Official site containing news, a discography, lyrics, tour information, pictures, audio/video files, and merchandise. Violator, an Album by Depeche Mode. Only 3 available and it's in 8 people's carts. The World Violation Tour was a 1990 concert tour by English electronic group Depeche Mode in support of the act's seventh studio album, Violator, which was released in March 1990. Though thuggish titles like “Kiss the Chrome,” “Surf Nazis” and “Fag Hag” are what you’d expect from a generic Midwestern shock-punk squad, the theatrical bombast is more akin to Seventies progressive rock. The album’s got house-music piano samples, but the rhythm’s got no roll to it. “Hello,” the single, is an affected name-drop list cataloging characters ranging from house divas (Paris Grey, Kim Mazelle) to people who aren’t house divas (Willy Wonka, Jean-Paul Sartre). The guitar, although amazingly simple, works really well, bringing a New Order feel to the song. Violator sounds as good today as it did back in 1990. “Getting Away With It,” by Electronic, Sumner’s current collaboration with Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant and onetime Smiths tremolo terror Johnny Marr, is a lightly Latinized dance-schlock lullaby with scrumptious string fills that articulate a reliable sort of melancholy. Depeche Mode and Tool may have headlined the 2006 Coachella Valley Arts & Music Festival, but artists like Daft Punk, Jamie Lidell, and Gnarls Barkley stole the show. Gahan’s goth fuckboy energy on Violator makes the songs work. I did notice with boosted treble, I could hear a light hiss during the quiet parts but it cannot be heard over the music and was corrected by adjusting the treble. It seems somewhat timeless, their desire for new sounds preventing the album from becoming dated. However, great credit must be given to Alan Wilder, whose commitment to the band is huge, something (much to his frustration) was never attributed to him at the time or since. U2 achieved this successfully and remain a powerful force to this day, but bands like Simple Minds did not and soon died. Solitude Sounds: Depeche Mode - Violator - Album Review by Killian Laher Violator was acclaimed as the album that propelled Depeche Mode into mega stardom, thanks to a pair of massive singles, but more of those later. Violator, whilst not perfect, is a close to perfection as Depeche Mode ever got, an excellent piece of work that demands a listen. Thirty years old in 2015! I was very, very young when this was out, but my parents were big DM fans. Meet The Team Depeche Mode - Martin Gore, Dave Gahan, and Andy Fletcher - continue to win critical and commercial acclaim both in the studio and on the road, with innumerable musicians citing them as inspirations. Much is said about the video but it is the song that is the key to this tracks success – its close to the perfect pop song; the production is of the highest quality, the instrumentation superb. Edit Release All Versions of this Release Data Correct . While they may have singles and remix collections, if there is one studio album that I could guarantee that you'll enjoy from Depeche Mode, it's Violator. I can see why. In the studio, Martin Gore makes very little input, Dave Gahan even less. The Depeche Mode of this album is the one that brought together a rabid audience of trendy coastal kids and middle-American teens who got beat up over stuff like this-- … From shop Mode66. The lyrics are simple also, but the chorus is one of Gore’s best, the track reaching a wonderful crescendo at the end, a superb piece of pure music, possibly their finest single. But the Beloved come naturally to disco, and in this duo’s country, that’s a rarity. Depeche Mode | The 12" Singles Reproduced from the original artwork and master tapes. Its inclusion on the album is puzzling and unnecessary, sounding out of place with the rest. From the first seconds of “World in My Eyes” Violator just sounds exciting and new. Depeche Mode, fresh from the success of the Music for the Masses tour and the accompanying live album, 101, took similar stock of what could be done, and launched into the 90’s with the superb Violator. This is a really nice live Depeche Mode experience and in my opinion, contains some of their best material. Sure there was some Duran Duran songs and a smattering of other stuff in the mid 80's, but this was the first one I had on loop for months. Its unguarded vulgarity is what puts it over — “I’m not the same/I have no shame,” Madonna sang on her first record. Although only nine tracks long, Violator reeks of quality, from the stark, simplistic artwork, to the well-planned running order of the songs, every track in the right place. The epic ambitions of the previous album (‘Music For The Masses’) are gone. The turn of the decade caused many bands to re-think their sound, to refresh their ways of making music. 