Reviews (page 8 of 13)
Dancing monsters
3.5/5 I don't like that this rounds to 4 but 3 seems low. Best track: Personal Jesus
So many songs I recognized, great :)
Another moody album that didn’t suck.
Definitely fun.
quite ok!
Not really my cup of tea but i can really notice a lot of effort went into this, everything sounds very coherent, and good, personally i give this a 3 but bias aside this is crearly a 4-4.5
The three hits "Personal Jesus", "Enjoy the Silence", and "Policy of Truth" are catchy well-crafted tracks. The rest of the album is good not great.
One of the sexiest albums I've heard in a while. I listened to the 2006 remaster and it's sooooo gorgeously produced -- dark, brooding, glittering. Synth pop isn't really something I reach for, but I enjoyed this album very much and would wholeheartedly recommend it to enjoyers of the genre. Tracks that stood out to me upon 1st listen: 1 - World in My Eyes; 3 - Personal Jesus; 4 - Halo; 5 - Waiting for the Night; 7 - Policy of Truth; 8 - Blue Dress Would I revisit this album? Maybe!
Violator is the first Depeche Mode album that I have listened to, and I was blown away by it. The album has a dark and captivating atmosphere, with lyrics that are powerful and provocative. The production is also superb, blending electronic and rock elements in a unique and innovative way. The album reminded me of The Cure’s Disintegration (probably because I reviewed it yesterday), which I also loved and gave a perfect score. Violator may not be flawless, but it is definitely one of the best albums of the 80s (even though it came out in 1990). I would give it a 4 out of 5, one I’ll be coming back to.
Wouldn’t have picked it on my own. Impressive and a good listen.
Hyvä levy mutta mielestäni tää on jo kuunneltu? Hmmm. 4/5
This is a decent album with some very good tracks on it, but I'm afraid it doesn't grip me in the way I'd want it to. Despite a couple of tries at it, I remain ungrippered.
Cracking album. Much fun. Bonus tracks on extended version are worth a listen as well.
All around a really great album.
Puf, qué rollo. Menos la canción conocida.
Personal Jesus is an all time banger. Pretty sure this album got dudes laid in the early 90s.
Some great hits on here! The sound gets a little old after 1 listen.
Very distinct sound, but makes it feel a little monotonous. Somehow feels slow even on the more upbeat stuff. Despite that, a really enjoyable album start to finish, with a couple of particular standouts.
Very moody for the time. Their synths are so unique and I can hear their influence in a lot of contemporary artists.
Depeche Mode was my very first concert. It's not something of listen to regularly though. +1 for Personal Jesus, enjoy the silence, and policy of truth. 4/5
Pretty good, in fact
It’s hard to tell when Depeche Mode was in their prime but this album might be it. Lyrically, not very strong, but their unique synth-electro-laced sound, anchored by one of the best male pop voices of all time, this album is hard not to like.
Ok
This is a great record containing a very solid set of songs. It's a bit restrained though and therefore not completely convincing.
I've always loved Enjoy The Silence. It's like this otherworldly song to me. The rest is quite good too. They're very good at creating an atmosphere.
I find the genre intriguing and the album does a good job of sticking to a singular sonic theme. That said I don't know if I envision myself replaying many of these tunes as I don't often listen to "darker" music. I keep getting the feeling that this could be the soundtrack to a James Bond movie which I don't think has a lot of overlap with my daily life. Song going on my "1001 Songs" Playlist: Personal Jesus Other Songs Going On My "1001 Albums Savelist" Playlist: World In My Eyes, Sweetest Perfection, Halo, Enjoy the Silence
the fun songs were a lot of fun but the early synth sound stuff always drags a bit for me. But still had lots of fun and super infulential
It is hard to get past the absolute cliche of Depeche Mode as 80s synth rock. but after I do I realize this album is full of absolute bangers. I don't even know what most of these instruments are but they sound great.
A classic. I've never listened to a full Depeche Mode album and I definitely enjoyed listening to this one. Depeche Mode set an example for what 90's electronic music was going to sound like.
Good. Surprise songs I'd heard before.
Back to college
Un 4 por el Personal Jesus.
Bro I forgot to hit save. I ain't retyping all that.
sounds like what i would have listened to if i had a cool older brother or cousin.
Really enjoyed this one. I’ve heard many of the singles many times, but for some reason I never got around to listening to the whole album. While listening, I could see clearly how this album has influenced so many of the bands I love. It felt like a very polished album that I am sure will require many passes to truly digest. Standout tracks were “Enjoy the Silence”, “Policy of Truth”, and “Clean”. Will listen again. And again and again.
Have heard this one quite a few times. Couple of songs I love. The rest were pretty good as well.
Cool
First listen Saved 7/9 Top track: Personal Jesus
Awesome been a huge fan for a long time. This album front to back solid.
very very moody, gives me Ludo vibes, Paul would love this, extended songs, a lot that are instrumental
I enjoyed the sound of this album. I describe it as sci fi rock. It was a good listen!
Sad and horny British lads have done it once again.
Een jjjjaaarennnn tachtiiiig-plaaaaattt.... Het is een bepaalde klank die je meteen herkent. Dominante rol voor het keyboard, laag tempo, synthetische percussie, als het even kan een lage, lijzige stem. In Nederland hadden we onder andere Frank Boeijen en Het goede doel die zich in deze regionen ophielden. En ook al vonden wij dit vroeger niks, achteraf klinkt het nog best leuk. We hebben in deze lijst inmiddels zoveel bij elkaar geklungelde bagger uit dit decennium gehoord, dat je het gaat waarderen als mensen wél iets konden neerzetten, ook al is het dan onbedoeld vooral héél typisch voor de tijd dat het gemaakt is.
