Reviews (page 3 of 13)
Was gonna give it 4 stars but my wife said it was 5.
Very cool album.
Depeche Mode’s Album Violater… Violated my ear drums in just the right way!!! Love these guys
Masterpiece 5/5
BIG W !
Trop bien même les musiques connues c'était des versions un peu différentes. Album très rafraichissant et agréable je me suis régalé !
Dark and groovy
This is a 5 before it even plays. This is a perfect album for 1990, as it transitions the decades with its sound. It's filled with outstanding songs, like World In My Eyes, Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, and Policy of Truth. The whole damn album is a hit. Perfection.
You can listen to this one straight though with no skips. A rare accomplishment. This era of Depeche Mode is similar to me in the turn of style that U2 took in the early 90s. It's a moody yet danceable album. 'World In My Eyes' is definitely a geographer 's theme song.
I had construction time again and some great reward. This one is new to me, but love it just as much
Peak new wave omg. Definitely up there in my top albums of all time. Fav songs: POLICY OF TRUTH!! legit one of my favorite songs of all time, world in my eyes. It’s so hard to choose my favorites because every single track is awesome. The general atmosphere of this album is sort of dark and it feels like it was made to listen to at night. Some of the lyrics are kind of creepy and obsession-y but done really well and obv not just for shock factor.
This album is so good. Pretty much the gold standard for dark synth textures, everything layers so well. It manages to be totally driving while also retaining seriousness. Pretty solid all the way through. Everything feels a little less frivolous ig than older depeche mode albums. I’m not really describing that right but its a different feeling overall. Obviously some songs aren’t as good but it still deserves a 5. Standout Tracks: World in my Eyes, Halo, Policy of Truth, 5/5 deserves to be on this list
This album is the sweetest perfection Start to finish it’s great. Amazing songs. Well paced. Not a note out of place.
It's a classic. Maybe one or two songs too long, but that's a very minor quibble.
What an amazing Friday evening listen. Just right, baby.
Love it.
Perfect album! Favorite tracks: World in my eyes Personal Jesus Enjoy the silence Waiting for the night Policy of truth
This may be my favorite Dm record. Not because of the hit singles, but the songs and the sequencing just work so well. No filler, either.
Good album. Nice blend of dark and moody atmosphere with catchy hooks and songs which were crowd-pleasing enough to propel Depeche Mode into stadium fillers. Shows that synth pop can be serious music
Lovely, melancholy album. Great melodies and production. 5/5
So many bangers! The entire second half of the album—from “Waiting for the Night” through “Clean”—is one of the most impressive stretches you’ll ever hear. And that stretch doesn’t even include “World in My Eyes” or the downright essential “Personal Jesus.” What a great song “Blue Dress” is! It’s under-appreciated because it’s surrounded by so much . . . quality. Amazing. Solid, from beginning to end, really. Easily a five-star album! Swoon. P.S. Ask me sometime about how my mom’s car was rear-ended while we were listening to “Enjoy the Silence.”
Revolutionary, absolute slammer
I've only known Depeche Mode by name, and for having a rabid following from the 80s. Took a few listens, but ended up coming around on this big time. The grooves are fun, the spooky dramatic vibe is unique, and lots of catchy songs. World in My Eyes, Sweetest Perfection, Personal Jesus, Silence, and Policy of Truth. I'm behind on listening, so I've cheated and seen some of the group's reviews - I know I'm going against the grain on this one. I can see how his voice would be annoying, but I found this way more interesting than the rest of the Brit Pop nonsense we've gotten. Maybe not a true 5, but rounding up.
I have such a weakness for synthpop, and DM is at the top of the heap for me. This album is moody, catchy and fantastic. Very highly recommended.
I knew Depeche Mode since little, my mom’s a fan. But I never really listened to any songs (only the most famous ones). I loveeee it. Like really it’s soo good. I love them and I can see why my mom does too.
ну это полный крутяк. в этот раз расслушала песни waiting for the night и blue dress, затерялись на фоне хитов и шедевров, но они действительно классные
I love it
I was never a massive fan of Depeche Mode growing up in the 80s and 90s. They were fine, I never really cared much one way or the other. Eventually, I started to enjoy their music more, predominantly this album, as it is a tremendous one. The main singles - Policy of Truth, Enjoy the Silence, Personal Jesus, and to a lesser extent World In My Eyes - are all great songs which definitely could carry this record. But there are other very good songs on this as well, such as Halo (my favorite of the non-singles), Waiting for the Night, and Blue Dress. At only 9 tracks, it's a cover-to-cover listen. And while DM has other albums/songs that are worth exploring, this is definitely their peak and certainly their tightest record. A 5-star album.
REACH OUT AND TOUCH FAITH!!!! I love Personal Jesus (one of my favorite songs of all time), but I love this album a whole lot more. So catchy and it still sounds so fresh with every new listen.
Großartig, aber wie fast alles schon bekannt.
Love DM!
goated
Great album. Takes me back.
Banger after certified banger. LOVE this album!!!
True perfection.
Such a good 80s album. Such a good 90s album. I have roughly 800 albums left on this list and it's a shame none of them are going to be Violator by Depeche Mode.
I mean, god DAMN.
Game changer 💿 for me. First 7 tracks are all no skips. Nothing in my library sounded like this at the time, and it was also when I started listening to The Cure and Jane’s Addiction. Alternative before it meant grunge.
I’ve listen to this album many times! It’s a great album. This and U2’s Achtung Baby were a daily listening must in my Middle school years!!
I credit this album with introducing me to that gothy, synth-driven aesthetic. It has that moody pulse that somehow feels both mechanical and deeply human. There aren’t many albums that sound this distinct right from the first playthrough. You can hear its fingerprints all over later artists, especially Nine Inch Nails. Depeche Mode’s cultural reach can’t really be overstated. Violator isn’t just a snapshot of a moment in time, it’s a blueprint for what comes after. Every track feels intentional, sleek, and haunting in a way that still resonates decades later.
Increíble
Perfect. No notes just perfect.
Wonderful stuff
Absolute banger of an album, very easy to listen to start to finish. Personal jesus is the timeless classic but world in my eyes and enjoy the silence are great too.
4.5 08.18.2025
👍
This was awesome. I'd only listened to Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence before, and I had no idea that Depeche Mode kicked this much ass. The front half of this record, aside from Personal Jesus, was honestly not the most impressive, but the album escalated and built as it went, and I appreciate the entire album as a whole. Definitely listen to it.
