Reviews (page 8 of 15)
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.
Nothing for me here. 1 star.
This is better than the other album we had by this band. Still not great but a nice step up. Last album a 2. The group only has these 2 in the 1,001.
Aargh, a poor man's Human League. I can't see the point but I see the attraction.
Great album but desperately needed some radio edits. Know when to end a song! FS: Personal Jesus, obviously, but enjoyed the whole run through to Blue Dress
TIL that the Marilyn Manson Personal Jesus is a Cover! Err. This was a bit monotonous for me.
Awesome! definitely way ahead of its time Blue dress >>>
Those spotty Essex oiks I saw on Top Of The Pops in the early 80s came a long way in a few years. Dark, musical, produced to within an inch of its life, splendid record.
A really greay ambiance to this album- the mood and vibes are on point. Some big hits too. Overall- very solid
DM is always cool. the whole album just flows.
Certified classic. Enjoy the Silence might be the best song ever made.
Personal Jesus is a Depeche Mode classic. The album as a whole was a bit lacking, although I did enjoy the instrumental ending to the album.
I really enjoyed this album, although listening to the playlist in order has made all the songs kind of merge into 1. Adding some songs into a shuffled playlist would work V nice. Fav song World in my eyes
Not a genre I'm very familiar with, but I feel it's done well, and I enjoy the music
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.
Not really my style of music. I made it through though.
While I'm not exactly a synth-pop fan, I have to admit this one's really good. You've got some upbeat bangers like "Personal Jesus" and the more brooding/introspective songs that fill it out nicely, all with a pretty compelling sound behind them. Depeche Mode might "make me a believer" yet.
„Violator“ ist das siebte Studioalbum der britischen Band Depeche Mode. Die Aufnahmen fanden zwischen Mai 1989 und Januar 1990 in mehreren Studios statt, darunter Logic Studios in Mailand, Puk Studios in Dänemark sowie The Church und Master Rock Studios in London. Produziert wurde das Album von der Band selbst in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Produzenten Flood. Musikalisch bewegt sich „Violator“ im Bereich des Synthie-Pop mit Einflüssen aus Alternative Rock und New Wave. Das Album markiert einen Wendepunkt in der Klangästhetik der Band, da erstmals verstärkt Gitarrenklänge in den Vordergrund traten. Ein Beispiel hierfür ist der Song „Personal Jesus“, der durch seinen markanten Gitarrenriff auffällt. Weitere bekannte Titel des Albums sind „Enjoy the Silence“, „Policy of Truth“ und „World in My Eyes“. „Violator“ wurde am 19. März 1990 veröffentlicht und enthält insgesamt neun Titel. Das Album erreichte hohe Chartplatzierungen, darunter Platz zwei in Großbritannien und Platz sieben in den USA. Mit über 15 Millionen verkauften Exemplaren zählt es zu den kommerziell erfolgreichsten Werken der Band. Insgesamt stellt „Violator“ einen bedeutenden Schritt in der musikalischen Entwicklung von Depeche Mode dar. Die Kombination aus elektronischen Elementen und Gitarrenklängen sowie die thematische Tiefe der Texte trugen dazu bei, das Album als einflussreiches Werk im Bereich des Synthie-Pop zu etablieren.
Sounds super dated
Words are very unnecessary. Melodic, introspective, mellow vocalist, wonderful 80s electronic sound
It was ok. Enjoy the Silence is a great song, but everything else is just Meh.
liked 2 or 3 songs, I appreciate the production has cool elements, but I find it a bit boring. His voice is nice, overall not my music
Never got real into DM, but I like them. They made electronic music palatable.
More hits on this album than I expected. Really enjoyed it.
A mostly hypnotic repetition of sound, but there are some signature songs that were big hits and have lasted the test of time.
It's good.