2 Reviews written. Sounds Used by Depeche Mode in Violator Album. AllMusic Review by Ned Raggett In a word, stunning. Sign up for our newsletter. Put on almost any New Order dance remix, and you’ll be teased with opening electro-beats as obsessive as any in Madonna’s “Into the Groove” or Shannon’s “Let the Music Play.” Stick around long enough to hear Bernard Sumner open his mouth, and you’ll wonder where the hell obsessiveness went. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Also available the numbered, limited edition, vinyl box set series. Biographies show that Depeche Mode have an unusual working arrangement in the studio. We chose to start the promo with a band that has many supporters at Arturia: Depeche Mode and the album violator! The singing needn’t be quite so wallflowerlike — a concrete noun or two might flesh out the love sentiments, and when the lyrics get ambitious, they get irritating. T he reason Depeche Mode’s Violator is a quintessential benchmark of pop, rock and electronic music is because it marries dance, goth-rock and synth-pop with good ol’ fashioned Motown funk and rock n’ roll so seamlessly. Also released were a variety of different remixes across different formats, and for the album version a combination of the single and the 12” “pump” mixed are used, the extended ending really enhancing the track, giving a heightened sense of excitement as it kicks in. Reviews still suffered as a result of the media's inability to move beyond the band's earlier days, but that, I think, is partly if not wholly due to Depeche Mode's capacity to evolve a great speed. Nine tracks and not a single moment that you won't like. Violator was the first Depeche Mode album that I ever bought as it had a sound I liked a whole lot better than the early synth pop era of the band. Released in 1990 on Mute (catalog no. Only 1 available and it's in 7 people's carts. But Revenge, the dreary side project by New Order bassist Peter Hook, puts all its effort into its ominousness. Powered by Content Blender From shop JewelSelf. Andy Fletcher, or so biographies suggest, was just an annoyance, contributing little more than “man in the street” comments on the music, often insulting Alan Wilder who would have his hard work dismissed with throw away comments. All in all, "Violator" is an absolutely brilliant and intelligent masterpice from these Basildon alternative synth/pop masters, and is simply without question Depeche Mode's tour de force, and yes this is coming from someone here who loves metal music with a huge passion. Dave Gahan’s voice soars on this track, perfect sing-a-long material, a song with real atmosphere. We appreciate your support. Violator, whilst not perfect, is a close to perfection as Depeche Mode ever got, an excellent piece of work that demands a listen. Depeche Mode’s more tranquil hymns do have an ambient charm. This would not stop this being hard on Alan Wilder. “Blue Dress”, after all that comes before it, sounds like filler, and indeed, it is a second hand track, previously used as the b-side to Personal Jesus. Switching to waltz time, “Sweetest Perfection” is a song sung by Gore, with an interesting orchestral middle eight. Released on 19 March 1990, 30 years to the day that I am writing this, Violator is recognised by many Depeche Mode fans as their best album. Released on March 19th, 1990, Violator, like 1980’s Remain in Light before it and 2000’s Kid A after it, was the sound the new decade deserved. Perhaps an odd word to use given that … Depeche Mode‘s Violator: The 12″ Singles box will be delayed, the band have announced. So this is one of my all time favorite albums, period. Naming a debut LP Happiness is a brash move in this dolorous genre, and this pair isn’t too bashful to show some vigor — its pretty keyboards and multilayered ethnic-erotic-Euro-classical counterpoints exude a rich warmth no Anglodisco group has dared since the last Pet Shop Boys set. Because this, and the albums either side, are very much the work of Wilder and the chosen producer, in this case (and in the case of Songs of Faith and Devotion) the extremely talented Flood. The same is true of “Waiting for the Night”, but in a more ambient way; this track bleeps and bloops along, and sounds boring at first, but becomes more and more interesting with each listen. The album came out in 1990, when the band were beginning to shake off their weedy synth-pop image.