Hij zal onder de '90s in de statistieken komen. Maar dit is natuurlijk extreem '80's. Depeche Mode doet dat wel in eigen stijl. Dat hoor je al direct in het eerste nummer. De zang heeft een aanzet als in een minder krachtig Doors-nummer. Daar zetten ze dan hardcore-80's muziek achter. Daarmee verbinden ze twee werelden met elkaar. Niet dat elk nummer geniaal is. Er staat af en toe ook wat sufs tussen. Maar dat wordt makkelijk gecompenseerd door de hits Personal Jesus en Enjoy the Silence.
Van de dystopische jaren 90, gaan we terug naar de duistere jaren 80. Al kwam dit album dan wel net in 1990 uit. Veel synthesizer en drumcomputer geweld, een bezwerende stem. Absoluut geen muziek om vrolijk van te worden, maar wel een absolute klassieker en terecht een notering in de 1001, of het nu je stijl muziek is of niet.
Didn't plan on actually writing notes here, but got to Sweetest Perfection and caught myself surprised by how much I was enjoying the first couple tracks. Then Personal Jesus punched me in the throat. Felt very out of place but really liked the sound; continually layers in instrumentation, which I'm always a big sucker for. Mixing - particularly the layering and fading is fucking crazy. Everything is really clear IMO, but still a ton of dimension to seek out. Idk why I like Blue Dress so much. Vocals and writing remind me of the Smiths? lmao Spotify randomized into a Smiths song at the end of the album
fine. Personal Jesus is the best song on here by a lot 4.5
Great synthpop album. I am usually not such a big fan of synthpop, but this album felt different. Great production without the synths sounding tacky. Key tracks are; World In My Eyes, which could almost be a late talking heads song, Personal Jesus, just a great classic pop song, that guitar is just so driving and the production on it is so good, Enjoy the Silence, fantastic song where the guitar really adds to the vibe, superb writing and instrumentation, Policy Of Truth, another song where the guitar stands out and when the saxophone comes in, it just takes it to another level, Clean, a song where the bass stands out and a great closer.
I gotta stop listening to these albums before I’ve had coffee. Violator is a classic, and probably falls in the top 10 of new wave albums. But I've said it before, new wave as a genre in general is just so tough for me to crack into. I don't know what it is. I want to be a bigger fan! Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, and Policy of Truth are all timers for the genre, and legitimately great tracks. But I'm not rushing to throw them on any personal playlists. I'll leave my own biases out of this rating as much as I can, because I understand I'm fully in the minority here, and I want more people to listen to this record. There's no doubt influence here that would go on to inspire a lot of bands I really love.
Probably a 3, but my fond memories of frequenting a club with a weekly goth/industrial/new wave night are paving the way toward generosity.
Bom álbum, um dos melhores do genero synthpop 4.0.
Wow, this one seems like a big jump over the last one. Much bigger, better production. More interesting and accessible. Personal Jesus is really catchy, obviously. Waiting for the Night has some really nice ambiance to it. I would totally listen to this without vocals. The vocals are solid, but not really my thing... but that slow build into Enjoy the Silence is great. Enjoy the Silence is just a very very solid hit. I don't remember this outro... kind of cool. Seriously great sounding album.
A fav of high school me.
Fantastisch album ouwe, echte bangers zoals Enjoy the Silence en Personal Jesus. Persoonlijk favorietje was ook Happiest Girl in de Jack Mix
Tijdloze synth-pop/rock klassieker. Productie staat nog steeds als een huis. Soms een beetje te duister/zielig voor mijn smaak. Favorieten: Personal Jesus, Halo, Waiting for the Night
BANGERS
I like the vibes of this album
turns out 80s synth pop doesn’t have to be super corny. this really impressed me overall.
Dark and emotional atmosphere with a few absolute classics.
Professor of rock covered this album, so I just had to listen to it.
Depeche Mode is a band I need to be in the mood for when I listen, but when I'm in that mood, they're some of the best. I really like this album, and it has so many solid songs. "Policy of Truth" is probably the one that ends up stuck in my head the most.
instrumentation/production, top notch. lyrics, hit or miss. vocals clean. pretty great record.
Excellent darker synth-pop. So many good songs on the album.
This was a great synth pop album with some goth rock touches that added a driving ominous feel. This genre is not one I'm too familiar with, but it is one that has grown on me the more I listen to it. This sound can be heard in a wide range of artists that came after ranging from rock artists like Muse and NIN to pop artists like Lady Gaga.
Sólo conocía los singles, pero el disco entero me ha gustado
First song is not that great, the rest of the album is. Even the bonus tracks. Favorite song: Enjoy the silence
très bien !!
Decent 7
Depeche Mode is an excellent band, and this was a great album. It’s not my favourite of theirs, though. Best tracks: Enjoy the Silence, Personal Jesus, Blue Dress Worst: Sweetest Perfection, Waiting for the Night
Enjoy The Silence is an all timer song for me. Love the darkness throughout but still catchy as hell. 4/5
Ominous and haunting vocals. Awesome synths.
I've heard a lot of Depeche Mode's singles over the years, and I think I may have listened to all of Violator at some point last year, but this was my first time to listen to the whole album with directed attention. This album is a great follow up to Music for the Masses, where Depeche Mode cemented their sound, and really hit their stride. Filled with awesome synth sounds, great drum machines, gloomy keyboards, and David Gahan's rich vocals, this album captures the spirit of the eighties, while still moving the band forward into the nineties. "Enjoy the Silence" and "Policy of Truth" are my favorite tracks on this album, but "World In My Eyes" is the only song that could be the opening track, setting the tone for the sounds and lyrical elements to come. "Personal Jesus" is a great song as well, but it's been overplayed and overused to the point where I don't even really want to listen to it anymore (I don't hold the band at fault for that). As great as the singles on this album are, I wasn't terribly impressed by the rest of the tracks on it. However, the album works really well as a whole, and its influence on the future of music is wide in scope.
