Violator

It took seven albums but they finally made it big with this one. Technically a 90s album even though Depeche Mode is linked to 80s music decade. Has the hits we all know and they are good. Violator is heavily digital, more than I thought it would be. The electronica influences are strong and the duo did well with the spacey sounds. Drop the "hidden" tracks along with "Waiting for the Night"...that song blows and ends Side A in a slump. I prefer Side B because of this. An 8 track, 37 minute album would have been perfect. Liked it more than I thought I would at the extended length though...3.3 stars.

Hitting the nail on the head. Thisis my dance anthem. The club scene of the early 90's was mine time for this music. Hand in Glove. I think I actually owned this CD.

The singles from this album have always been amazing. The rest of the album is filling the gaps between the singles.

Incredibly influential awesome album. The production is incredible, and so smooth. Favs are World in My Eyes and Policy of Truth

#282 Heard Before? Yes! Notes: - i admit that i didn't truly appreciate DM until i started using synthesizers in my own music. my opinion was revised instantly. synth gods, for real. - vocals are servicable and the lyrics work, but is that really why anyone is still listening to this album? well, not me. - even the songs i don't really like have at least two jaw-dropping moments of sound design. - i can think of few albums that explore the power of a coda more fully than this one. - overplayed singles are skippable, but that's just who i am. they aren't bad. Verdict: Dark synth pop, with all three of those elements getting equal billing. Listen Again? Not any time soon, but certainly. It's that good, especially given the available technologies.

I remember m brother getting this on vinyl, and everyone raving about it. I tried hard to like it but struggled a bit, I recall feeling it was too sparse and clinical, and I haven't listened to it in the intervening years. Revisiting it however I actually quite liked it. Much as nu-gaze has struggled to get out from under the shadow of Lovelss & Souvlaki, so goth has never really managed to shirk Souxie, The Mission or Sisters, and both genres still feel like cliche even when they're good. Listening to this I realised that someone actually managed a goth album that completely avoids those traps. The sonic landscape is abit flat, but the songs themselves are solid. I genuinely enjoyed it and whilst the album might not get a load of future spins, I'll definitely chuck 2 or 3 of these songs on some playlists. A generous 3 5

Making herion addiction cool again, after all that 80's "just say no" nonsense, and a whole 7 years before Trainspotting (film, only swotty edgelords read the book) to boot. I went to see them at the O2 a few years ago (a friend had a spare. I was in the area) they were shit. Depeche Mode in the 80's were sparkly and fun....they clearly didnt want that for their band anymore....dreading this, 36 years ago it was massively overated. I wonder if the passage of time has changed my opinion. Let's get my baggy black jumper on and dive in. Some of thw rhyming couplets are a bit rubbish, so far i prefer the non vocal passages almost as if the lyrics were added after the tunes were written. I suspect Martin Gore is 90% of the talent in this band..... Ooh one i know, the one about Jesus,, rightly chosen as a single, its the strongest track so far. Overall impression, its not a bad album, just nor particularly memorable, apart feom the 2 big singles, which may only be memorable because I have heard them so many times....

Excellent album - almost a 5 for me, but a few tracks sound a bit too similar for me. Excellent transition from ‘80s to ‘90s music.

The album generator gave me this song for a 2nd time for some reason, so I decided to listen to Thriller by Michael Jackson instead, which interestingly received the same number of stars as Violator initially had.

Monset album their best. The sequence and song order are superb cant imagine it in a different order. Near perfect album

Must be listened just for Enjoy the Silence and Personal Jesus!

Depeche Mode starta ganske bra, og brukte de påfølgende platene til å sakte men sikkert utvikle seg til det monsteret av et band vi finner på Violator. Der det tidligere alltid var noen feilskjær stemmer alt denne gangen. Alle låtene er bra, og de beste er så bra at det er litt skummelt! Jeg setter oftere på Songs of Faith and Devotion, men Violator er ei bedre plate. 10/10

For en deilig lyd det er på denne plata.