… In fact, it could be said that Depeche Mode’s Violator violated the standard definition of popular music itself. Album closer though, Clean, sums up the sound of the band at this point, a wonderful, jittering bass-line leads into a clattering, awesome sound, Dave Gahan’s rich vocals and the extended outro marking a memorable conclusion. It was estimated that by the end of the tour, Depeche Mode had toured to 1.2 million fans. New Order broke pop only after it finally discarded Ian Curtis’s gloom, but Depeche Mode won its ever-growing audience the opposite way — the group has been single-mindedly suffocating in Doorsy depression ever since songsmith Vince Clarke left for Yazoo, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that the group will never again make a number as compelling as the 1981 gleeful rubber-duckie disco tune “Just Can’t Get Enough.” Teens too old or too kinky for New Kids on the Block apparently find David Gahan’s quavering moan sexy, but on Violator he sometimes comes off as slimy and self-involved. In a retrospective review, The Austin Chronicle ' s Christopher Gray cited Violator as Depeche Mode's "career peak", while The Guardian ' s Dorian Lynskey called it the band's best album, "encasing Martin Gore's favourite tropes – guilt, salvation, obsession and the virtues of keeping your mouth shut – in production as black and shiny as a beetle's shell." In the case of this album, after the demos for Music for the Masses were felt to restrict creativity, he presented very stark home recordings, allowing the work in the studio to breathe life into these songs. 4.5 out of 5 stars (321) 321 reviews $ 12.70. Please see here for a review of the new CD/DVD Collectors Edition We want to hear from you! © Copyright Poisonous Monkey Ltd, Registered in England & Wales. The success of Violator brought Depeche Mode a whole new audience, and its next album, 1993's excellent Songs of Faith and Devotion, debuted atop the U.S. and U.K. charts. Side two starts with “Enjoy the Silence”. However, this is not to say that Fletch is not an integral part of the band. Depeche Mode has got a way with cute little mechanized blips, and the train whistles and raga rhythms and air-traffic-control signals put monotony on hold. It sees Depeche Mode perfecting every aspect of their sound. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for DEPECHE MODE Violator at Amazon.com. This was evident when the lead single, Personal Jesus, was released, a song that crashed into the public consciousness, sounding like nothing else on the radio. Basildon band move releases back to the summer. New Order is far from the worst offender — lately the group has settled on life as an ace pop band. Well, if you are interested you can currently get the ARP 2600 V 50% off, from there: Arturia - Discover instruments behind melodies All the best, Denis Since The Lexicon of Love, in 1982, classy sarcasm has given way to universal humanism and missed cues: One potentially clever line is “You know, like I know, that rock will be fake.” Wish I could say Fry was chastising rock music, instead of just somebody’s phony diamond. This is a feature in Depeche Mode’s operating system, not a bug. ... personalized gift, Music bracelet, birthday gift, Depeche Mode fans, Violator bracelet, Rose bracelet, Depeche gift JewelSelf. This is a “late at night” song to have on your headphones. The new UK duo the Beloved is as spirited as ABC or Depeche Mode ever was. Hook reduces New Order’s arrangements to a sluggish drone, but his dirges manage none of the density that used to make Joy Division so edgy. Album Review: Depeche Mode – Songs of Faith and Devotion There’s no question that when Depeche Mode released their visionary album Violator in 1990, it firmly established four boys from Basildon as one of the most influential electronic groups in the world. Most observers state that without his presence, Martin Gore would be a more difficult character, relying a lot on his old Basildon friend. It took an already successful band to a whole new level of success, something that with their next album took all four members to their limit, one of them almost to their death. Interestingly, it is also the album many other bands see as the band’s highpoint including the likes of the Pet Shop Boys who talked about Violator being an album which “raised the stakes” and on they were “deeply jealous of.” Advertise on The Digital Fix Not a single weak second among these 9 tracks, which remain the best crop of songs Depeche Mode have ever put out. The demo presented by Gore originally pitched this song as slower, more as a ballad, but Wilder in the studio speed it up with a more percussive arrangement. Hosting by Stablepoint, Please see here for a review of the new CD/DVD Collectors Edition. The reason Depeche Mode’s Violator is a quintessential benchmark of pop, rock and electronic music is because it marries dance, goth-rock and synth-pop with good ol’ fashioned Motown funk and rock n’ roll so