Very tasty some absoulte bangers
Got some really good songs in here. I enjoyed it very much.
Genres: Synth-pop, alternative rock, dance, gothic rock Formed: Basildon, England in 1980. Run time: 9 songs, 46 min, 55 sec “Violator” is the seventh studio album by the group. As far as value for money goes, nine tracks and 46 minutes play time is a bit poor. Four tracks were released as singles, successfully charting in the U.K., U.S. and elsewhere. The voice of Dave Gahan is unmistakable, as is the synth-pop sound of the group. The songs are well written and cover various aspects of life, love and desire with an unapologetic inclination towards the dark and seedier side. It is a great album. I loved a couple of tracks *Personal Jesus” and “Enjoy the Silence”, but, it’s not my usual taste. Listen Again?: No but I will listen to “The Best of…”. My Rating: ****
I thought I wrote out something for this but I guess it didn’t save. Really fun album!
Yes yes yes. I said on our last Depeche Mode album that I'd want one more, with hits. This one has the big three, and all you need as far as I'm concerned. "Personal Jesus" will always do it for me, such a cool track. It's kind of funny how low energy a lot of the other tracks seem compared to that, "Policy of Truth" and "Enjoy the Silence." Highs so high that maybe it was too hard for them to reach for it consistently. Anyway, can't be less than great with those hits. Favorite tracks: Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth, Clean. Album art: Pretty boring if you ask me, a flower on a black background. Looks almost exactly like that Steely Dan album cover for Aja. Not doing much for me, very unassuming. 4/5
Ну вот все три песни Depeche Mode, которые все когда-либо слышали, вот они тут есть. Мне под такую музыку хочется на машине ехать ночью по трассе: спокойно, наедине со своими мыслями, никого не трогая. Ну как бы, Enjoy The Silence прямо намекает на такое времяпрепровождение. По мне так звучит очень стильно. Да, может показаться однообразно, такая вот она ваша - дэнс-готика. Я правда был уверен, что этой музыке чуть побольше лет, но разница в 5-10 лет уже не так существенна, когда альбому 33...
крепково
Close to a five star for me. Some very high highs, but ultimately the album is a bit too long. 4.5/5
Massa, nao sabia que eu curtia essa banda
It’s only been fairly recently that I’ve given a Depeche Mode a real listen. My partner has Sounds Of The Universe on vinyl which is great, and their new album Memento Mori is also really good. So let’s listen to Violator today! Songs I already knew: Personal Jesus, Enjoy The Silence Favourites: Enjoy The Silence, Blue Dress There is a lot to like about this. I really like how the sound of Depeche Mode hasn’t changed too much over time - there has certainly been some evolution, but there is no denying that this album and their newest have the same feel. I love a good synth, and this uses it aplenty. For me, it doesn’t get too much, but I imagine that if you don’t like that synthy sound then there might not be much here to enjoy. For me though, a very good album which I’ll certainly be going back to over time.
Solid album. Great production and vocals. Never would've thought this was released in the 90's. Favorites would be Sweetest Perfection, Waiting for the Night, and Clean. 8/10
Ég er ekki, eins og áður hefur komið fram, Depeche Mode maður. En að því sögðu þá er þessi plata barasta drullugóð. Ekki eitthvað sem ég set á mér til skemmtunar, en flott engu að síður.
I’ve always liked this album.
Pretty good
I've been wanting to listen to it for a while. It's a very pleasant new wave/electronic/alternative rock album, but I feel like I really have to listen to some of the songs a few more times to truly appreciate them.
It's interesting hearing the change in albums as I reviewed the previous album a week ago. They've definitely evolved into a more deeper, complex act with this album. Still rocking the 80s synths, but with a much darker tone. Very cool vibes throughout
I've been on a journey with New Wave, from not really understanding it beyond liking Talking Heads, to learning that most groups in that umbrella are actually the "80s synth music" I'd hear from radio play & not very much like talking heads... to listening to a *bunch*, *way too many* on the generator and realizing that Depeche Mode is maybe the only one of that crowd that actually had chops beyond the radio hits. Pretty good stuff! shame about their peers
Overall a great album and really a pinnacle of 80's pop/rock. I remember when the 2006 releases came out, I was in a Sam Goody and saw the album - I had heard of Depeche Mode but never given them a listen. I was struck by the album artwork and listened to a few tracks on the demo station. I don't think I ended up buying the album, and it's probably for the best. I don't think I would have appreciated it at that point. But now, in my mid-30s I really enjoy that sound and vibe. While I prefer New Order, there are some really great tracks on this album and its definitely worth the listen.
À la fois électro et pop, dans la lourdeur et la densité. Même si je n'écoute pas souvent Depeche Mode, force est d'admettre que leurs hits sont efficaces. Le refrain d'Enjoy the Silence m'émeut chaque fois.
Dark and horny.
4 stars. Not really my bag but extremely well done.
Super long album that we were interrupted listening to, but great album, honestly.