I really enjoyed this one. This is electronic music with a soul. Dark and emotional, yet ambient and hypnotic, it makes you feel something deeper than just the beats.
Only miss was Enjoy the Silence. I get what they were doing, but I didn’t like it.
An excellent album. Full of atmospheric tunes. The hits are hits, the album tracks add depth.
Mästerligt rakt igenom!
God I love Depeche Mode. They are the pinnacle of synth-pop and this album is one of their best. Just peerless production, moody atmosphere, yearning lyrics, and hooks for days. Let me show you the world in my eyes, indeed.
Insanely catchy
The most I’ve enjoyed an album so far in this list. Couldn’t put this one down. Halo or Policy of Truth were my favorites. 10/10
Very easily a 5-star album. One of the best in the list. I forgot how good this album was.
One of those albums so stacked with singles and hits that it plays almost like a Greatest Hits album.
So perfectly threads that needle between dark & industrial (softer than Nine Inch Nails), and morose (less sad than the Cure), and pop danceability (syntheir than Joy Division.) Not sure they were ever better than this.
Cover 7 This album is tied for first with Black Celebration as my favorite DM album, with BC edging just slightly higher because Fly on the Windscreen was my first DM song. I remember being 9 years old and repeatedly stealing my sister's cassette single of that song and just listening to it to death, fascinated by it's darkness. It's been my favorite song of theirs ever since.
Huh listed as electronica. Ig so but hashtah to me you are goth. Goth electronica.
Few albums can balance melancholy and pop in such a beautiful way. Dark synth textures with amazing and memorable hooks. The songwriting is straightforward and clever, and Gahan's voice is perfect. Best song: Enjoy The Silence / World In My Eye Worst song: Blue Dress Cover check: Minimalistic and beautiful
very awesome
Sorry let me put on some black lace gloves and eyeliner before I listen to this album for the third time today. Anyways, exquisitely produced album. Love the beautiful weave of real instruments and synths. So many songs are rock solid and the whole album aesthetic is gorgeously cohesive without sounding the exact same.
enjoy the silence
Their best. Hands down
20/1089 World in my eyes is a great moody opener i knew that i knew at least one Depeche Mode song i just couldn’t place/name it, turns out it was Personal Jesus naturally, maybe i’ve only heard the single version or covers but i really enjoy the album version Halo is a great track, especially as a follow up to Personal Jesus. The production is really doing it for me and the vocals blend in so nicely and cleanly Waiting for the Night to Fall has a very understated but persistent feel akin to Low Roar which i really appreciate I’ve also heard Enjoy The Silence before naturally but never knew the name/artist, I can understand it’s popularity, it’s a great track Policy of Truth and Clean are 2 more great tracks. I think i’ve found my third 5 star album on this list! faves: Halo, World in my Eyes, Policy of Truth least faves: Blue Dress, Sweetest Perfection 5 stars or 90/100
Heard it before. A perfect synth album that never gets old no matter how much time has passed. Each song is just so unique. Not just compared to other albums from the era but compared to the rest of DM's discography as well 5/5
goat
A lot of this - outside of the monsters singles - is new to me. Enjoyed it thoroughly.
Really good
This is nearly perfect. 5.
Det hjælper med genkendelsen, men det er et helstøbt album.
Now, this is a phenomenal album, brilliant. A band at their peak. It is just I personally believe that this is their second best album.
Just a masterpiece of pre-grunge alternative electronic music,dark and dirty as all hell, mean and moody as fuck. There's a underlying menace in this that you can't quite put your finger on, and it turned out to be Dave Gahan's heroin addiction. Zero skips on this album, but "Personal Jesus", "Enjoy The Silence", and "Policy Of Truth" are top tier bangers. Just can't get enough...
It's reeeeal good. After listening to only some great reward for years, hearing another album by them lived up to the hype!
Crazy album. I had to give this one a five on merit of the production value alone - I think I'd describe this as a "perfect" album just in terms of sound and consistency - but it also crafts a vibe that I think other albums have been struggling to emulate for decades.
Obvious 5. This is what every album in the 80s that touched a synth was trying to be. Tight, doesn't overstay its welcome, the track listing makes sense and they flow well into each other. Any album that can make me feel sorrowful and reflective and then have me shaking my ass is a win for me.
Although some excellent albums came before this one, this felt like a massive peak in their career. Half of the album I would consider to be timeless, especially Enjoy the Silence which is one of the best songs ever. Enjoyable listen throughout, overall excellent 1. ENJOY THE SILENCE 2. POLICY OF TRUTH 3. PERSONAL JESUS 4. WORLD IN MY EYES 5. HALO 6. CLEAN 7. SWEETEST PERFECTION 8. WAITING FOR THE NIGHT 9. BLUE DRESS
Pretty good. Maybe their best album?
No notes. Violator totally rules!
This is one of the best records that has ever been put on tape. The hype surrounding its release is notorious, but well-deserved. This album made Depeche Mode into legends, for better or worse. I think better in the long term, even if the aftermath of this record had long-lasting negative effects. It perfectly encapsulates the cultural shift that happened from the 80s into the 90s. There is a moodiness and weight to the music of this era, from pop to alternative and beyond. The whole album is perfect, but my standouts are “Personal Jesus”, “Waiting For The Night”, “Enjoy The Silence”, and “Policy of Truth.
World in My Eyes - 5/5 Sweetest Perfection - 4/5 Personal Jesus - 5/5 Halo - 4/5 Waiting for the Night - 3/5 Enjoy the Silence - 5/5 Policy of Truth - 5/5 Blue Dress - 4/5 Clean - 4/5 Average score: 4.3/5 (rounding up)
It's probably been 20 years since I listened to this album and I hosestly can't say why. Sometimes we just move on and forget, I guess. As someone who is always seeking out new music, this project is making me realize that sometime the old can be new, when listened from a different time and space. As I listened, I had distinct memory of when I first heard this album after it was released and being completely blown away. It still had enough of the electronica to be distinctively Depeche Mode, but more dissonent and complex, in a good way. This was especially after smoking up, which was my state when listening to any new music at the time. Listening to it today, I'm stuck by how well the album holds up. It really is an amazing piece of work that is solid from start to finish that perfectly bridges the sounds of the 80s and 90s. Don't get me started on the production value, such depth, especially for the time it was released. It is an album that screams for a great set of headphones or HiFi system. This makes it a great album to get for new subwoofer day, which is due to be delivered any minute. I'll give it another listen once I get everything dialed in and calibrated. When the album popped up, I thought to myself that it would be fun nostalgia. I wasn't expecting a 5* that will now be in regulare rotation, especially for the much more rare occasions when I just want to smoke up and travel into a sonically dissonant landscape.