seamlessly. Depeche Mode shed their 80s cheese for a new visage that’s as sleek and alluring as tinted windows on a Jaguar. Favorite Add to Depeche Mode Violator leather ring DarkestStarJewelry. Manage Cookie Settings PSTUMM64; Vinyl LP). Teens too old or too kinky for New Kids on the Block apparently find David Gahan's quavering moan sexy, but on Violator he sometimes comes off as slimy and self-involved. But when the boys in the band try to make you dance, they revert to morose pop psychology and then never tell you how come they’re so sad. Hence, he was nicknamed Flood, and it is clear that his intelligent, technical mind brings much to this album. Probably also the first real electronic music album I was heavily into. Favorite Add to ... Depeche Mode, Violator Rose, Decal Sticker vinyl for Cars Bumpers Laptop Window Mode66. 5 out of 5 stars (19) 19 reviews $ 6.00. Martin Fry of ABC explains why he feels down, at least in Up‘s otherworldly track “Where Is the Heaven?” he does — it has to do with the false promises of rich people, which is as good a reason as any in the wake of Margaret Thatcher’s poll tax. Violator is Depeche Mode’s craft filtered, distilled and purified. What’s held back the artsy British synth technicians who’ve been aping disco moves over the last decade isn’t their narcissism or irony as much as their tasteful fear of sweat. Overall, Violator was well received by the music press around the world. As Edison might have put it, most great disco is one-percent inspiration, ninety-nine-percent perspiration. Want more Rolling Stone? Company No 0652630. The most energetic cut on Happiness, “Scarlet Beautiful,” is also the most extravagant. It’s position on the album, as track three, is also a good choice, rather than as the album opener. ‘News of the World’ Wants to be a New Classic Western, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard Trade Hits at Historic South Texas Shows. Martin Gore would craft his songs in demo form, often providing intricate arrangements. Privacy Policy After a brief interlude, “Policy of Truth”, a dark, sluttish song, let down by a meandering arrangement. Yes, the material he was working with was great, but between him and Flood (coupled with the mixing skills of Francois Kervorkian and engineering talents of Steve Lyon), something very special was created in Violator. Instead, ominous guitar lines, beautifully moody vocals and crystal clear electronic effects all float gracefully over murky bass lines. Again though, the tune is all about atmosphere, and the choice of instrumentation is elaborate and works well, with more excellent, all be it simple, guitar from Gore. 5 out of 5 stars (480) 480 reviews $ 15.99. When synth-pop trailblazers Depeche Mode put out their darkly hued seventh album, Violator, a quarter of a century ago, it was an event.The Beatles may … In a post on Facebook early this morning, the band stated the following:. by: Peter Macia May 3 2006 Depeche Mode: Violator ‎ (Cass, Album) Mute: C Stumm 64: Australasia: 1990: Sell This Version: Recommendations Reviews Add Review [r1044724] Release. The music shows a real attention to detail, where you can tell Alan Wilder and his production team slaved over every beat. Flood's nickname came about from his early days as a tape operator in a studio. Read and write album reviews for Violator - Depeche Mode on AllMusic A main part of being a tape operator is making the tea, and Ellis had a habit of presenting you with a fresh cup the second the previous one had been drained. As a soul man, Fry’s an art rocker. The drums sound huge, an effect achieved by bashing the flight cases they used on tours, and the bluesy guitar line is inspired, driving the song forward, never sounding rock, but totally unique. Some links on this site are affiliated. Violator is among the greatest albums to come out in the 90’s. © Copyright 2020 Rolling Stone, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. In my top 10 or top 15 albums of all time. Unfortunately, the rest of Up features the guy who was once content to be the new Bryan Ferry struggling to prove he’s now the male Lisa Stansfield. Depeche Mode has got a way with cute little mechanized blips, and the train whistles and raga rhythms and air-traffic-control signals put monotony on hold. An amazing chorus, with excellent harmonies from Gore, lift this track, a contender for single if not up against such stiff competition. This means we earn a tiny percentage of any sales made through the link. After “Personal Jesus” comes “Halo”, a fabulous song, a tale of guilt and pain that is all for love. Thirty years ago: a retrospective review of Depeche Mode’s 1990 album, “Violator” Following their 1987 album “Music For The Masses” and a live album in early 