Never gets old.
heh,. meikä poika sanoo nyt sen heh….. Violator on brittilegendojen pitkän uran kiistaton kohokohta. Alternative-musiikki teki varmaa nousua 1990-luvun alussa, kun Depeche Modekin löysi kovimman hittivaihteensa. Hämyisät industrial-kokeilut, syntikkapop ja rehevä dance-rock jatkuivat, mutta kokonaisuus voimistui jylhien sovitusten ja isompaan rooliin nousseen kitaran myötä. Monumentaaliset Personal Jesus ja Enjoy The Silence ovat vain pintaraapaisu menestysalbumista. tai siis oikeestaan parhaat biisthön tossa mutta siis meikäläinen tarkotti albumi toimii albumina vaikka nuo onkin parhaat biisut jotka näpsähtää heh.,.sitä meikäpoika yritti sanoa,, vaikkei ehkä toi personal jesus lemppari.. sopii albumiin kuin nenä nenän paikalle, hyvä!
Surprisingly good, never really got into these guys at the time but this album holds up fairly well. It starts strong although it got a bit non descript after the first few tracks
Great album! Loved the sound and the vocals.
Nice change pace. Well produced, a couple classic songs.
a nice and relaxing album
love it
It's dark, but not really kind of gothic atmosphere at all - It flirts with you sensually to move your body while unnecessarily in the mood for dance mode. And this LP boasts some of the most killer rhythmic shaking I've known, like \"World in My Eyes\" & \"Policy of Truth\" (sexiest dance rhythm ever!) Fav track: Waiting for the Night
Very good
fun! dark techno! felt like i was in the dramatic end sequence of a 90s season finalr
More "techno" than alternative, but still a very good album. For me this is a more mature, sometimes darker, album. Certainly it's more introspective than previous albums. And you have to love a line like, "reach out and touch faith".
I enjoyed this one. A bit more focused on the electronic side than I expected, but a nice album nonetheless.
4.5
Enjoyed it way more than I thought I would, I’ve only ever really heard the hits, but every track is pretty decent! Really digging the production.
Lots of singles I recognize and like, but overall this album is too sad boy goth for my tastes.
Some songs could have been longer and some shorter, but overall a very strong project.
Awesome album, just great songs, great sounds and an alltime banger.
Essential for the singles and the first track. Totally unique sound.
Great, but assumed this was older. 4
Very cool
I like it man
Album starts strong. Crescendo's at Enjoy the Silence. Blue Dress was the only song I disliked.
Can see why this was their breakout album. Very moody but upbeat at the same time. Reminds me a lot of their contemporaries, but also having a sound and style unique to them.
I understand the greatness and the pioneering role of this album. I just simply don't like it. 4 because Personal Jesus kicks ass
Depeche mode ist ein Feeling. Und ich hab's gfühlt
"Personal Jesus," "Enjoy the Silence," and "Policy of Truth" all on the same album? Yes, please. The rest of the tracks aren't as good, but that's a high bar to clear, so I won't hold it against them.
Depeche Mode has such a distinct sound, and the way the vocals are produced are so cool. Not a single song sounded similar, and I also really liked most lyrics. Good album cover as well. Fav track(s): Personal Jesus, Halo, Enjoy the Silence
Gisteren had ik hier niet echt zin in. Vandaag ook niet merk ik. Maar ik vind het desondanks wel een goed album. "Blue Dress" had op de snijtafel achter mogen blijven van me, maar verder goede nummers met als uitschieters toch wel de hits.
Really good, knew the singles but thought the rest of the album stood up too. Mad how heavy a synth band can sound, a lot of these songs reminded me of nine inch nails. Hopefully another album or two in the list.
The hits are great, as are a few of the album tracks. Hypnotic.
Love DM. Personal Jesus.
Dark, slick, moody - loved this album. I listened to the 2006 remaster which included two bonus tracks, on other albums I may skip these, on this I didn't. The two songs that played after this album was complete was LCD Soundsystem "Oh Baby" and "Disorder" by Joy Division, both songs I love so we are in good company. Also is Depeche Mode a top 5 band name?
Great album with some iconic songs. I don't listen to them enough. I really liked Mephisto.
Incredibly well mixed. Really liked the outro on the album version of Personal Jesus. let down by some weaker songs in my humble opinion.
Nice
Great album, defining for its genre
These guys know how to do it
A wonderful album, but Depeche Mode never really was my vibe. Definitely respect the album even though I couldn’t get into it. 4/5
While I quite enjoy this album, I always thought that it needed some kind of pick me up to cheer up the atmosphere a little bit. It's dark and quite cold for a synthpop album.Nevertheless the material here is excellent and classic. Enjoy the Silence is a timeless song that aged like fine wine and Personal Jesus and Policy of Truth are also pure synthpop masterpieces. Dark, cold, but also very much enjoyable. 8,5/10
4/5, pretty close to 4.5
Classic. Last of the 80s alt.
Love me some Depeche Mode! Knew the singles from this album, and realistically that's all I'll revisit. They're terrific though, and the instrumentals included in the remastered 2006 remaster are good listens too.
4.75
Surprised to enjoy as much as I did
clean af. somehow i’m getting cure vibes- had no idea what to expect with this one but it’s good
Album goes very hard, a few skips but most of it is great
Hemskt trevligt. Och blinkningen till Pink Floyd i ”Clean” var charmig.
Loved it then and it still sounds minimal, electronic, serious, but cheeky and very danceable. Plugged the gap between New Order albums. Awesome.
Un 4 por el Personal Jesus.
Puf, qué rollo. Menos la canción conocida.
It was fine, I gave it 4 stars for including Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence & Policy of Truth.
Reach out and touch faith!