Depeche Mode - Violator Eg har nok oftare strekt meg mot 80-talsplatene, men “Violator” er jo ei veldig mektig plate den óg. Den kjennes meir reinskåren og minimalistisk (og kjennes kanskje derfor meir “tidlaus” for mange?) enn “Music for the Masses” og “Black Celebration”, men har same gjennomgåande kjensle: popmusikk som er både melankolsk og fengande. Og ja, denne døra har stått på vidt gap sidan 1990, men fytti grisen for ein bra låt “Enjoy the Silence” er. 8/10

Not my favorite. Very Depeche mode generic sounding.

Probably the best Depeche Mode album, but not my favorite. That said, the dark atmospheric vibes are excellent. Favorite Songs: Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence

very dark but groovy, fav song policy of truth

Not really a Depeche Mode fan apart from the occasional single. This album has my favourite song of theirs Personal Jesus.

No surprise here. Violator was one of my favourite albums when it came out and still gets quite a lot of airtime here. I’ve seen Depeche Mode a number of times and they are superb live, and this album is definitely my favourite of all their work.

I've always viewed Depeche Mode as the bridge between The Cure and Duran Duran, and as such dismissed them. While I did enjoy the album I've not really changed my view.

Discovered this album in 2024 and quickly became one of my favourites, as it is possible as great as synth-pop can get. What really amazed me, and still does, about this record is the insane sound quality, possibly marking it as one of the best produced albums ever. It doesn't enter my head that the record was released in 1990 and still sound so fresh to this day. Apart from the production, and what truly makes this record shine is the incredibly seductive, intimate and dark vibes. Starting with the singing, Dave Gahan's voice is extremely touching, smooth, captivating, deep and expressive, which combines exceptionally well with the provocative and dark lyrics about drugs, faith, struggle and physical love. He also creates some absurdly catchy lines that still stand today as some of most memorable melodies ever, specially the ones from the singles "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy the Silence". The singing is incredible, but the instrumentation is just as good, and it is where the excellent production comes to play. The electronics used in this album sound excellent and meticulously placed so they incite to move along them while also developing the fantastic atmosphere and helping the singer elevate his performance, like with the use of string arrangements. Other instrument that is outstanding is the bass. Absolutely love its lines in "Personal Jesus", "Enjoy the Silence", "Policy of Truth" and "Clean". I'll admit that I'm maybe mixing up the guitar and the bass, but the point stills that what its being played sound superb and incredibly catchy. Ultimately, this album is truly a masterpiece. Not only the dark and seductive vibes are immaculate, but it also is memorable from start to finish with no weak moment (although it could be say that "Waiting for the Night" is not as strong as others, but still a fantastic cut).

Sounds really good loud in a car stereo. Overall, the beat is solid and not really dated, but occasionally I had to skip a track.

This might just be me but sounds very Bo Burnham esc Cool sound, enjoyed vocals, overall great album

I saw a post on Reddit the other day asking what kind of music the douchebags from your high School Days listened to. I replied that it was mostly just the radio they were listening to, but I recall a few douchebags listening to Depeche mode, particularly the rich country club ones. The music is blah to me, not particularly egregious or offensive, but I dropped them a star cuz I remembered you liked them so much, Justin.

A lot of people hold Depeche mode in high regard but I just never saw the appeal. Still I can appreciate their impact and influences on other bands I like and this album had those moments.

Lol it has a song i knew, actually good shit

Bra känsla rakt igenom! Varje låt är riktigt bra, fett sound, luftigt och bara allmänt najs! In på iPoden!!

actually really enjoyed this, some of the textures sounded very ahead of their time.

Prefer this to silence.

I am stunned by all of the rave reviews on this guy. What exactly are we in love with here? Seems like a lot of generic synth noises that blend together and lack any serious emotion. Am I missing something? No, no I don't think I am. I think I am right. I am always right. Very good. Glad we got that settled. Great band name though. Fave tracks: - Personal Jesus - Halo - Policy of Truth - Clean

DP at the height of their powers

ya lo escuche anteriormente manito bello

really good actually! own personal jesus is always nice to hear!