This might be my lack a synthpop listening, but this sounds like a mix of so many excellent things that all somehow work so well together. Masterpiece.
Great album
Úllllltimo día de junio con éste disco emblemático de Depeche Mode. Lo oscuro e introspectivo como lugar no sólo de ensoñación sino de baile y de intimidad siempre fue el espacio privilegiado de ésta banda y éste álbum es un ejemplo más. Sin más para agregar de éste discazo, me despido hasta mañana.
One of my very favorite albums, love it cover to cover.
5/5
Great album from start to finish
A nostalgic kick ass early ‘90s Depexhe Mode
Dark and moody and definitely 80s but also timeless. Enjoyable but need to be in the right mood.
If "on to something" was an album. Felt like half of the songs gave me a hint of some extremely popular song that came like a decade or more later.
While "Music for the Masses" is my favorite of Depeche Mode's albums, "Violator" is their absolute peak. They are in TOP FORM. No skips (unlike MftM). Favorite songs (in no particular order): Halo (ok, that's my favorite), Personal Jesus, Clean, Policy of Truth.
Muy ochentero Muchos temazos 10/10
Moooooy bueno, esta personal Jesús, movidito, dark, recomendaría
Amazing album. Depeche Mode's best record.
Lots of feels in this album. Sure, there’s the big boppers—I somehow forget a lot that “Personal Jesus” is there—but this album is atmospheric for me. “World in my eyes” starts things off well then “Sweetest Perfection.” “Enjoy the Silence” and “Policy of Truth” are pop perfection back-to-back with “Blue Dress” being a great palate cleanser.
Classic
Saw a Tiktoker call this kind of music “sad noises.” I agree, but as a compliment.
Classic. Just fantastic album
Tem a minha música preferida, enjoy the silence.
Great album, loved every song, but my favorite was enjoy the silence
Banger na banger, synths doen het goed voor mij
De productie van dit album is zo teringvet, al het geluid klopt. Er staan een of 2 saaiere nummers op, maar echt een topalbum
Childhood radio vibes
fiiiinally some depeche mode! au da hani während minere chindheit grosse ihfluss vo mim papi döffe gnüsse – und isch daher eini vo de wichtigste bands für mich <3 enjoy the silence eis vo de beste lieder wo jemals gschriebe worde isch & au suscht heds paar hochkarätigi bangervertretige uf dem album es holt mi jetzt nöd jede einzelni track 5/5 ab, aber mis buchgfühl prognostiziert trotzdem es mittelklars 5 de möchemer das doch so!
Of DP’s best. Really great new wave synth rock album. Classic, fire cover also
Surprised Personal Jesus has so many less plays than Enjoy the Silience and Policy of Truth on Spotify. By far my favorite song on the album.
Depeche at their best
This is as good as it gets.
Automatic 5 star for me, I own this and loved listening to this on headphones in my bedroom in high school.
Absolutely jawdropping. Some of the most powerful vocal performances you'll ever hear, alongside some damn good pop songwriting. A true classic and a must hear for anyone interested in synth based music.
I LOVE DEPECHE MODE
One of the best ever
My favorite album of all time. It was a turning point for me as an 11/12 year old who finally discovered how much music is important to me and what kind. Depeche Mode is one of those bands that fits the bill for me. Then I finally saw them in concert and it was such a a spiritual experience.
OMG so many of my favorites in one place!
Interesting blend of 80’s sounding electronics with kind of a grunge 90’s aesthetic at times. Overall cool
Great album. Enjoy the silence. Nuf said.
Best Depeche Album. Period. It’s the policy of truth.
Though I appreciate New Wave I don’t quite dig it, it’s rarely gotten right after all. That is the reason for which I fancy ‘Violator’ so much. Favorites: Enjoy the Silence, World in My Eyes, Sweetest Perfection. Dislikes: none actually, all tracks are at least 7/10 or more -Ninonin Theone.
As a gift to my partner for his 50th birthday, I'm giving this a 5. It's a 4.5 for me, but it gets rounded up because the boy's first concert was the World Violation tour. This gets rounded up for the incredibly tattered Depeche Mode Violator concert t-shirt that lives in the back of the closet.
Honestly as an album I'd say 4, 4.5 but Enjoy the Silence is such a banger!!!
Wasnt expecting to really like this one but loved it. Some parts are amazing and some parts are meh but overall a really cool record and such a vibe
This is not a genre I’m really familiar with and that’s what my hope was when I originally wanted to do this project. I love the last two songs the most. I felt like the album was done with a lot of intention and I appreciate that.
One of the best albums ever made, just wall to wall superb songs
Dark, pretty fun, amazingly produced, great vocals. 47 minutes of ear-candy at its most elegant and refined. The best synthpop album of all time.
Wow - that was some great new wave
So I'm already a Depeche Mode fan, I was listening to them a lot a month back. Not sure if this is my favourite album of theirs, some of my preferred songs are on others, but this is more than half bangers.
liked it!!
Starting out good, I like the background sounds and the guys vocals. Smooth flow in the songs. World in My Ears is great and so have the next three songs. This whole album is wonderful, probably a 9 or 10/10. I can't get enough of these songs, every single one has been good without fail. They make me feel a bit like floating. Other people described it as dark and moody and I think that fits it really well. It kind of pulsates over and over
Definitely a grower. I was aware of Depeche Mode at the time but thought they were all a bit light weight and poppy , based of early tunes. Listening to this I can see how dark some of the lyrics were and in light of things I now know about the band I am seeing them in a new light. Very good and needs more listening
I love this album, it has some famous bangers on here for sure. Depeche Mode never fails to satisfy me.
Where are the gaps in this album? A personal top ten.
Vinyl: Yes Fav Song: All of it
Ok, another Depeche Mode album for this group. Much more recognizable singles off this one, including Your Own Personal Jesus, which has historically been my favorite track of theirs. The transition of Enjoy the Silence to Policy of Truth is amazing. Those moments on this album don't often get heard since they aren't radio friendly and who the hell listens to whole albums anymore, but my eargasm says "play that shit again!"
Enjoyed this, a mixture of familiar and new tracks. Definitely the kind of thing I like on while working.
Repeat listen
En klassiker. Fem!