Yep. Bangers aside, the whole thing was great
Hey - it’s Depeche Mode! And they rule
Wow! Who would have thunk that Depeche Mode would put out an album this good over a decade into their career? Very synth-wave and 80s, but in a way that is more mature, developed, and new. You can hear how the genre is evolving into a new decade. If not for Grunge, Hip Hop, and the other major 90s movements superseding this sound, one can imagine many more 90s albums having a sound like this. A happy little discovery, and this is coming from someone who would not consider themselves a DM fan.
7,5 / 10
Always loved the singles from this album but found some a new favourite in blue dress
me gustó bastante eh cuidado! 7.5
4.4/5
Take away the four huge singles, and it's still a pretty good album. Probably comes closest to breaking the Mode album pattern of astonishing singles and ok album tracks. So four stars.
Bello, "Enjoy the silence" bellissima. Come anche "Personal Jesus" In generale mi piace molto.
Hard hitting synth. Mostly great, just a little monotonous and low energy.
Synth Pop comes of age! I loved Depeche Mode at the beginning, and I think they just got better with maturity. This album may have slightly gone on too long. However, the classic songs are just so good they win out every time. I’m still singing Personal Jesus a day later. Johnny Cash’s version is also bloody amazing.
Totally forgot about Personal Jesus & Enjoy the Silence, surprisingly Policy of Truth was my fav Vibes: kinda wanna get frosted tips, throw some shades on, and walk down a leaf-covered street in the fall
Between a 3 and a 4, closer to a 4 imo.
Much goth, very industrial. Like how “the Cure” this sounds. REACH OUT AND TOUCH ME
This was enjoyable. Kind of a shame Personal Jesus is in whatever commercial it’s in. Definitely a few hits on this album though…i’m going 3.7.
Dark and groovy. Pretty great.
7/10. I liked Music for the Masses better as an album, but Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence are always great
The album on the whole breathes well and is full of interesting soundbytes. "Policy of Truth" was a standout. Haven't really listened to Depeche Mode before, but enjoyed this. 4/5
Good solid and gloomy at times
Really interesting! That's a good precursor to dark disco / dark wave
Not very familiar with Depeche mode, only knew them by name. But I was pleasantly surprised. The album got beter the second time I listened to it. I like their style and will try more of their albums. Favourite songs: - Personal Jesus - Halo - Enjoy the silence
Three stars for Personal Jesus alone. I was more of a Some Great Reward fan, but this was a big improvement over Music for the Masses, it felt like a return to form.
I love this album! I want to listen to it a few more times as I was a bit distracted and couldn't fully focus. Super relaxing and great vibes, also includes some absolute all time bangerz.
Depeche Mode’s best is a synth laden other world that is darker pop. At its worst, it is thrown cheese that missed its target and splatted on the floor in front of the goth kid. The first two tracks demonstrate it well. The rest of the album is a war between the two.
Highly enjoyable, nice beat to it and good vocals.
Enjoyed this.
Pop-rock con toques electrónicos en algunos cortes. Algunas canciones muy buenas, con excelentes ritmos.
All I ever wanted, all I ever needed is here.
This was a really great album with a few notable songs in "Personal Jesus", "Enjoy the Silence", and "Policy of Truth". Electronica done right, unlike much of the bullshit electronic music that I've listened to on this 1001 list. 8/10.
The most overplayed Depeche Mode album. Still good, though.
It's so much something I should love. Indie pop mixed with dark electronica, and yet I only ever like it. It took Johnny Cash's cover to get me to love Personal Jesus. I do love Enjoy the Silence and World. There are some lovely stretches. I think the problem is that religion and drugs are boring topics. When it gets off the 'edgy' topics it's much better, cos some work actually gets put in. Still great. Just not perfection.
3.5+
Iexpected Personal Jesus to be the only real standout here, but Waiting for the Night and Enjoy the Silence also really grabbed me. The rest was solid!
First-listen favorites: Sweetest Perfection, Personal Jesus, Clean, Kaleid
Depeche Mode's Violator draws you into their moody, hypnotic, synthed out world, full of mystery and deception. With sleek electronics, coupled by synth bass and just a little bit of funk, has an ambient music feel to it, but you know a live show would absolutely go off. Best: Enjoy the Silence; Clean Worst: Blue Dress
This might be the first Depeche Mode album I finally jived with. In general I wanna like Depeche Mode but it never lands fully and is too 80s in the worst way, but this one has some of the bigger hits, especially Personal Jesus. That one is a bop.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. Best track: Policy of Truth
the very best
Very fun album to listen to and experience.
Cool techno but not really techno. 1990 Would listen again
It was ok. I like Dépêche Mode.
Ahead of their time. A lot of good grooves on this album.
never heard of it without recommendation, not like it much, not my type.
Personal Jesus/enjoy the silence—absolute classic synth—policy of truth is also sneaky good
This grew on me
4/5
Personal Jesus and enjoy the silence are obvious absolute bangers, the rest has some great dark grimy vibes, I may like more on repeat listens but for a summer day not the right vibe
I like this album a lot. There's the obvious 2 bona-fide classics but the non-singles are great too. I thought about giving it a 5 but I'm just not sure I can go there. It's really close though. Just excellent.
When the late 80s/90s electric music was hitting I had trouble keeping up with all the bands---Kraftwerk, Pet Shop Boys, Dead or Alive, Simple Minds, Depeche Mode, et al. As my aural skills have evolved with age, I definitely understand and appreciate the nuances across these bands and these sounds. I LOVE THIS MUSIC. I clearly remember dancing to some of these tunes at college parties (Personal Jesus!). Still, hippy early 90s Marianne thought all this electronic music lacked the true musicianship and poetry of the balladeers---Dylan, Joni, The Beatles. Silly girl. This stuff is brilliant. And for the girl who fell in love with a drummer, it's probably scandalous to say...but I do love me a good drum machine. I also appreciate that all these songs strung together took me on a journey to appreciate this as an album (vs great individual songs). The transition from Waiting for the Night into Enjoy the Silence are sonic trips that really hit home the art of the long-form album format.
