Existence". No matter how much they gravitated towards some of the heaviest metal rage MAROON still kept their political awareness and involvement in an alternative life-style - "This is the fight for the voiceless minority.." (24 HourHate). Welcome Annihilation... Hardly any German metal band has been as active as Nordhausen