Hell yeah, loved this. It’s so distinctly 80s to me, so I was surprised this album was released in 1990. Personal Jesus is SUCH a great song and really stands apart from the rest of the album, which I found interesting stylistically. Enjoy the Silence was so clever and a little treat! This was a fun one

Depeche Mode er virkelig sejt

Policy of Truth bare fed

Blasting Personal Jesus in my Banshee in GTA San Andreas 3.6

et okay album. Måske egentlig ret godt. Men jeg er ikke kæmpe DM fan, så selvom jeg godt kan værdsætte meget af det de gør her, så er det bare ikke nok til at det rigtigt sætter sig hos mig

Strong first half of the album with lots of songs I like, but even those ones can get repetitive- second half is nothing special aside from some sick dark piano instrumentals ^ if the album was shorter, this would be a 4 for sure

Violator is pretty far and away Depeche Mode's best album. It has a couple of their best songs and remains pretty solid from front to back. It is a perfect slice of the Depeche Mode formula with a mix of dark synth tones, some pop influence, some dance elements and some iconic dark/eerie vocals. It's an overlapping of genres that maintains some of the edge while making it more accessible to non-fans. I get that Depeche Mode isn't for everyone, but I've always enjoyed their stuff. There have been plenty of other synth pop acts that have come and gone. Many have had a good 10+ year run but Depeche Mode seems to be the one that has endured and maintained a following for their 40+ years. Not sure what their special sauce is but evidently it has struck a chord. I've had them on the mind lately following a recent watch of Tron: Ares. It's completely ridiculous that the computer-program-come-to-life uses his love of Depeche Mode as an allegory for the human experience. Just another example of how/why they remain a notable act despite not really landing in a genre with mass appeal or pitching to the pop culture crowd. "I don't want to sound like a queer or nothing, but I think Depeche Mode is a pretty cool band." (Orgazmo, 1997) 3.28 stars

1 - World In My Eyes - 🤷🏻‍♂️ 2 - Sweetest Perfection - 🤷🏻‍♂️ 3 - Personal Jesus - 👍 4 - Halo - 🤷🏻‍♂️ 5 - Waiting For The Night - 🤷🏻‍♂️ 6 - Enjoy The Silence - 🙌 7 - Policy Of Truth - 👏 8 - Blue Dress - 👏 9 - Clean - 🤷🏻‍♂️ 2/5

I liked the vibe but some of the songs got boring

An album that has grown on me over the years. I used to straight up dislike it. I didn't like how it sounded more dated than Kraftwerk, From like 15 years prior. I thought none of the songs that weren't singles were worth listening to, and at the same time, thought "Enjoy the Silence" was merely pretty good. I didnt care for the synths or lyrics or vibe. In hindsight, this album has grown a lot, but only to an album that I think is "fine" or "good." The big singles still aren't "best singles of the era" level for me. But I've found a lot of enjoyment from "World in My Eyes", "Halo", and "Blue Dress." The latter being a truly gorgeous song, I feel is massively underrated. I also like the slow dirgy pulse of "Waiting for the Night" a lot more than I used to. Depeche Mode will never be my favourite synthpop band but at least I like this now!

Hidden gem

i get the idea and see why people might like it but there were some truly awful listens on this album and nothing that i really enjoyed.

this really hits in october, fully sending me into a synthpop/darkwave rabbit hole for the rest of the month

Not particularly my style. The slower songs, although good in their hypnotic minimalism, don't quite do it for me. I feel other artists convey that kind of melancholy better. Of course, the distinctive riffs and rhythms of Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, and Policy of Truth carry the album, but not quite enough to give it a 4/5 overall.

The highs were really high the lows were low. Some of this felt like bad boring noise and some of it was actually epic.

TS was mad good. I love the synths and the vocals and yeah.

I like personal Jesus. Kanye ts

This sounded pretty dated even in 1990, like Nitzer Ebb. Sorry.

It hits hard, there's something about depeche mode that is just different, it hits so different

Åldrats som mjölk och låter som rosa pantern

Pretty cool. Exists at a liminal point in pop music history (1989-90) where it was unclear what was going to be the next big thing. They really took a chance with this album and made a strange blend of pop, dance, industrial, rock, and goth. Personal Jesus is among the strangest pop hits ever, so major kudos to Depeche Mode.

There was soul to the album, but not sure if this was really my taste.