Great album, very groovy electronic rocky music.
This is a solid Depeche Mode album. Not something I would listen to frequently, but it definitely has its time and place.
Nice, good wibes. I like depeche mode, always heard about them being significant in music history but never got why. Not sure I do now but I definitely appreciate their music.
4.4
Not ever listened to a lot of Depeche Mode (and in particular this album), but enjoyed this and will definitely listen to it again.
This was fun. Waiting for the Night is a dark horse banger
4.2 + “Enjoy the Silence” was an international smash when my family first got cable and MTV became a fixture in my life. I’ve been obsessed with that song ever since and have listened to this album countless times. It’s been a few years since I gave this a full listen and admittedly the sonics sound thinner and less impressive than I remembered. A couple tracks like “Sweetest Perfection” are clunkers. But the hits definitely hold up and Dave Gahad’s voice is a real force.
enjoy the silence and perosnal jesus are great. the rest sounded bland to me.
Gostei bem mais desse álbum deles, bem anos 80. Melhores músicas: Waiting for the night, Enjoy The silence e Blue Dress.
Lost my review for this one, but this album is a great touch stone for how far synth music had come by 1990 (when compared to earlier albums like Truth or Dare by Human League). It sounds much more mature than the works of the 80s which is probably a testament to the advance of technology more than anything else. This album is very much worth a listen and features some of Depeche Mode's most famous songs 4/5
My first discovery that I've really liked on the generator. Incredibly well-composed synth-pop with passionate vocals and intriguing lyrics, and catchy as hell.
It’s not quite my style but the dramatic synth-y pop certainly stands out and doesn’t sound quite like anything else.
Revisited review: bumping this from 3 to 4.
Deciphered a moot love between rock and electronica , a string album
This was already an album I quite enjoy :) So I’ll go ahead and give it a 4
Must admit I've never explored DP albums. This is great. The 2 "hits" are epic...and there are other great tracks. . It holds together well as a thematic whole. Impressed. Its dark and driving. Ominous melody meets oppressive lyrics. Clear 4.
Really sweet album. Dark and moody and nocturnal while still being lush and full. I love the heavy synthwork and the deep vocals compliment it so well. Also the creativity in terms of electronics used is awesome to hear 8/10
Alltid bra med litt Depeche Mode Ein del av songane (spesielt Kaleid ) minna om Nine Inch Nails , da har eg aldri tenkt øve før
I never liked Depeche Mode growing up (always chuckled at KMFDM jokingly standing for Kill Mother Fucking Depeche Mode), but I actually enjoyed this album quite a bit.
I like this alright. There's some good singles, but the other songs don't do much for me. I am between a 3 and a 4, so I guess I'll put as 3.5 and round up 3.5/5
I can’t believe I used to think that stuff like Depeche Mode was lame. I guess that’s what the kids call a personal flop level. I’m really trying to be more discerning towards 5 stars though and hoard them like a dragon’s gold. And I do have the same problem with Violator that I do Rumours- it peaks with “Enjoy the Silence” and think that the last third is a step down. Where do you go from “Waiting for the Dark” and EOS? But it’s all still very good and I love the perfect balance between unforgettable synth hooks and terrific musicianship. And Martin Gore’s voice is incomparable. A-
Depeche Mode is one of those bands I fall in love with every time I hear them and then promptly forget they exist. No fault of theirs, this shit is fantastic. 4
Some very catchy tunes; Enjoy the Silence and Personal Jesus are standouts.
Альбом красивый, похоже, знаковый для группы, но не до конца им проникся, как хотелось бы. Но звучит мощно, ярко.
Meh, I'm like 50/50 on these guys. Wasn't a huge fan, but they do have some good songs and their sound pretty much defined 80s new wave. When I listen I hear almost every 80s movie soundtrack. They get extra marks for that.
One of the things I’m really loving about going through this list is how I’m starting to see connections between different artists across different time periods. With this album, for example, I immediately heard the influence of Kraftwerk. The cold electronic production and the emotionally detached vocals remind me of the Kraftwerk album we listened to previously, “Trans-Europe Express.” And yet Depeche Mode does it in their own way. This album has a goth club vibe and a lot more pop hooks than that Kraftwerk album. I’m digging it so far. Here’s another connection: On “Personal Jesus,” the heavy breathing and drum beat that happens around 2:15 is almost identical to the bit on Kanye’s “Black Skinhead”! Kanye’s version seems like a deliberate reference to this song but I’m surprised there’s no songwriting credit given to Depeche Mode. It’s really similar!
Some of these songs are ingrained in my brain from the countless times my parents played them throughout my childhood. The songs I didn't know going into this didn't do it for me. While I did enjoy "Waiting for the Night" it felt out of place on the album especially leading into "Enjoy the Silence". All in all I did really enjoy this album and the childhood memories it brought out. However the non-single tracks are a little harder to enjoy and at times are overboard with the synth. Though it is a Synth-Pop album so I should expect that, but I just am not the biggest fans of synths if they aren't used tastefully. With all that being said I am giving it a 4/5 because a 4.5/5 isn't a thing.
Day 16: Pretty good album, am always a fan of electronica and I guess that extends to older versions of it as well. Not all songs really stuck out to me but Personal Jesus and the start of Enjoy the Silence were absolutely amazing. Favourite Song: Personal Jesus
Donkere synth-pop met meezing-momentjes. En toch wat dromerig, maar niet té
I was familiar with this one already, and it was an enjoyable listen.
