Madrugada had already been playing together for five years before their breakthrough came with the ‘New Depression EP’ in the spring of 1999. It reached the upper end of the singles charts and gained heavy rotation on Norwegian radio.
Their debut album, Industrial Silence, was released in the fall of 1999. It became a word of mouth success, selling more and more records as their fan base continued to grow as a result of their relentless touring. Touring throughout Europe they became a popular live attraction in such cities as Berlin and Paris. This made them the Norwegian band with the strongest following outside of Norway for years.
In February 2001 they returned with the unlikely number one single "Hands up, I Love You" and second album, The Nightly Disease. This was a much darker and less accessible record than their debut; still, it outsold Industrial Silence in Norway within weeks.