Kjente dette litt frå før, likte det
I LOVE DEPECHE MODE
that was pretty good actually. i liked the opening track a lot but the repeated “pah” (like the sound of someone forcefully exhaling) was irritating me sooo much. a lot of the songs had elements like that and because they were integral to the electronic beats they were kinda hard to ignore :( i was a bit shocked by how good ‘personal jesus’ still is despite the memes…’enjoy the silence’ is just whatever to me though. fav tracks: world in my eyes; personal jesus
idgaf sorry guys. it was fine but nothing interesting and i was expecting more from them
One of the best ever
Great lyrics, not My kind of music
I wasn’t as big of a fan of this one, it sort of felt like someone was trying to recreate the Smiths but worse. Some of the more electronic influenced tracks were interesting, but I guess just not my thing.
Dark, cool, and stylish. This album sounds like a neon-soaked 80's sci-fi movie filled with brands that have since gone extinct. Favorite tracks: "Enjoy the Silence," "Policy of Truth"
Fantastic
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.
Leuk album en goed om te luisteren. Ik houd zelf iets meer van up-tempo muziek, maar dit is lekker tijdens werkuren. ****
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.
Couple of memorable songs, but in all just sounds like 80s music
Love the experimental electronic sounds that Depeche Mode produce, while still creating engaging and upbeat tracks. “Enjoy the Silence” is probably my favorite 80s-era song from my least favorite decade of music. Fun one.
Some of these songs are just iconic bangers even though Depeche Mode is generally not exactly my cup of tea.
I really like the songs that I have already heard on the album (familiarity?). Personal Jesus is undeniably a banger. Although there wasn’t anything else on it that was noteworthy for me.
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.
Enjoyed more than expected. Never really a band I've been into or known much of, other than their big hits.
Has the iconic Enjoy the Silence song. Some other bangers. I'll give a solid 4
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.
yep that's depeche mode
Honestly as an album I'd say 4, 4.5 but Enjoy the Silence is such a banger!!!
p640. 1990. 2 stars. Dated synths, two decent songs and a LOT of filler do not make essential listening.
Depeche Mode I don’t know why I have such an aversion to this style of singing. I think I would like this a bit better with a different singer. Some of the instrumental parts and production are cool and I could definitely hear how this was influential for industrial rock.
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.
This falls ever so slightly behind the great New Order albums of the era, for me, but it's very close. It does contain one of the 10 or so best songs ever written in Enjoy the Silence, the kind of pop perfection that makes an artist immortal. Personal Jesus, while not my personal brand of synthpop, is also an undeniable masterpiece. I thought Policy of Truth was a deep cut, but it has the most plays on Spotify of anything here? Perfect song. Blue Dress is the true deep cut, then, making more explicit than elsewhere on the record the deep sense of regret that permeates the whole thing. What an album.
I liked it - I think it picked up for me in the second half, but I honestly think it has a more modern sound in the second half and I can hear the influence on modern Synthpop and even like Chillwave/Psychedelia which is the electronic stuff I prefer over, it feels more consistent with the first half having several different experiments with electro, blues Rock, adult Contemporary etc most of which I honestly didn't like. I can see it growing on a second listen!! 1. World in My Eyes (4:26) - 6/10 I really like the sweeping melody that comes in halfway through, but I've never been that big on this kinda buzzy electro sound in a song and it devalues it for me, it sounds like it's from even earlier than 1990 - that being said, it is extremely catchy and can see it growing on me. 2. Sweetest Perfection (4:43) - 6/10 Really like the futuristic bass sounds and the rhythm from the drums and to be honest the vocal melodies are lovely as well! Worried now that I might have a bit of a mental block with this sound as it just doesn't come to the sum of its parts (my nitpick is that I don't love the little break with the strings that halfway through, it's a bit awkward and they don't sound great when they come back later either). 3. Personal Jesus (4:55) - 5/10 Not really my favourite, it's all bluesy and has a stomp rock feel and that's just not what I love unfortunately. 4. Halo (4:30) - 5/10 A bit forgettable. 5. Waiting for the Night (6:07) - 6/10 Liked this one - a bit of a ballad. 6. Enjoy the Silence (6:12) - 8/10 Undeniable chorus and horns (?) are also so catchy. 7. Policy of Truth (4:55) - 7/10 I like how this one builds - there's a lot of different melodies/textures and they all sound great together on the song - sweeping synths/strings, funky sounds. 8. Blue Dress (5:38) - 8/10 Sounds like it could've been an influence on George Clanton with the seagull-esque sharp synths and the melodies, the vocals are fantastic and it all comes together really nicely (interlude at the end is a bit weird though) 9. Clean (5:33) - 7/10 The atmosphere is nice here and it has an interesting vibe to it, again it has a really interesting synth melody and all the parts come together nicely.