TL;DR: Depeche Mode's best album. Peak sinister synth pop that can sit comfortably alongside early Nine Inch Nails and plenty of new music. BEFORE: I like the singles and have listened to some of their other albums but, weirdly, not this one. Looking forward to the full album. AFTER: This reminds me of Pretty Hate Machine, which is a classic. Wonderfully crafted synth pop with a sinister edge. I had time to listen to it twice, and really enjoyed it both times. HIGHLIGHTS: I really loved most of the songs on here, although Personal Jesus, Halo, Waiting For The Night and Clean were particular favourites. There are some really fun details here - the slide guitar and quasi-classical breakdown on Sweetest Perfection, that opening riff on Personal Jesus, the crushing sadness of Enjoy the Silence's lyrics, the sinister synthesized bass and occasional syncopation on Halo, Waiting For The Night's gorgeous, ambient intro and gentle vocal duet. LOWLIGHTS: Synthesized brass is always a dicey proposition and Policy of Truth is no exception, although it's a fine song otherwise. The lyrics on Blue Dress haven't aged well (although the instrumental is great). VERDICT: I'm giving it 5 stars. A lot of synth-pop ages badly but this is an exception, and it all comes down to the incredible songwriting and composition.

This was funnnn, many a banger. Hearing Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence in context of the full album really worked. I will likely return.

Better than expected, unlike the melodic groove and will listen to it again. 3.1

Violator is often considered one of the best produced albums of all time and I can see why. Every aspect of the record sounds phenomenal regardless of the quality of the songs. Lucky the songs are often great as well which makes for an engaging, dynamic listen

A very relaxing musical 🎼 listen with soundscaoes that are both relaxing and lyrics that are thought provoking.

This is an incredibly atmospheric album. Even if it's not perfect, Depeche Mode's "Violator" really sets a certain mood. And I'm surprised that I even like this album this much, considering I generally don't like synthpop at all. But everything is so well-executed here. Take the opener, "World in My Eyes," for example. Immediately you're hit with a groovy bassline, borderline-glitch percussion, and some really unique ambient elements. At times it almost sounds a little psychedelic. The last 2 minutes of "Enjoy the Silence" blew my mind the first time I heard it. "Policy of Truth" feels a little like new wave. I don't really have much else to say other than that. Good synthpop album. I saw someone call this a nighttime album, and I do have to agree. ----- #0022 Heard on: 12 Oct. 2026 Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (63 / 341) Favorite track: Policy of Truth Least favorite track: Clean

So good - dancey and scary and goth. What more do you need?

8/10 The title is stupid. Sure, DM are a bit darker than most synthpop bands and I've always found them a bit creepy, but this album isn't violating anyone. It's moody pop music. Very nice album though. Depeche Mode have a unique sound, somewhere between Kraftwerk and Joy Division. My complaint about the last DM album I got was that there weren't enough good songs. That cannot be said about this one. Obviously Enjoy the Silence is a banger, but it's far from the only one on here. Highlights: Enjoy the Silence World in My Eyes Policy of Truth Halo Waiting for the Night

I struggled to find any song but the singles here

I don’t understand the appeal of this band. I can’t stand the singers voice, and while there’s some decent music on it, it’s not like it stands out from other electronic music being made at the time.

Besides the singles, which rule, the music is not interesting. It's like they only bothered to bring in the full band and production for the radio hits and just noodled around on a Casio for the rest. None of it is particularly bad, but definitely lacking.

Pretty good, not my style. Songs felt a bit samey but still very listenable

Fine. Not my style

Still sounds as great as it did when I first listened on a tape from Columbia House on my Walkman.

Never has been my cup of tea, but I respect them.

beautiful lyricism, i just dont think electronic dance is for me rhythym wise; loved Halo

Sólo los singles son bop, la vdd está aburrido aunque me encanta su estilo

Pohodinda nie az tak moj styl ale niemtore pesnicky boli moc dobry 6,7/10

Depeche Mode just do not miss. Another gothic synth odyssey that takes the listener on a real ride, this time with a little more dancability. Song for song, the quality remains so consistent, and I found it impossible to choose any kind of favourite, with cinematic arrangements and heavier hooks than before. It's a step towards evolution for the band, and I feel as if they're only gonna get better from here. Brilliant.