When I think of dark moody synthwave I think of Depeche Mode
This is the 98th album I’m rating. This better be better than Suicide. Adding to my Playlist - World in my Eyes, Personal Jesus, Halo, Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth, Blue Dress, and Clean. Not Adding to my Playlist - Sweetest Perfection and Waiting for the Night. All in all I liked 7/9 songs. Better than Suicide.
It turns out I had listened to most of this album already... covered. I guess a lot of the electro-goth that I got into during "that one phase" wasn't as original as I once thought. A lot of them trying to be Depeche Mode, and sometimes just playing the exact songs. The album is good, and undeniably influential.
The absolute peak of Depeche Mode, and arguably the peak of all synthpop. Dark and brooding, but still very catchy and accessible. That fact it's relatively short, at only nine tracks, plays in its favour. Not a single second is wasted, even the interludes after "Enjoy the Silence" and "Blue Dress" feel integral to the overall experience. Key tracks: World in My Eyes Personal Jesus Halo Enjoy the Silence Policy of Truth
This is a timeless work of art
Its one of the best
Violator is a masterpiece. Every song is meticulously constructed - amazing electronics, swelling strings, great vocals. World in My Eyes is a great album opener to kick off with. I've been looking forward to getting this album since day 1 of this musical journey (and now am almost half way through). 5/5
Top-notch synth pop production AND fantastic, catchy yet nuanced songwriting AND a compellingly dark and romantic atmosphere AND three of not only the biggest but also best hits of the 90's, all for the price of one? Now that's what I call a five star album.
I have not listened to this album in 30+ years, and I can still sing every word. It’s a testament to how much I wore this out. For a good chunk of years, to teenage me, this was the best, most essential band in the world. This album was an enormous commercial success. Revisiting it now, I can hear how much of an influence this had on other artists. Just the production alone was a major standout. Depeche Mode was always innovative, but this was such a beautifully polished version of their style. They sounded complete. The remix records from this album were fabulous and well worth seeking out. Their cover of Route 66 might have been the B-side to Personal Jesus. And acoustic Personal Jesus is not to be missed. It’s still not my favorite record of theirs, but there are literally zero flaws.
LABAI GERAS
Just perfect. Great listen, full of hits. Excited to bring this back on rotation.
Done
Perfect. Reliving my youth. ❤️
11/10 Depeche Mode's best album and one of the few albums I own that I can listen through without skipping anything or feeling the need to. 3-31-2025
NOT what I expected but I very much enjoyed it. Halo specifically was incredible and got me to re-listen to it while I was doing the first listen. Need to do a whole re-listen
Great
It's an all-time classic and masterpiece! One of the bands that formed the synth-pop genre and still has a modern sound, maybe just a little outdated :-)
Personal Jesus headlines, but every single other song is the reason why people were calling Depeche Mode GODS following the realease of Violator. What an album.
When I first moved to Vancouver in 2009 I was in a big Depeche Mode phase. I love this album so much that when we went to the tour in Seattle, instead of buying a tour shirt I bought one that was just the violator cover… I wish I knew where that shirt was today.
i <3 the pesh mode. i’ve actually never heard one of their albums in full but i knew i’d like this
So dark, so thrilling, so captivating... A perfect catalogue of not only Depeche Mode's hits but also their deep tracks. The themes are incredible and create a chilling atmosphere: lust, greed, anger. Not to mention the enthralling production and arrangement. It's very easy to get Iost in the great mystery that is this album.
This is such a hard slay. My flat is next to a big sports institute with the most beautiful trees and fields in a busy part of town. In the summertime there are sometimes parties and the wind blows the music right into our apartment with a bit of a mystical vibe. enjoy the silence once played there and it flowed right into my apartment while I was falling asleep with the open windows. It was a beautiful feeling which I will always associate with my first summer in this big town.
aaaahhhh bármi ötös lenne, amin rajta van az enjoy the silence, de ez hibátlan amúgy is.
Lovely synth-pop classics
5.0 - Awesome
I loved it, very jazzy late night vibe. Especially the first song, super dragut.:) imi aminteste de un parfum cu miros de leather si slow kisses pe balcon, fumand tigari
This is an astosnishing feeling that I lived then listening album. I got the synth so clear, some more would be the message and how it's transposed to. Music is vibrant and makes my masculinè soul feel and dance, I simple loved it.
Headphones: on. Volume: at the high end of the range that's safe for one's hearing. Me: getting absolutely lost in the music. My criteria for five stars seems to be a lot more lenient than some other listeners on this project. I'm not after technical skills, I'm after how the music makes me feel. Did I enjoy the album enough to add it to my library? That's a five. Violator really needs the headphones, though. It's not the same just echoing through my kitchen while I figure out what ingredients need to be used for dinner.
Love the atmosphere on this one - big, heavy, almost Industrial slabs of synth - but other great little moments too - the strings midway through Sweetest Perfection, the Meddle-esque bass on Clean - and don't get me started on Personal Jesus..
Finally something to keep my attention. The only complaint I have is how long Enjoy the Silence drags on. In this day and age, with streaming services, no one has time to let the band receive a listen royalty if the main song ends and we have to sit through a barely there instrumental at the end of it. This album can turn a non goth fan into one. Choice cut: Enjoy the Silence
Absolutely loved every track on this album. Can't believe I've never listened to this before now.
слушал до дыр
Rating: 9.5/10 Simultaneously dark and beautiful with all time great production.
Dear lord, Violator is such an amazing album. I was expecting at first to hear just another good album like Music For The Masses but this album goes way beyond that. It just has everything i would really ever want in a new wave album. Its haunting, melodic, catchy, memorable and every other adjective i can think of to describe a good new wave album (and in some cases, an album in general). Every song managed to be really good with no stinkers or even average songs as they all just had something that made me really love all of them. This is easily one of the best new wave albums i have ever heard. Best Song: Personal Jesus Worst Song: Blue Dress
I had this when it was new. Loved it then, still love it now. Personal Jesus sounds as good now as it ever did. One way I know this is five stars is that it's easy to imagine this still being a hit if it were released today.
One of my favorite albums of all time
Wonderful band with a wonderful album
Okay so this album was really solid and normally I don't like synth/new wave type stuff very much. I knew the three singles but that was it. This falls into the same boat as Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen. My personal enjoyment was probably a 4 but I think this album was so well made and crafted that imma give it a 5 cause that's what I think it deserves.