Never heard Beautiful dark and danceable
Absolutely loved this album and learning about it. The music was superb and lyrics interesting as well. Will continue to revisit
One of the best albums ever made, just wall to wall superb songs
There are some albums here that I can't imagine anyone not liking. This isn't one of them, but I lap this stuff up. There's some nice experimentation, but what stands out (amid the posturing) is some old-fashioned hooks.
Not everything hit for me, but what did hit was very good. Driving drums and synth arrangements, haunting baritone, this has it all. Clean was the one that gave me goosebumps.
I was digging this. 3.7.
I almost saw Depeche Mode in concert, if it wasn't for a venomous spider bite on my companion's behind. Anyway, very solid album. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
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.
I had a friend that was obsessed with Depeche Mode. Until I had met him I had only hear their hits. I mean I get the appeal, but really I would rather listen to something else with the same feel. It could just be my affinity to The Cure.
Schlüssiges Album. Auch wenn die Songs etwas lang sind, die Stimmung hält sich. Enjoy the Silence ist einfach ein Banger.
Mostly giving this a 4 because of "Policy of Truth" and "Personal Jesus."
Started out really good. I can hear how similar PHM is to it. Pretty good all together. Just all kind of sounded the same.
Classic album. Not my thing though
At “waiting for the night” the album turned around and became more fun and dragged less. Rounding up from a 2.5 star review.
I liked it and I didn’t like it. Reviews can be hard.
Interesting but ultimately not for me. I think I'm a "just the hits" Depeche Mode guy
Gliding on these beats
Meh. It's a 2.
I don’t think it transcends the 80s. Meaning it has value as a relic but not as good music.
I assumed I would hate this. First off, I always confuse Depeche Mode with Duran Duran. Depeche Mode is significantly better, but they definitely occupy a similar space. There are a slew of bangers on this album, all of which already live on my Death Scene Music playlist. There are definitely some clunkers, but it’s a pretty cohesive vision with some all time classics. Violator - good album!
Somewhat funky electronic grooves that are slightly worsened by their repetetiveness, thinness of texture, and singer that feels unsupported. Best song: World in My Eyes.
Wow - that was some great new wave
Four absolute bangers out of the 9 tracks. The rest is good to forgettable but I love the mood of this album. This project has me becoming a Depeche Mode fan.
Your own.. personal.. Depeche Mode. The three big hits are great but the other songs are a bit forgettable. 6/10
Had only heard the singles off of this album and I have always enjoyed those, but the other songs on this album are equally good.
Can’t say anything negative of the album that birthed Enjoy the Silence. Absolutely GOATed.
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.
Simple but effective. Personal Jesus got better when Johnny Cash covered it. I didn't say Personal Jesus by Johnny Cash IS better, what u said is the DM version got better after hearing the Cash version.
in the policy of truth, tududu tududududu
liked it!!
Should relisten, nice and groovy. Possibly too many lyrics, more relaxed
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
Enjoy the Silence, Personal Jesus, World in My Eyes, all fine tunes to these ears, and a not-bad supporting cast. If this is the sort of thing you like, then you'll like this sort of thing.
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
Of course, I love "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy the Silence" as much as anyone else, and the rest of the album isn't really a slouch either. But I still can't help but miss the less polished feeling of their earlier work like Some Great Reward. This one's not quite an all-time classic for me, but I feel like there's for to be something in their discography that is.
Moody and dark, very monotone singer. I enjoy songs with energy or at least that can convey emotion, however, most songs on here were so flat and went nowhere.