Just banger after banger. Favourites: World in My Eyes Personal Jesus Enjoy the Silence** Halo Policy of Truth*

Mostly not for me. But definitely a few solid tunes. Can’t say I’d highly recommend

ze zijn zo goed.

For its overall importance to the genre at the time this is probably a 4 or 5. But I just can feel it. The Cure album I listened to here that I thought I would hate was much better overall. Hence the 3

soo good! need to get this on an mp3 player asap

Not much I would consider memorable. High 2

As somebody who doesn't normally listen to full albums, you're probably wondering why I decided to take on this project in the first place. Albums like this right here are the exact reason. I would have never stumbled upon this gem without doing this project. Here are my thoughts after my very first listen (though it might change on repeat listens): World In My Eyes: A great starting track and a complete breath of fresh air compared to all the dull opening tracks I’ve heard on the previously generated albums. Sweetest Perfection: What a ride! I found myself singing along even though it was my first time hearing it. The unexpected shift in instrumentation in the later part of the song was incredible. Personal Jesus: An intriguing title. It has an explosive start, though it kind of dragged near the end (we get it, stop repeating "reach out and touch faith"!). Still, I definitely liked it. Halo: A standout track. Definitely single-worthy. Waiting for the Night: The vocals felt a bit too buried in the mix here—it would be perfect if the instrumentals weren't so overpowering. However, the ending section was the best part; it could have gone on for a few more minutes and I wouldn't have complained. Enjoy the Silence: The most popular track on the album based on the number of listens, but honestly way too overrated in my opinion—the previous tracks were better. Unlike the track before it, this one goes on for way too long, and the extended ending felt unnecessary. Policy of Truth: A great, danceable track. I'm hoping this was a huge hit when it came out! Blue Dress: Not as exciting as the earlier tracks, but still top-notch. What is with all the extra instrumental minutes tagged onto the end, though? I probably would have cut the ending off. Clean: Oh my! Another long instrumental finish, but this track easily had the best ending out of the bunch. Would I listen to this album again? Definitely. This is the first time in this whole project where I've been this excited to listen to an album again. Would I recommend this album? Of course. Every single track here is top-notch. Just be warned that a few songs drag out their endings a bit too long, but you absolutely need to give this a try. This album is the easiest 5 stars I've given so far. That's it. Period.

podrian cambiar un poco, todo muy repetitivo, igualmente se gano tres estrellas.

Okayy, knew one song

Best

Very cool: lots of funky futuristic sounds and parts that phase in and out. Vocals are nice and lyrics stay on the right side of doing just enough. Favs to keep: Perhaps more The ending of Blue Dress is haunting Clean

iconic heavenly instrumentals

Sincerely enjoyed this album, its hits, and all the in between.

4.22

I love this. The songs are relatively simple but elevated with details which make all the difference. The sounds are uncommon and rich. Just a beautiful album with a different feel than what I am used to. A fitting album to this list.

Another band I've known of for years but only recently started listening to. As a big fan of synth-pop, I quite enjoyed this album! Will be listening to more of their stuff!

The hits are catchy, the rest fall into how I usually feel about dark new-wave

great headphone album

Yeah unfortunately for the haters (I don’t think there are many) this is one of the albums of all time Playlist add: “Enjoy the Silence” obviously but the whole thing rips

que pedazo de álbum, este álbum resumió mi vida esta semana me encanta

Idk, it's got something. I'm not sure I've ever loved his voice. Production feels a little sterile to me. The hits still hit though, so YMMV.

Con depeche siempre me pasa lo mismo, tienen todas las condiciones para ser una banda escuchable pero nunca llegan a serlo. Tiene dos o tres temazos, el resto es depecheslop

Bold move sampling the Skype call sound, I had war flashbacks when I heard it

https://youtu.be/5xillqqt0Y0?is=QHxEJkuor0z3qf5O

Half of their greatest hits come from this album. It’s timeless.

Solid album, the hits are iconic and there's a few of them but I found myself tuning out between those songs not really feeling the others.