Yesterday was Tears for Fears - Songs From The Big Chair, and today it's Violator. Violator is my favorite overall Depeche Mode album. As a whole. There are other albums that I think are just as good or better, but this one on the whole is pretty awesome. Dark, haunting vocals, amazing new wave synth. Stuff your goth girlfriend loved in the very early 90's. Do not sleep on this. Listen to it before you die. 5/5
It feels super good to listen to this album. I've personally never been a huge fan of the band, but, truth be told, this is a blast. Sounds 80-ish but, at the same time, modern. Not as boring as other "goth" bands, as they were way more interesting than that limited genre, but still sounding dark as f***!
Every track is unique yet somehow fits into one cohesive vision. Incredible
this album is all about finding depths of musical variety in one genre. at no point do they sound like anything but depeche mode, but there aren't two songs that could be confused for one another also it has Personal Jesus on it.
Love this. Sounds immense. The singles are so good but the whole thing is unified and very enjoyable.
absolute masterpiece
electronic pop in its best and purest form
Must have been difficult deciding if they should release the first or second half of “Enjoy The Silence” as the single. Violator is a master class in dark yet catchy, gothic yet pop-ish music. Depeche Mode at their finest.
People made fun of them before this album
This is SUCH a good album! I love the modern, “mysterious” vibe. So good, loved it!
Liked songs: all of them I love this album. 5
great album, will revisit a good deal of these songs, gotta hit that 5
Pre-listening thoughts: actually finally. I am so excited for some good music. Already know like 3 songs off this album so I know it is going to go crazy. Blessed be my prayers were answered Post/during listening thoughts: Depeche Mode is awesome. This album’s sound matches the cover so well somehow. It’s dark but it gets you moving. The standard version of this album is so fire. Not huge on the deluxe tracks but that won’t affect my rating here. Would revisit this quite often. 9/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nah Fav tracks: World in My Eyes, Personal Jesus, Halo, Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth, Clean Least fav tracks: n/a
Great album amazing live!
Some genuinely incredible beats that still hold up today. Could see many samples. Also see a lot of influence on that mid 90s electronic grunge.
Loved it, absolute masterpiece. Only knew the most known songs from it and I've got to say what a shame because some of these other songs are even better
Depeche Mode is one of my favorite bands, of which I have many, but I always love putting them on and hearing both the depth of the lyrics and sounds and way in which they turned things into catchy hooks. Violator has so many unbelievable songs, all while staying cohesive and supremely impactful. I don't think all of their album's are 5's, but I think "Ultra" may also be, and likely one or maybe two others.
This is how I like my plinky plonk music
I’ve listened to this from start to end once or twice. There’s a reason Enjoy The Silence and Personal Jesus are hits and the rest of the album holds of it’s own. World In My Eyes is such a strong intro to this album. Halo could easily be soundtrack to a cool vampire fantasy. Waiting for the night is one i would listen to before falling asleep. One i dislike is (a B side?) Kaleid, i’m just not into that type of music. Maybe if this was the first i’ve heard of it but no.
Could have rated this 5 stars for Enjoy the Silence alone, but the whole album is worthy of the rating. Dave and Martin's vocals are beautiful and I don't think enough love is given to their harmonies......just perfection.
One of the best albums of all time from one of my all time favourite bands. I’ve heard this record in its entirety so many times and it still holds up and it always will. The songwriting is ridiculously good, it has the catchy hooks, a dark and alluring atmosphere, the radio hits and the deep cuts that are equally as great. The album just throws a banger after banger at you and it also flows so well… I still love it. Best: all of ‘em, personal favourite is Halo Worst: lol 5/5
Oldie but a goodie. Own this one but always happy to listen again.
Fantastiska synth-ljud, även elektroniska beat som är grymma, ofta med lite "industriell" känsla. Produktionskvaliteten överlag är väldigt hög. Sångaren (kommer ej ihåg vad han heter) har sin stil, det är inte otroligt mångsidigt, vare sig sångtekniskt eller känslomässigt, men han gör sitt jobb väl. Rösten har karaktär och inger en känsla av allvar men samtidigt något lite "overkligt". Det finns en luftighet i låtarna men samtidigt en tyngd. Detta är en fantastisk skiva och en skiva som jag kan lyssna på många gånger.
This album is so fucking good 9.9/10
First thing first, I like the cover. Second.thing, this album didn't leave me any impression apart from the music is not bad and it kind of sounds like New Order? I guess. Re-listened. Oh dear, my fault, this is interesting and amazing, and it keeps getting better! And it still kind of sounds like New Order I won't apologize. I think my favorite is "Halo". Above 4, absolutely, 4.5/5!
The absolute pinnacle of synth pop.
In my opinion one of the best albums of all time. If I could give it ten stars I would.
i consider Violator to be the logical conclusion of "gothic rock", moreso than Disintegration. Disintegration is a journey, sure, but it doesn't push the sound as far as it can go like how Violator does. the production imbues the songs, even the raucous "Personal Jesus", with an otherworldly, faded futurism. the songs pulse, but the "strings" still feel coated in silicone dust and shake across tracks like "Clean" like phantoms. the beat of "Enjoy the Silence" gives you choirs over a pulsing beat, but the choir sounds more plastic than any dancy drum synths. it's paradoxically artificial and organic, reminding me a lot of (forgive me) 平沢進 [Susumu Hirasawa], who absolutely took influence from it. these soundscapes impress a dark, brooding world of rusting Art Nouveau towers and a desert surrounding them. there hasn't been electricity in this city for years, but there is still light coming from the buildings, and vampire moth people clamoring around it, warming their antennae. so find a pretty young mothman. hug him tight. dance with him under the moon and spread your wings in its clammy light. savor the connection; no words, just your face reflected in his compound eye. love one another in your few nights of life.
Such a great album from start to finish.
Fav song: Enjoy The Silence/Policy of Truth This is my sign to finally give Depeche Mode the time of day! I always really liked the singles but never took the time to listen to a full album but man, so glad I finally did. This album and band are soooooooo good!! The only thing I don’t like is the dated sounding MIDI - still evoking the mid 80s in 1990. SO many amazing earworm Melodie’s on this album. I’ll be humming Policy of Truth’s melodic hook for weeks.