Kinda slaps
Bueno obvio que el disco de Depeche Mode que tiene Personal Jesus y Enjoy the silence va a tener un excelente puntaje. Opinión impopular: Las canciones de DM que más me gustan son New life y Dreaming on me de su primer disco.
A lot of nice melodies, and it flows well together.
A good album with a couple bangers.
Un album à l'image de Depeche Mode dans le sens où il met en scène un défilé très agréable visuellement mais extrêmement rapide, la faute à un manque de temps caractéristique du groupe. Les mannequins présentent de ce fait les créations en marche rapide (pour ne pas dire en courant) et finissent par suer dans leurs tenues tant le rythme est soutenu. Tant pis pour les photographes qui repartiront chez eux l'appareil rempli de clichés flous.
Je suis extrêmement fan du groupe Depeche Mode, et suis donc très satisfait que mon appel à l'aide publié dans la critique de l'album des ignobles Spacemen 3 hier ait touché le coeur de Robert. En espérant que cet album symbolise le début d'une nouvelle ère générateurienne, basée sur une augmentation du pouvoir d'achat et de la qualité de vie de toute la population générateurienne.
Pretty good
Some good classics
Not quite what I expected but still good
This is what that Eurythmics album was missing. Super cool synth beats. They basically took what had been their style and tried to fuse it with something a little more rock. It works well. And sure, David Gahan is no Annie Lennox, but he's still got a silky voice. It's man sexy. And the lyrics are typical Depeche Mode - really f'n good. They make you think...a lot. I mean, the 3 big singles from this album (Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth, Personal Jesus) are just so biting and memorable. They're everyday life quotable - my wife was telling me a story the other day about someone screwing up (again) and I said "never again is what you swore the time before". And she doesn't know Depeche Mode but gave me an affirmative "right?" Their lyrics are sharp. "Reach out and touch faith", "pick up the receiver I'll make you a believer", "feelings are intense, words are trivial", "the delivery of proof in the policy of truth". Even just the titles are sublime! I'm not going to give it 5 stars because a few songs were just ok. But of songs I didn't really know before I quite liked World in My Eyes, Halo, and Blue Dress (it's Every Breath You Take creepy/addictive).
This album already deserves 5 stars just for Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence (what a song!), which are the tracks I recognize (and love). The rest of the album does not reach those same highs, but is enjoyable nonetheless. Ultimately more enjoyable than all of the middle of the road "inoffensive to my ears" albums on this list, so a 4 it is.
good album, im starting to like them more and more
Always enjoy throwing this one on from time to time. Very dark and very deep, this one touches on a lot of topics from drug addiction to religion. The precursor for a lot of moody shit you hear today.
Never a mix of Synth-pop, gothic rock and dance music worked so well. This is Depeche Mode's best album and has a lot of great songs. "World in My Eyes", "Personal Jesus" and "Policy of Truth" are all amazingly creative song, great efforts by Martin Gore. But "Enjoy the Silence" is at another level (but curiously, the single version is better - which is rare). An amazing listening, nonetheless.
Great memories. Really solid album. Forgot how long all the songs are
Un peu surcôté mais propre Prefs: World In My Eyes, Personal Jesus, Enjoy The Silence, Blue Dress Moins pref: Halo
Yes, this was great - it could have been a bit gothier for my taste, but it still hit the spot. I'm vaguely curious what fetish-wear "Blue Dress" was really about, but, uh, not enough to go digging. Fave track - "Enjoy the Silence" by a mile - that's a tune.
Probably their best effort. It's certainly their most consistent. The three "hits" (the songs I knew before I heard this album) are unabashed classics, and a lot of this sounds like a healthy mix of The Smiths and Pink Floyd. Always a good sign: I kept listening after the album ended, and Spotify thrilled me with an epic live version of "Personal Jesus" that sounded like a fucking party.
Best Song: World in My Eyes. Groovy, bombastic intro that sets the tone for the rest of the album. Worst Song: Blue Dress. Weird and overly long outro. Overall: Better than I expected. Feels like an odd combination of dance music and Buffalo Bill style murder monologues.
Very good album and an interesting listen with its layered Synth and Keyboard sound. The vocals had a nice range and accompanied the bands dark music style really well. Only heard Personal Jesus and Enjoy The Silence before but it was great to hear their extended versions. World In My Eyes, Halo and Policy of Truth were the newbies I enjoyed a lot. The last two songs I didn't like as much as the rest, but apart from that great listen.
Good song after good song.- this album is fresh as ever and grooves madly. It’s also themed with what I think is David’s struggle with newfound sobriety - which gives it a layer of depth beyond the dark synth pop that makes this album
Excellent
Great Álbum 8/10
I've never been very into Depeche Mode and hadn't listened to Violator prior to today. It's good! It's really good and gets better each time I listen to it and I want to keep listening to it. In addition to the great Personal Jesus, I do enjoy Enjoy the Silence, Halo, Policy of Truth, and the very fine Clean. I'm not done with this one yet.
More proggy than I expected especially with the singles on it too.
Some good songs on here
Personal Jesus alone is enough to give this album at least a 3 but the rest of the tracks were pretty enjoyable as well. I think it's only the second 90s electronica album I've gotten that I actually fully enjoyed. Quintessential 80s sound. Fav songs: PERSONAL JESUS, halo, enjoy the silence
I was enjoying this, then Enjoy the Silence came on. What a great song. It resonates with me so much and made the whole album more meaningful to me. Very Depeche Mode. Very 80s mode for the 90s. Very new wave new romantic.
owo
Still prefer their earlier stuff!