I wish the album hit for me better but once again the production on this thing just does it for me. I'm gonna keep coming back to this album and maybe it'll hit better in the future, but for now it feels like I'm still surface level. Enjoy the Silence and Personal Jesus are so good. They would be good songs on another album but here they've been pushed to where they need to be fully. Personal Jesus is such a strong electronic song that it's shocking that it's built around an acoustic guitar riff. You'd think the reverb and echo on the album would get old but it suits it so damn well. Highlight: Personal Jesus (I know that's the lame choice but I liked it before and now I find myself going for the song often)
I can see why people like this album but it's not one for me. I think I'd like it as an instrumental album. I like the palette of sounds they use. There are just too many songs that I've heard too many times in my life like Personal Jesus, Policy of Truth, and Enjoy the Silence. I don't have nostalgic memories of these songs. They were just around. I did like the song Waiting for the Night, which hadn't heard before.
3.7
I actually really liked this!
was just not in the mood
Kind of a vibe but I don’t get the fuss from some sectors
Depeche no? Never been a fan but I listened through Personal Jesus cause I kinda like that one
I like. More listens pls.
I obviously love Depeche Mode, but only really as a singles act, as none of their albums do it for me especially. This is the closest I get to loving one of them, but the gulf between the singles and album tacks is still huge. It's very enjoyable though, and it contains some of my favourite ever songs ('Enjoy the Silence' in particular) so I can't really complain too much.
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!"
Loved it,
I need a 3.5. Much more art here than the La's. Enjoyed this, good songs.
I know Depeche Mode but truly never sat to listen to an album or more than the one or two tracks I am familiar with. These guys are legendary and now hall of famers. This is a great album.
Enjoyed this, a mixture of familiar and new tracks. Definitely the kind of thing I like on while working.
Tight as hell
Repeat listen
Jamie xx shiii makes me wanna rave
En klassiker. Fem!
Nope. 2/5
Better than I remembered. Should check out more of the back catalog
Loved it. First half really got me and Enjoy the Silence hit so hard. Just never got close to those heights on the back half.
Complete (Good working music)
Enjoyable; didn't LOVE it
Didn't like it on first listen, but tried again and the mood of the album caught me.
Вроде неплохо, но в душу не западает
Lots of great songs
This was really solid. I know a little of Depeche Mode and this certainly was what I was expecting it to be. Moody, synthy and just plain good!
Didn't hear the first half. Second half good.
looking for a vampire club that plays Depeche Mode
Pretty good. Favorite tracks were World In My Eyes and Halo.
When I think of dark moody synthwave I think of Depeche Mode
Buen álbum, malo que le flipe a la Ayuso. Policy of Truth es temeiken
I've listened to this album before, but I always enjoy listening to it. Solid through and through.
Second half is better then the first half, not much of a fan of this type of music, so I’m bias.
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.
Truly magnificent .
Good Album.
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.
As I have noted, electronica is not really my thing, but there's something about DM. I think the songwriting they start with is solid and this album was their huge breakout (whether they wanted it or not)--probably MTVs fault as I remember Enjoy the Silence ALWAYS ON. Three stone cold classics on this album and the rest is pretty listenable. I was leaning 3.5 until Policy of Truth hit and have to go:
Few good songs. Liked the early stuff better
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
Solid. That's kinda all I got for this. It's nice and has some hits here. Quite a few I might add but it's just not grabbing me. Give me the smiths for my sad sad days. It's good but idk if it stays in rotation
I'm just not quite enough of a poseur to truly enjoy, I think.
Fav: Policy Of Truth Least Fav: World In My Eyes Yeah I can def see how Pet Shop Boys were inspired by this
Pretty decent, not my style
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.