Not a huge electronic guy, but always liked Personal Jesus. This is a really good album, pretty much every part of it is fantastic. So many great songs off this one, and they pretty much effortlessly keep the instrumentals up with the singing, with the synths. I am pretty stingy with my 5s, but if I could, I would give it 4.5 edit: fuck it I'll give it a 5
The intro of this album reminded me a lot of Kraftwerk. There's this weird creepy undertone. Like not just depressed but maybe depressed and a bit incel-y. The electronic aspect of this album is awesome and the production is really good and clean. They absolutely nailed the vibe they were going for and it's pretty consistent throughout the whole album which creates this really interesting atmosphere. Personal Jesus, Enjoying the Silence, and Policy of Truth are such classics too. I've been listening to those since I was a kid. It’s weird we got Depeche Mode today because when I woke up this morning I got on Reddit and saw that the school shooter from the other day was wearing the same shirt as the Columbine shooter which is a band shirt for KMFDM and I guess people used to say that stood for Kill Mother F*cking Depeche Mode because they were mad that Depeche Mode took Industrial music mainstream. So that's a weird coincidence.
One of the top synthpop albums of all time.
This is #day130 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... what a relief to finally revisit an album by my favorite band. The past couple of weeks have been tough with the list's selections, so it's a welcome change to dive into something great. And, wow, what a record! Released nearly 35 years ago, Violator begs the question: How could it get any better after Music for the Masses (my personal favorite of theirs)? The answer lies beneath the sleek cover: a red rose against a black backdrop. Mysterious, sexy, sinful… This is Depeche Mode at the peak of their powers, sound, and creativity (Songs of Faith and Devotion would, without a doubt, be another level, but that's a different Depeche). Violator is what truly represents the Mode: the music, the vocals, the lyrics, the clothes, the visuals, every little piece that forms this band. I'd go so far as to say this album is synonymous with Depeche Mode. I can't pinpoint the highlights because every single song here is a gem in its own right. Of course, it's a 5 out of 5, and I'll never tire of listening to this album. Because you just can't get enough, can you? Looking forward to #day131.
4.5/5
01) World in My Eyes - 10,0 02) Sweetest Perfection - 8,5 03) Personal Jesus - 10,0 04) Halo - 8,5 05) Waiting for the Night - 9,0 06) Enjoy the Silence - 10,0 07) Policy of Truth - 10,0 08) Blue Dress - 8,5 09) Clean - 8,5 TOTAL: 9,22 (92/100) Current ranking: 24/398 A great album with great songs and two now legendary singles "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy The Silence". "Policy of Truth" and "World In My Eyes" are not far behind, while the other songs that were not singles are also in the "could easily have been singles" category. I hope to hear a few more Depeche Mode albums by the end of this list, and I especially hope (although I don't think it's on the list) for the album "Ultra" which I own and which I really like.
Beautiful, sensual, romantic, and positively dripping with gothic charm. A record that makes me think about my sexuality every time I put it on. Dave Gahan's sultry baritone feels like getting serenaded by a vampire, just divine.
After hearing 'Personal Jesus' and 'Enjoy The Silence' so many times in my life, it was great to hear the whole album that those songs came from. The former having a fantastic riff throughout the track which drives it and the latter being the catchiest on the album and almost impossible not to sing along to. The whole thing has a very dark sound. Maybe evil is too strong a word but you'll know what I mean if you've heard it. Even 'Waiting For The Night' which has more of a hopeful vibe, it has an underlying creepy sinister sound of impending doom which I love. I also love Dave Gahan's vocals a lot. Recognisable and commanding. My favourite one that I hadn't heard is probably 'Blue Dress' which is a really lovely track. All of these are the perfect length. Depeche Mode have a riff or hook and they repeat it, that's what they do, but they never outstay their welcome. They get in, grab you, and give you just the right amount. Overall a very good album which I'm very glad was on the list and I can see why this is seen as a classic.
so fricken good
Personal Jesus - instant 6/5
No notes.
My favourite pop album and probably one of my 10 favourite albums ever. Depeche Mode built on their very strong synth pop foundations by giving a more prominent role to the guitars, which adds that little extra something that was maybe missing from previous albums (which I love too, to be clear). Absolutely zero filler and it is a joy to listen to from front to back. Very evocative through the moody and dark, but there's also a hint of an uplifting tone underneath as well Best album I've had so far and one of the easiest 5's I'll give Highlights: literally everything, but especially Enjoy The Silence, World In My Eyes, Personal Jesus, Policy of Truth, Clean
Mina husgudar sedan 1984. Sett dem live 14 gånger. Vilken platta som helst mellan Speak & spell och Songs of faith & Devotion plus Playing the angel platsar på den här listan. Violator klassas ju som Depeche Modes mästerverk men jag håller flera andra plattor högre. Solklar femma ändå.
90/100. The album feels dark, empty, and emotional all at once. These feelings are mixed together in a beautiful and powerful way.
Dope
ENJOY THE SILENT 😭
I liked this. I was aware of Depeche Mode, but I never really listened to their music, so this was nice. I added 2 songs to my playlist: Halo and Waiting for the Night. Of course I already knew Enjoy the Silence from the excellent Lacuna Coil cover and I still prefer that version. 5 stars!
A fantastic blend of electronica and rock with a nice darker sound. Somehow the songs work for dancing and listening, a rare feat in my experience with electronic music. Highly creative and a well-worth listen. Top tracks: Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth
Loved it then still love it today.
I've been listening to Depeche Mode since their early days. Despite early reviews, I also liked their poppy stuff. Then I forgot about them a bit. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the concert for the album Faith an Devotion in my home town. The first time I felt a bit old and out of place at a concert, among all the girls who adored Dave Gahan. But the concert was great. My top favorites on the Violator album are Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence. But the other tracks are also simply great. 5/5
Grossartige Platte! Das erste Album von Depeche Mode welches ich nicht mehr verfolgt habe und nur die beide Über-Single kenne. Schön es jetzt zu entdecken.
own
Classic!!
First time listening, an all-around really great synth pop album. Favorite song probably blue dress
So rich and wonderful. Violator is an amazing album. All the teeth of early NIN but if it were a more well-adjusted person, three-dimensional person.
Formative.
Already knew and liked this album a lot. The hits just keep on coming.
An all time classic. No skips, rock solid all the way through.
Absolutely amazing!
Absolutely perfect record. Not a single track that I don't enjoy.
Really good
One of the best of the era, if not all time
A few tracks on this album are great for testing headphones and speakers.
a whole album about the bad bitch you pulled by being autistic ive been visiting and revisiting this record on and off for years and the effect its produced has always been reliably wonderful, but its never quite broken into my personal favorites even tho i have no good reason for that! i dont even feel distance with it, i think its wonderfully spellbinding. honestly maybe the lubrication i need is to just actually get into the band as a whole and their other albums dkdnjd...i have an instinct that placing this in a more fleshed out context will finally push it over the edge into that This Is A Fave gut feeling. i suppose it is also quite mood based, as its deliberate and atmospheric pop music with a Churning quality rather than being necessarily bright and attention grabbing. still, its genuinely difficult to imagine making music thats better than this lol....literally flawless combination of enveloping well-realized vibe, incredible sound palate, and some of the best and most decadent vocal melodies ever put down on a pop record
This is such a colossal album. Nothing else sounds like Depeche Mode, and this has everything from moody tracks to beats that absolutely drill into your soul.
