Despair (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 in Dortmund, Germany |
| Founder | Robert Kampf, Klaus Pachura, Thomas "Donald" König, Waldemar Sorychta, Marek Greschek |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Fate | Disbanded; reunited in 2017 |
| Headquarters | Dortmund , Germany |
| Products | Thrash metal music |
Despair is a thrash metal ensemble originating from Dortmund, Germany.
Initial Formation
Established in Dortmund in 1986, the founding members were Robert Kampf (vocals), Klaus Pachura (bass), Thomas "Donald" König (drums), alongside guitarists Waldemar Sorychta and Marek Greschek. The band issued the demo Surviving You Always in 1987. Shortly thereafter, 16-year-old Markus Freiwald took over drumming duties from König. In 1988, Kampf launched Century Media Records, debuting the label with Despair's History of Hate.
By 1989, Andreas Henschel stepped in as vocalist, replacing Kampf who shifted focus to managing Century Media. The label went on to release Despair's albums Decay of Humanity (1990) and Beyond All Reason (1992). Sorychta not only produced History of Hate but also served as the main songwriter. His production work extended to numerous Century Media artists such as Unleashed, Crows, Tiamat, Asphyx, and Samael.
Post-Despair Activities
Following their split in 1993, Sorychta built a notable production career closely linked with Century Media. He co-founded Grip Inc. alongside Dave Lombardo and participated in the supergroup Voodoocult. Later ventures included forming Eyes of Eden and Enemy of the Sun, as well as producing Sodom's 2010 album In War and Pieces.
Markus Freiwald joined acts such as Flaming Anger, Everflow, and Voodoocult, establishing himself as a session drummer for various Century Media artists. In 1999, he substituted for Ventor during Kreator's Endorama European tour. By 2010, Freiwald became part of Sodom, replacing Bobby Schottkowski amidst internal disputes, and made his debut on the album Epitome of Torture, produced by Sorychta.
Tragically, Marek Greschek passed away by suicide in 2013.
Reunion
In November 2004, Robert Kampf revealed plans to revive Despair with Sorychta and Freiwald; however, this did not materialize.
Later, in September 2017, Sorychta confirmed the band's comeback featuring Freiwald on drums and Marc Grewe of Morgoth as lead vocalist—Grewe had previously provided backing vocals on Despair’s second and third releases. Marius Ickert from In Weak Lights joined as bassist. The group is currently working on a reimagined version of the album History of Hate.
Discography
- Surviving You Always (1987) – demo
- History of Hate (1988)
- Decay of Humanity (1990)
- Beyond All Reason (1992)