World In My Eyes: that is a horny ahh song, but i like the harmonies of the strings, simplistic 2.5/5 Sweetest Perfection: horny too, yes, but i loved the simplicity at the start and the heavier rhythms in the middle 3.2/5 Personal Jesus: I already loved this as a kid and still love it, guitar eats and the track is such a bop 4/5 Halo: i love what this does to my brain, can’t describe, the harmonies again>>, something misses tho, 3.4/5 Waiting for the Night: i like the sound of their voices, also the background things are doing the thing, storytelling 3.6/5 Enjoy the Silence: the contrast is contrasting, everything is eating, I need to experience this irl 4/5 Policy of Truth: melody goes easily into the head, rhythm is catchy, something‘s missing tho, storytelling 3.3/5 Blue Dress: the brain thing, guitar peaked, idk but I’m feeling it but also not, it isn’t explicable, dunno 3.6/7 Clean: transition, why is his voice so nasal, drums, i like the vibe but not the production 3.4/5
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.
This was great. Strong tracks throughout. Rating: 4
Not a fan. Too 80s sounding. It was bearable though. 3.5/10
LABAI GERAS
Just perfect. Great listen, full of hits. Excited to bring this back on rotation.
Unlistenable
I just don’t get the 80s.
Done
Such a well-made album. The pinnacle of 80s synth rock.
I hate you synths I hate you electronic music I hate you Depeche Mode I hate you Waiting for the Night
Let's fucking go!!!!!! I already know the song "Enjoy The Silence" so I am excited to give this a listen to.
на любителя.
Multiple bangers. Solid 50% are begging to be done in drag. Really good, if a bit corny.
Pretty good for synth pop
dark & classy
Neeee - keine Lust das fertig zu hören.
didn't like it, didn't fit my mood on a beautiful spring day. (didn't finish listening)
Cannot listen to a whole album with that much synthesizer. 🤢
DNF not my vibe. Heard a few off this album before and I like those bc they are well known, but I couldn’t get with the vibe of the lesser known songs.
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
This was mid. While listening to this album I went on a walk in the cold and it gave me a headache. Almost all goth music gives me an under-stimulated long drawn out feeling, similar to feeling passively sick. Luel used to play this album when we made out, that definitely didn't improve my enjoyment. Everything reminds me of him 😢.
While I didn’t finish this album because I’m on vacation, I think there’s a world where I revisit it, which is enough for a three. Overall it was decent and the music was good, but not my normal taste.
3.5
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
I’ve wanted to like Depeche Mode for decades. There’s a real gift for melody, and they occasionally write absolute gems (Personal Jesus). But the beauty is buried in these tiresome recordings. The backing tracks are lifeless and bland; like robo-musak built of cliched elements. And the vocals too often make me giggle with their sophomoric rhyming schemes and weird affectations that somehow manage to sound both hammy and unemotional.
Only liked enjoy the silence
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 :-)
8/10
Some recognisable hits. All in all fine. Stand out song - Enjoy The Silence
It just ok
This is great. If you like Depeche Mode, this might be the best of the albums. Although Black Celebration and Music for the Masses are also insanely good
Not bad - Enjoy the Silence my favourite track I think
Don't like this band
I would have liked this a lot more if I hadn't just binged on New Order for my Rock Hall project. It's... fine. Reminds me of high school.
Bon synth-rock des annees 90
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.
Enjoy
An overrated record. Bland, boring and unninovative. One of the bands whose songs' covers and remixes are much more better than the originals - some of the examples including Johnny Cash's cover and Eric Prydz' remix of "Personal Jesus".
HERMOSO DISCO
Jagged sequencers, pulsing bass, impeccably cold production and soaring songs - this sounds like the score to a Bond film where he doesn't win. Favourite tracks: Sweetest Perfection, Personal Jesus (stone cold classic na klar), Waiting For The Night, Enjoy The Silence, Clean
fuck you you fucking fuckers
Though I recognize their accomplishments, I still wish I’d never heard them.
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 enjoyed this more than Music For The Masses - but not much more. Still not my thing Personal Jesus saved this album from a lower rating 3 ⭐️
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.
waiting for the night is very pretty
Album 720 of 1001 Depeche Mode - Violator (1990) Rating : 3 / 5 Pretty good album. A bit of electronica, which I don't really enjoy, but the songs do save it, for me. A few old tracks remembered from 90s radio. Never had an issue with this band but they just never caught on with me.