Hits sind nice. Meistens aber zu experimentell
First half is classic, but a little same-y. Second half falls off a bit.
A bit dark but great. Highlights: Enjoy the Silence and Policy of Truth
Had this CD a few times growing up from the library. Definitely feels like a greatest hits album at times as some of the best Mode songs are here. The quality drops a little outside of the singles but the instrumentation and Martin Gore’s incredible vocals keep it interesting enough Fave tracks: “Enjoy the Silence” “Personal Jesus” “Policy Of Truth”
Great album. Very moody and good lyrically.
Violator was a major turning point: two guitar tracks like Enjoy The Silence (atmospheric riff over a pensive disco beat) and Personal Jesus (an energetic boogie that will remain their most aggressive track ever), Depeche Mode set themselves apart from the old synthpop. (7/10) Favourite Tracks: Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth
Great, but got a bit slow at the end
Moody electronic pop, and it’s great. Basically like if The Cure and Nine Inch Nails joined up, you’d get Depeche Mode. Really enjoyed the whole album, and it’s one of those where even if you didn’t know it, you’re going to recognize some of the tunes.
Je partais avec un mauvais appriori, connaissant juste "Just can't get enough" qui m'agace. J'avais tort. Premiere musique ecoutée : Enjoy the silence. Franchement j'ai adoré. Le reste alterne entre le tres plaisant, le transcendant et le lassant. Je pense mettre 4/5, mais je le reecouterai pour fixer mon avis.
Some cracking tunes on this album, some of which were new to me. Not a massive fan of the "industrial" sound, but this is definitely worth repeat listens
Un discazo, empieza con tonos de notas oscuros y se desarrolla super bien, cada tema encaja con el anterior. Vale la pena escucharlo.
One of the best synthpop albums ever. 8/10 1. Policy of Truth 2. Enjoy the Silence 3. Waiting for the Night
Two Depeche Mode records in two weeks?? My 20-yr old guitar-hero-worshiping self would be apoplectic. I really like it though; it's a great *sounding* album - great stereo spread - even if most of it is so painfully synthy. If there's any criticism, none of it *swings* at all; it's so on-the-grid and I'm sure at one point I would have hated that but that's the point. The songs are nothing overly complex, but they all sound so coldly clean that it makes them easy to digest and I've found it gets better upon repeated listens. Great moody and sorrowfully melodic album - I'll come back to this one. I love the obvious nod to Pink Floyd on the intro to "Clean" too! 7/10 4 stars
I didn’t like them back in the day but this album is definitely better than I expected.
Lite ovanligt för mig men bra intro till new wave / synth pop. Efter jag vande mig var den najs.
The singles on this album are absolutely brilliant.
Really good
Wonderful stuff, sags a bit at points preventing a five for me however worth noting it contains one of my all time favorite songs
If you like that moody 80s electronic sound similar to bands like Tears for Fears then I think you will like this album.
really good, some classics on here
Strong atmosphere, very catchy songs.
The marriage of the driving electronic beats which, developed to their logical extreme, make synthwave, with more organic instruments and vocals is nostalgic but never dated or cheesy. In the repetitive sections are echoes of more dance-floor-focused music, which I'm bearish on here. There's a great deal of thematic consistency which would benefit from longer-form working-out. Religious language gives the text some weight, while it sticks pretty close to the music-corrupting-teens narrative suggested by the title. But it's an order of magnitude more subtle than Soft Cell, which I utterly enjoyed as well.
This album starts out amazing. The first 3/4 of the album is killer with some filler added to the rest. End of the album was nothing too exciting though not terrible. 4.5
Great DM album with more weird electronics than you think.
Приятный саунд, но песни максимально затянуты, а от некоторых только спать.
A bit too electronic overall, but after full listen can see lots of merits. Personal Jesus is fantastic. Has quite a few worthwhile tracks.
Very 80s, but in a good way. Had some tracks I’ll definitely listen to again
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: World in my eyes, Personal Jesus, Enjoy the silence
Good fun, sets a mood and sticks to it. Would listen again
Already love this album. Mix of industrial and new wave.
classic
Alle klassikerne, ret fedt, men lidt for langt.
psicodélico, moody, cohesivo, excelente producción, buen ambientación, la mezcla de los vocals y la música te transportan, lo mejor es la instrumentación, los instrumentos se van y regresan en el momento correcto, y siempre añaden capaz a la musica que tre producen chills. Tracks favoritos: Personal Jesus, Waiting For Tonight, Enjoy The Silence, Personal of Truth
Grupo inglés de electrónica, considerados los amos y señores del rock electrónico. Discazo con temas archiconocidos como 'Personal Jesus' o 'Enjoy The Silence'.
Interesting
I wish there was a 3.5 option. I think this is a really cool vibe. Impressed that they kept the moody vibe interesting for 47 minutes.
Wonderful stuff, sags a tiny bit at points preventing a five for me however worth noting it contains one of my all time favorite songs
Entretes los sintes 🕺4/5
Saved Prior: World in My Eyes, Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth Saved Off Rip: Sweetest Perfection Cutting Edge: Halo, Blue Dress, Clean, Dangerous, Kaleid, Happiest Girl, Sea of Sin Overall Thoughts: Very good album, sinister/sexual vibes, 4 all-time bangers, ambient songs towards the end bring it down to a 4 star
It's a 4 for me Clive.
Very solid album, well written and executed. I don't know that I have specific praise, other than that I just really enjoyed it.
Veel synthesizer. Het is wel goed maar niet wat ik snel zelf zou opzetten.
First 6 tracks were banging. Tails off a bit towards the end. Can see how it has influenced a lot of music though