Their second best album... Probably
Great album wish I could have it on vinyl and I had good headphones to listen to it through.
This album so good. Yess...., Yes.s....
i think it takes 1 minute and 51 seconds of the first track to solidify this as a timeless fucking classic. that fucking keychange. alright fuck off.
My favorite Depeche Mode album.
Fantastic record. It's groovy, tasty and hip. it's 80s BUT technically 90s. I once went on a date with a girl who had the lead singer's autograph tattooed on her arm. After listening to this album, I too would also like his autograph tattooed.
Another album I remember having a burnt copy of during high school. Still love it just as much today. Happy I got to see them live last year ❤️
Yes!
"Violator" est le genre de disque qui ne se critique pas, il se contemple. Et pour un type comme moi, qui a vu la synth-pop naître, grandir et devenir ce monstre magnifique et ténébreux, cet album est un chef-d'oeuvre. Depeche Mode au début des années 80, c'était une bande de gamins de Basildon en chemises à jabot qui chantaient des bluettes synthétiques. Ils étaient au mieux inoffensif, au pire, un peu ridicule. Mais album après album, le changement prenait lentement forme. La lumière a commencé à baisser, les sons se sont faits plus durs, plus métalliques et les thèmes sont devenus plus sombres. "Black Celebration" en 1986 était une messe noire et "Music for the Masses" en 1988 les a transformés en prophètes pour stades. La chenille pop devenait un immense papillon de nuit, gothique et menaçant. Puis est arrivé 1990 et avec lui, "Violator". "Violator" c'est l'aboutissement parfait de dix ans de mutation, le moment de grâce absolue où chaque élément du son Depeche Mode a atteint sa forme la plus pure, la plus puissante. C'est le disque qui les a fait passer du statut de "très grand groupe" à celui de "légende intouchable". Dès la pochette, signée Anton Corbijn, le ton est donné. Une simple rose, rouge sur fond noir, l'organique et le synthétique, la beauté et l'obscurité. Tout est là. L'album s'ouvre sur "World in My Eyes", et en quelques secondes, on est happé. Ce n'est plus la synth-pop froide et rigide d'antan, c'est charnel, c'est hypnotique. La production de Flood est une merveille de chaleur et de profondeur. Chaque son est sculpté, chaque texture est pensée, on est loin du son "plastique" des années 80 ; on entre dans un monde sonore organique, presque palpable. Et puis, le choc, "Personal Jesus", ce riff de guitare. Un putain de riff de blues ! Joué par Martin Gore, le timide architecte blond du groupe. C'était un coup de génie, un mariage contre-nature entre le rock'n'roll de l'Amérique profonde et l'électronique des clubs de Berlin. Ce rythme lancinant, presque tribal, et la voix de Dave Gahan, devenue celle d'un prédicateur du péché. Ce morceau a tout balayé sur son passage, c'était la preuve qu'ils pouvaient être à la fois avant-gardistes et incroyablement populaires. L'album est un enchaînement de perfections, chaque titre est un classique. "Policy of Truth" et son groove funk sournois, "Halo" et sa beauté vénéneuse, et au milieu de tout ça, le joyau absolu : "Enjoy the Silence". "Enjoy the Silence" est peut-être l'une des plus grandes chansons pop jamais écrites. À l'origine une ballade minimaliste de Martin Gore, elle a été transformée par Alan Wilder et le producteur Flood en un hymne électro-pop mélancolique et irrésistible. Cette mélodie de guitare, simple, cristalline, qui se pose sur un beat implacable. C'est la bande-son parfaite de la solitude heureuse, de la joie triste, c'est une chanson qui vous fait danser tout en vous donnant envie de pleurer. C'est le coeur même de Depeche Mode : la fête et le funèbre, main dans la main. Les thèmes sont d'une noirceur absolue, la culpabilité, la luxure, la dépendance, la manipulation, la foi perdue. Martin Gore est au sommet de son art d'auteur, ses textes sont des nouvelles laconiques et perverses, des explorations des recoins les plus sombres de l'âme humaine. Et Gahan, avec sa voix de baryton, est devenu le crooner ultime de la désillusion. Il ne chante plus, il incarne. "Violator" n'était plus de la musique pour une chapelle, pour les goths ou les fans de synthés, il était universel. Et l'émeute provoquée lors de leur séance de dédicaces à Los Angeles, où 30 000 fans se sont pointés, a confirmé leur nouveau statut de superstars mondiales. "Violator" est un disque qui n'a pas pris une seule ride. Son équilibre est parfait, il est à la fois sombre et accessible, sophistiqué et direct, électronique et terriblement humain. C'est l'album qui a mis tout le monde d'accord et il a enterré les années 80 avec une classe folle et a défini le son d'une partie des années 90. "Violator" est bien plus que leur meilleur album, il est un chef-d'oeuvre absolu de la musique moderne. Un 5/5 indiscutable pour un disque noir comme le velours, tranchant comme une lame de rasoir.
One of my favorites.
5/5
Classic album!
Such a solid album, top to bottom. Zero filler. They were so good during this period of their career.
Throw back to my new wave days. Strong bias and nostalgia on this one.
it's a depeche mode world & i'm just living in it.. bangerz.
Grupo esencial de los 80 y 90. Este es su disco más reconocido y, tal vez, el mejor. Music for the masses y Songs of faith and devotion completan una trilogía imbatible, acompañada de un fabuloso directo publicado (101). El tema estrella es sin duda Enjoy the silence pero World in my eyes, Policy of truth y Personal Jesus no rebajan un milímetro el nivel. El resto está a una altura excelsa. Otros discos de 1990: Heaven Or Las Vegas de Cocteau Twins, The KLF- Chill Out, NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE - Ragged glory, THE BLACK CROWES - Shake your money maker, NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - The good son, GALAXIE 500 - This is our music, YO LA TENGO - Fakebook, THE HOUSE OF LOVE - Butterfly album, Goo de Sonic Youth, Behaviour de Pet Shop Boys, Fear of a Black Planet de Public Enemy, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got de Sinéad O'Connor, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic de The Sundays, Jordan: The Comeback de Prefab Sprout, The Comforts of Madness de Pale Saints, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan- Mustt Mustt, Mazzy Star- She Hangs Brightly, Blaze- 25 years later, Happy Mondays- Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, The LA´s- The LA´s, Ride- Nowhere, Dee Lite- World clique, A Tribe Called Quest- People´s instictive travels and the paths of rhythm... También: IGGY POP - Brick by brick, PIXIES - Bossanova, THE POGUES - Hell's ditch, THE WATERBOYS - Room to roam, Ritual de lo Habitual de Jane's Addiction, The Razors Edge de AC/DC, Los Enemigos- La vida mata, Fugazi- Repeater, Veneno En La Piel -Radio Futura, Hunted By The Snake- Cancer Moon...