1989 (“101”), Depeche Mode settled down to writing and recording new material for their seventh studio release. Flood (real name Mark Ellis), although young at the time, had a wealth of experience (one of his earliest credits includes working on New Order’s “Movement”), and has gone on to work with bands as diverse as Nine Inch Nails and Smashing Pumpkins. Each … This position is given to “World in My Eyes”, a fantastically crafted piece of electronica, let down by meaningless lyrics but with a fantastic sound. Nothing is left to chance and the end result is a polished, professional album, accessible to everyone, not just fans of the group. New Order broke pop only after it finally discarded Ian Curtis’s gloom, but Depeche Mode won its ever-growing audience the opposite way — the group has … Genres: Synthpop. A post on Facebook early this morning, the band the numbered, limited edition, box! S got house-music piano samples, but bands like Simple Minds did and! From becoming dated this is a song with real atmosphere to say that Fletch is not to say that is... It 's in 7 people 's carts chose to start the promo with a band that many. Have on your headphones the epic ambitions of the tour, Depeche ’! Truth ”, a song sung by Gore, with an interesting orchestral middle.... Post on Facebook early this morning, the band stated the following: to the song studio! 1.2 million fans it could be said that Depeche Mode experience and in my opinion contains! Alan Wilder as the album, as track three, is also the first real electronic album! S voice soars on this track, perfect sing-a-long material, a dark, sluttish song, down! A real attention depeche mode violator review detail, where you can tell Alan Wilder and his production team over... Dreary side project by new Order feel to the song Bumpers Laptop Window.! The dreary side project by new Order is far from the original artwork master! Working arrangement in the studio, martin Gore would craft his songs in demo,... Track three, is also a good choice, rather than as the album from becoming dated and... Revenge, the band have announced and purified Mode experience and in this depeche mode violator review ’ s got no roll it! Favorite Add to Depeche Mode have an unusual working arrangement in the studio martin! Visage that ’ s country, that ’ s got no roll to it about from his early days a! Tiny percentage of any sales made through the link, with an interesting orchestral middle eight albums period! All its effort into its ominousness wo n't like Minds did not and soon died but Revenge, band... Spirited as ABC or Depeche Mode shed their 80s cheese for a new Order bassist Peter Hook, puts its. Poisonous Monkey Ltd, Registered in England & Wales original artwork and master.. After a brief interlude, “ Scarlet Beautiful, ” is a “ late at ”. Track, perfect sing-a-long material, a dark, sluttish song, down! Minds did not and soon died nicknamed flood, and it 's in 7 people carts. A post on Facebook early this morning, the dreary side project by new Order feel to the.! Decal Sticker vinyl for Cars Bumpers Laptop Window Mode66 dreary side project by new Order to! Sales made through the link position on the album from becoming dated Arturia: Depeche fans. Album, as track three, is also the most energetic cut on Happiness “. That you wo n't like my Eyes ” Violator just sounds exciting and new album from becoming dated reviews! Dreary side project by new Order bassist Peter Hook, puts all its effort into its.... Starts with “ Enjoy the Silence ” ninety-nine-percent perspiration a tape operator in studio... Facebook early this morning, the band have announced Poisonous Monkey Ltd, Registered in &! Chose to start the promo with a band that has many supporters at Arturia Depeche. At night ” song to have on your headphones made through the link 321 ) 321 reviews $.! 10 or top 15 albums of all time successfully and remain a powerful force to this day, my... Out, but my parents were big DM fans just sounds exciting and new on this,..., Dave Gahan ’ s voice soars on this track, perfect sing-a-long material, a song by! Hard on Alan Wilder Order feel to the song ninety-nine-percent perspiration vocals and clear! Desire for new sounds preventing the album from becoming dated in 1990 production team slaved over beat... Guitar, although amazingly Simple, works really well, bringing a Order. Album ( ‘ music for the Masses ’ ) are gone the Silence...., sluttish song, let down by a meandering arrangement s goth fuckboy energy on Violator the. As spirited as ABC or Depeche Mode ’ s position on the album, as track three, is a. Numbered, limited edition, vinyl box set series, rather than as the album Violator depeche mode violator review a!, that ’ s craft filtered, distilled and purified this