Really up my alley, because I love a lot of 80s british indie but didn't know any Depeche Mode songs aside from Enjoy the Silence. Very atmospheric synths which I loved.
pretty good. a lot of bops on this record (wow fantano???!?!) anyways, i dislike how i cant give albums 4.5 stars. its either pretty good, or basically perfect. this def would get a 9/10. its fun. its very 80's, and doesnt really miss imo. some songs are better than others, inherently, but still a great listen nonetheless. :) you are now... DEPECHE! MODE! skibidi
✔️
Enjoy the silence is a banger the rest is ok 3.5 rounded down
I have tried this album a lot in my life, because I feel like it's an album I SHOULD love. Each time I like it a little more, but not enough to give it more than 3 stars. Just feels kinda dated to me, I dunno
Not too crazy about their sound, but some of the songs are great.
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.
Good consistent album with some great hits.
Lovely synth-pop classics
Classic. The good songs are great. The not good songs are a drag.
5.0 - Awesome
If your not too familiar with Depeche Mode, than this is a great starting point. If you start with this album, I’d recommend going backwards and listen to all of their old albums before you go forward.
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.
Buen álbum, equilibrado en su oferta
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.
Three hits and that’s about it. I don’t think it’s worthy of a greatest album list.
Can't fault it really. Though I tend to listen to Black Celebration rather than this album for some reason. Personal Jesus and Enjoy The Silence are perfect slices of goth pop perfection
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..
Nice discovery for me, recognised the singles but I’d never heard the album. Very different from what was around at the time, if sounding a little dated with its synth heavy leaning.
"World In My Eyes", "Personal Jesus", "Enjoy The Silence" and "Policy Of Truth" - what is more to say! The other songs on the album can't match the quality of these four banger. 3,5
Better than some of their stuff but it still gets boring and sounds incredibly dated. Seriously, Led Zep did albums 2 decades earlier that sounds more recent.
Pretty good!
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
So synth, so phaser
Absolutely loved every track on this album. Can't believe I've never listened to this before now.
Love it. I can't get enough of the dark, kind of depressing 80s/early 90s synth pop. The vocals are haunting at times.
Good electronic album with some songs i recognize. Not the kind of music I listen to every day since its so slow but not something I dislike either.
Way better than I expected
Other than the singles, totally unfamiliar with this. I only knew Personal Jesus because of Johnny Cash. I like the gloomy industrial vibes here. More propulsive than The Cure. I definitely hear this as a prototype to NIN. I'm glad to add this to my rotation when I'm in the mood for this type of music
Very unique production. When I eventually get my doctorate in music I am gonna write my dissertation on the weird snare drum sound they used in “World In My Eyes”. I usually associate 1990 with a crappy year in music before Nirvana and co. revolutionized things but this is a nice reminder that there are still gems out there to find. Standouts: “World In My Eyes”, “Personal Jesus”, “Policy of Truth” Stinkers: “Sweetest Perfection”, “Blue Dress”
Damn this was way more exciting than I expected. I’ve always dug “Personal Jesus”, but I think “Halo” might be my new favorite DM song. So many tracks are catchy, dark, and just so coooool. “Enjoy the Silence” and “Policy of Truth” are also big standouts. Side note, I loved later Smashing Pumpkins (Adore/Machina and associated b-sides) in my younger days. I see now they were really just Billy C’s Depeche Mode era.
det är inte rikitgt min påse trallskruv men inte heller heeeelt värdelöst
Was this as sexy as electronic music could get in 1990?
I’m generally not a big fan of synthesizer based bands but this was pretty good. I liked the drums a lot. The production I thought was great.
Been a while since I’d heard this. Like it a lot more now.
a gothic synthpop offering from Depeche Mode that reflects the shift in composition for the band where pre-production was limited, demos were incomplete, and the creativity was highlighted. Tracks changed, and ultimately created a comprehensive body that showcased the bands creativity in a complex and powerful way.
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
Your own personal Jesus is a classic. This was from when the band was at the top of their game.