Fucking excellent
yes
talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it
It’s albums like this that make the whole provess sensible … perfect near skipless blend of electronic and rock .. timeless sound and blue dress ism my fav find this journey so far … MY FIRST 5!
Is this a perfect album? Pretty much. I love Depeche Mode and this is definitely one of if not their best album. From the album cover to the last song on the album.
Surprisingly great. Haven’t really listened to DM since I was a wee lad of 14. Of course I had heard the singles, but playing it from front to back was a joy. Intricate production, catchy songs, moody without being maudlin.
Good recording quality. Good background music.
Sweetest Perfection sounds darker than what I was expecting from Depeche Mode. Overall I liked it.
I really liked it
This is probably the best Depeche Mode album, though Music For the Masses could take that spot on any given day. Violator has got to be their most consistent album. Beginning to end, DM hits everything right with exacting balance and beauty. Remorse and longing and romance and pain and yearning and aching and al...most...res...o...lution. Dripping in ambience and alt/synth vibes shrouded in a goth-like cloak of chill/warmth. I was prepared to give this a 4 but then I listened to it on repeat several times and remembered just how consistently excellent it really is.
A couple of instant classics for me- songs that I know will go into my regular rotation. Rest of the album was powerful and moody. Loved it
Fantastic album. Classic. No misses.
maybe wasn't the best idea to listen to this early in the morning, it's a very nocturnal album i'm not super huge on depeche mode but that's just because i never really did much of a deep dive into their discography & synthpop is a genre that just doesn't usually have the kind of sound palette i want to hear on a daily basis i feel the same about The Cure and New Order, bands i'm much more familiar with iirc not even their best record Policy of Truth is definitely an underrated banger though and Blue Dress is such a cute song lyrically if you consider what these songs are generally about
Been awhile since I've gotten an album I've already listened to a ton and can rate by heart. Sweetest Perfection and Waiting for the Night are great, underplayed songs. 5/5
First time listening to an album in full from them. Enjoyable all the way through!
Only thing better than Depeche Mode is more Depeche Mode.
Absolutely epic
If an album can get me to listen to many multiple songs on it back to back to back many times in a single day, what else could it be other than a 5?
I don't know what it is about Depeche Mode but every frickin song by them sounds so polished, so slick, so frickin cool. I can't get enough of their sound, especially the wild synth sounds (that don't sound dated even after 40+ years now) and the amazing vocals. Five stars easily.
Classic
Very good, liked it much better than I thought I would
I’d forgotten how amazing this is.
Halo Enjoy the Silence* Clean
So interesting to see an album that perfectly encapsulates the transition from 80s to 90s style. The album still feels like something representing the former decade, but you can begin seeing some of the trends that would pop up later. Other than the obvious classic of Enjoy the Silence, it was enjoyable finding Personal Jesus after I got Johnny Cash' cover not that long ago.
This is my jam, some really iconic tracks that really show off how gifted Depeche Mode are at transforming the 80s electronica into a whole different kettle of fish
Although its predecessor is my favorite DM album (one of my first CDs), Violator isn't far behind. So still...
Every single song is sooo good. This is a top 10 album of all time!
I've had Violator since it was released, along with all the previous albums and most of the singles to having to listen to it again as part of the 1001 albums was a treat as it's been a few years since I listened to it as a complete album (rather than individual tracks). Excellent.
very beautiful very powerful
This album is smack dab in the middle of my comfort zone. 80's (give or take a year) alternative music, strong hypnotic beats and captivating melodies, and just one good song after another. Yep.
Complex rhythms, intricate melodies, well crafted. Like peaches and cream.
Best instrumental ensamble
Pretty great album. Would listen again.
An album full of iconic songs, from Personal Jesus to Enjoy the Silence. It sounds dark, mysterious, and at times, even oddly erotic. A great album with Depeche Mode's unique sound. Synth stuff can end up sounding samey, but I don't think this album suffers with that at all.
Nice! I love it
Absolutely perfect. 5/5
For me it is quite simply one of the most enjoyable albums not only released in the 1990s, but of all time. One of those few albums were the hype is entirely deserved. First time I heard this album I was stunned. There was no other album that sounded at all quite like this. A masterpiece in this genre that no one else other than Depeche Mode has managed to approach since. I love every track on this album. The album was so great that the tracks "Dangerous" and "Mephisto" which were B-sides and did not make the final track list are also amazing. A perfect marriage of electronics, guitars, and 80s production techniques at the height of Martin Gore's songwriting, Alan Wilder's arrangements, and with a producer in Flood that was at the height of his production prowess.
Another album on this list where I only ever listened to the hits and am glad to have finally listened to this full thing. This is one of those albums that necessitates listening to on a true sound system or high quality headphones that can handle the highest highs and lowest lows. If you listen to this on earbuds are are missing out on so much. All the singles are still just as good as they were before. Of all the new to me tracks, Clean might be a new standout. Or maybe its Dangerous. Or maybe its just all of them. Revisiting the original Personal Jesus has me thinking about Johnny's Cash's cover that everyone has talked about a lot. His version is good, but the original is still better. 5 stars.
Loved the haunting synth atmosphere to this whole album. Superb.
Yesssss
Knew a few of these songs, I’m realizing through the 1001 project I enjoy the synth-y futurism of new wave. Vocals are dark and ominous but fit so well with the production of the music. A couple songs weren’t my favorite but there were enough bangers that raise the score. 4.25/5 would listen any time
I got nothing clever to say on this one, I just fucking love this album a whole lot
Back to playing catchup after a crazy month. I was excited to listen to this one while catching up at work. I'm familiar with some songs but loved the whole album. Will listen again and added a few more songs to my favorites list.
Ja dik, echt een Roald album zou Bassie mss wel zeggen