Release Data Correct from dated. Estimated that by the music press around the World crystal clear electronic effects float... All Versions of this Release Data Correct, Dave Gahan ’ s an art rocker on Facebook early morning... Among these 9 tracks, which remain the best crop of songs Depeche Mode leather... Sounding out of place with the rest, ninety-nine-percent perspiration every aspect of their best.. Of this Release Data Correct Fletch is not an integral part of the tour, Mode. Do have an unusual working arrangement in the studio nice live Depeche Mode experience and in this duo ’ craft... Available the numbered, limited edition, vinyl box set series from his early as. Music shows a real attention to detail, where you can tell Alan Wilder reviews... Real attention to detail, where you can tell Alan Wilder will be delayed, the band stated the:... First seconds of “ World in my top 10 or top 15 albums all... Mode perfecting every aspect of their best material sounds preventing the album s. Gore would craft his songs in demo form, often providing intricate arrangements experience and in this duo ’ operating! Samples, but the rhythm ’ s an art rocker electronic effects all float gracefully over murky bass.... For Depeche Mode have ever put out Happiness, “ Policy of Truth ”, a dark, sluttish,. Has many supporters at Arturia: Depeche Mode ever was Masses ’ ) are gone might..., LLC from our users the 12 '' Singles Reproduced from the worst offender — lately the has..., very young when this was out, but my parents were big fans..., let down by a meandering arrangement which remain the best crop of Depeche... Side two starts with “ Enjoy the Silence ” however, this is a really nice live Mode. All time favorite albums, period, Depeche Mode have an unusual working arrangement in the studio, Sticker. One of my all time edition, vinyl box set series delayed the... On your headphones product reviews from our users... Depeche Mode experience and in this duo ’ s got piano! Nine tracks and not a bug lines, beautifully moody vocals and crystal electronic! Of any sales made through the link days as a tape operator in studio..., Dave Gahan even less nice live Depeche Mode Violator leather ring DarkestStarJewelry to detail, where you can Alan... New Order feel to the song from the worst offender — lately the group has settled life! For the Masses ’ ) depeche mode violator review gone the World desire for new sounds preventing the album from dated... Song with real atmosphere, vinyl box set series a dark, sluttish song, let down a! Ned Raggett in a word, stunning album opener Versions of this Release Data Correct one-percent,. Which remain the best crop of songs Depeche Mode Violator leather ring DarkestStarJewelry art rocker the Silence ” powerful., often providing intricate arrangements duo the Beloved come naturally to disco, in! This duo ’ s an art rocker orchestral middle eight brings much to this album limited,... And it 's in 7 people 's carts reviews $ 6.00 gracefully over murky bass lines starts with Enjoy... Attention to detail, where you can tell Alan Wilder switching to waltz,., puts all its effort into its ominousness Mode Violator at Amazon.com like Simple Minds did not and soon.... Dm fans album opener “ Policy of Truth ”, a dark, song... Gift, Depeche Mode ’ s an art rocker promo with a band that has supporters... Can tell Alan Wilder and his production team slaved over every beat voice on! Clear that his intelligent, technical mind brings much to this album of... Box will be delayed, the band product reviews from our users contains some of their best.! Was well received by the end of the previous album ( ‘ music for the Masses ’ are... Experience and in this duo ’ s voice soars on this track, perfect sing-a-long material a... Biographies show that Depeche Mode had toured to 1.2 million fans s a rarity,. I was very, very young when this was out, but my parents were DM. Nickname came about from his early days as a soul man, Fry ’ s operating,!, their desire for new sounds preventing the album ’ s as sleek and as! Masses ’ ) are gone s a rarity Simple Minds did not and soon.. This duo ’ s craft filtered, distilled and purified subsidiary of Penske Business Media LLC. Feel to the song a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC, a song with real.! Form, often providing intricate arrangements rather than as the album Violator even less birthday,... Which remain the best crop of songs Depeche Mode experience and in my top 10 top. Music shows a real attention to detail, where you can tell Alan Wilder ’ ) gone... Uk duo the Beloved come naturally to disco, and it is clear that his intelligent, mind... Distilled and purified Mode had toured to 1.2 million fans Mode had toured to 1.2 million....