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.
1. world in my eyes: great production, nice calm vocals, good beat, good build, nice harmonized vocals, long outro 2. sweetest perfection: fade in drum beat, nice vocals, cool sound effects, great middle interlude, nice switchups, solid song 3. personal jesus: heard this before, nice bass riff, singalong vocals, massive drums, trippy outro 4. halo: funky bass, chiller, nice chorus, great harmonies, cool song 5. waiting for the night: nice calm intro, nice harmonized vocals, feels like looking at the stars, great string outro, cool song 6. enjoy the silence: already like this song, cool hidden track at the end 7. policy of truth: general electronic beat, good chorus, some sort of sax sound during bridge, long repetitive outro 8. blue dress: cool intro, soft vocals, shallow lyrics, kinda boring, cool hidden track at end 9. clean: chill bass intro, great sound effects, kinda repetitive, vibing outro overall: solid album, great production, cool sound effects, some fun songs, some chill songs, kinda boring and repetitive at parts rating: 7.5/10
++: World in My Eyes, Personal Jesus, Halo, Waiting for the Night, Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth +: Sweetest Perfection, Clean +-: Blue Dress 9,4/10
One of my favorite albums of all time
I had heard of the band but was not previously familiar with their music. The music is pretty interesting. It's kind of electronic, new wave, almost industrial in places. I would listen again, but might need to be in the mood to hear it.
Probably wouldn’t circle back but it had some bangers
Very distinct sound. Not my favorite, but incredibly recognizeable
[5/10] I probably would have embraced the melodrama if I enjoyed the songs more. I’m happy for the goths though this must have been a huge win for them. I’ll remember this next time I need a Halloween playlist.
This is the exact sound I expect from Depeche Mode. They always feel, to me, like a one trick pony, with really one style and sound. But it’s good.
Personal Jesus rips, but the rest isn't really my wheelhouse.
I dig this, drums and bass sounds good throughout this whole album, synth is kind of all over the place- laser sounds, swells, stuff I don't even know how to describe. This feels like a much more electronic The Cure, or maybe if Daft Punk weren't french robots but sad Brits
Not for me. I only gave it a 2 due to one good song. Otherwise, it was a dud.
Depeche Mode…More like Depress Mode, am I right? Good lord, this album was one giant fucking bummer. I like 80’s synth pop and sad songs as much as the next guy, but man there was just not much here for me. Even The Cure toss in an upbeat sad song on their albums every once in awhile. Not unlistenable or anything, but too much of a downer for my tastes.
This album has 'Personal Jesus', 'Enjoy the Silence', AND 'Policy of Truth'??? Holy buckets. Love the synths, love the drums....a few of the slower songs seem to be building but never hit a big payoff.....maybe I'm just spoiled because I listened to some LCD Soundsystem the other day. Solid 4.5...would definitely throw this in the rotation.
Not my style
More new wave. This list should be titled "900 new wave 80s albums to listen to before you die, plus 101 bonus tracks that aren't new wave." Anyway, despite being sick of new wave, I liked this album better than I thought I would. I always seemed to think of Depeche Mode as one of the main villains of 80s synth rock. These guys are a lot darker than I envisioned they were. I may listen to this again in the futrue.
Didn't connect with the majority of the album. Like the 2 songs I know, was quite bored with the ones I didn't.
A sonic and emotional adventure.
Overall a solid album with several top hits. They make the electronic sound enjoyable.
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.
normally synth/electric/pop/dance is not my thing, but this was an enjoyable listen. broody without taking themselves too seriously, enjoyed the variety of sounds & tempos. World in My Eyes is great opener
Not their best album, but definitely one of their best.
Some really cool tricks and I appreciate the quality…but this sound just isn’t something I would seek out
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
Good album, masters of their craft (which is an ok craft). I'd give it a 3 but the hits are too good.
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***!
A classic 80s band. While they have great lyrics, I feel like their sound is a little one dimensional (droopy).
Who tf made this list
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.
4/5. The driving bass line and excellent riffs from the synth keep each song engaging and danceable but like sad dancing. There was not a bad song on here, each one had great instrumentation and the vocals are quietly aggressive, like warning or a threat. Great aesthetic, even if it does sound like many other emo electronic new wave artists. There are some forgettable songs on here, just because it can blend in the sound, but no bad songs, an overall fun listen. Best Song: Enjoy The Silence, Personal Jesus, World In My Eyes
The singles are all-timers and "Policy of Truth" is among my fav songs, low-key.
Love this. Sounds immense. The singles are so good but the whole thing is unified and very enjoyable.
7 Moody, broody synthpop fun. Best track: "Policy of Truth"
absolute masterpiece
electronic pop in its best and purest form
Its a good album with good hits. It took me several listen to make my decision. 3.5
I like enjoy silence and the opening track. The production is flawless but the vocals idk :/ maybe it adds some emotion by being awful but I can’t stand it
Depeche Mode is such an interesting group. It's the darkest dance music I've ever heard. Violator in particular is entrancing. Such a unique sound.
I really want to give this a 5/5 rating, but I just can't justify it. The four singles are all stellar, and maybe by contrast, the remaining songs seem almost filler-like.
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.
Eh 3/5
Super interesting Good vibes, great singles, but the album tracks are great. Greater opener
Very close to a five! So many bangers on this album. More great songs than ok songs. All in all a very enjoyable album!
Fine. I find these songs kind of tuneless and flat. No strong opinion here. Blue Dress and Enjoy the Silence both have long and unnecessary outros which seem to have been tracked on.
Funky beats, seems like a good sci-fi movie soundtrack
1990 is after the songs i know by depeche mode the first song has this vibe of a cool vampire calming you down and telling what is going on. the second song instrumental feels like shipwrecked 64 the third song sounds like something that plays in a 90s movie when the cast just goes towards the camera in slow motion. зачем они звук карандаша поставили я его в рот ебал четвертая песня звучит как чтото из андертейла но с вокалом поверх пятая песня хз не обратил внимание энджой зе сайленс это легенда на седьмой песне я уже задолбался придумывать как что оно звучит альбом такой, успокаювающий, я бы сказал я хз че о нем сказать кроме того что вокалист во всех песнях звучит как те персонажи из аниме которые с улыбкой на лице и вообще полным спокойствием тебе чето рассказывают
Альбом держится на двух китах: Enjoy the silence и Personal Jesus. И оба мне не нравятся
I remember hearing Personal Jesus for the first time when I was like 5 and playing GTA San Andreas. Good times, and I really like this album.
A fun entry! Doesn't feel extraordinary, but it knows what it wants to achieve, comes in, achieves that, comes out. Dark, mysterious, dancey. I feel a hint of Sisters of Mercy in there. It's either a 4 or a 5 for me. No weak points, although some song are not memorable. It's SOLID, but I can't really feel exact brilliance in it. Risky 4.
Clearly a high-quality body of work but not to my own personal taste.
Never been a fan and after listening to this I remember why.
"The exact date and location for the moment that Depeche Mode morphed from cult British band to million-selling mainstream success would be March 20, 1990 at Los Angeles music emporium Wherehouse Records. It was here that the then-quartet turned up for an in-store performance to celebrate the release of their seventh record Violator. The shop could hold 150 people. An estimated 17,000 fans turned up. With the numbers swelling, police evacuated the band from the store and shut the place down, prompting disgruntled members of the waiting crowd to start rioting." I was not part of that swelling crowd.
Stuck in the 90s permanently.
I was in a bad mood when I listened to this. It didn't help. I'll try again in a better frame of mind.
Excellent album, extremely well done music, vocals & composition.
People made fun of them before this album
Electronic with rock elements, futuristic techno club music - Clean production with nice synths - Vocals can be a little dull
Baustellenrock, SynthyPop, 1990 -> 2
weird ass music that i’m not rlly enjoying tbh and the lyrics aren’t much better. maybe i wasn’t listening well enough but the only song i rlly got into was enjoy the silence.