Product Description

Depeche Mode's American career took the British synthpop band from hipster curios to cult artists to teenage heroes to,with this 1990 album, genuine alternative-rock superstardom. (Unfortunately, after grunge, they slid over this career crest into The Valley of the No Longer Relevant.)
The album contains three massive MTV hits, the unusually guitar-oriented "Personal Jesus", the more typical "Enjoy the Silence", and "Policy of Truth". Martin Gore's songs explore his usual themes of sex ("Blue Dress"), redemption ("Clean") and desperation ("Waiting for the Night"), but the arrangements are more detailed and lush than on the band's Spartan early albums, a new style that suits Dave Gahan's deepening voice well. VIOLATOR's commercial success may have brought turmoil to Depeche Mode's career and lives, but it remains the finestof the band's late-period albums.

Track Listing

1. World In My Eyes
2. Sweetest Perfection
3. Personal Jesus
4. Halo
5. Waiting For The Night
6. Enjoy The Silence
7. Policy Of Truth
8. Blue Dress
9. Clean

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8180 in Music
• Released on: 1993-12-31
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Violator is Depeche Mode's most mainstream, chart-climbing album. Although it contains only nine tracks, half of them are tailor-made for the dance floor. This album was conceived when dance-club DJs were gaining recognition alongside original composers. Heavily influenced by techno-pop, the singles "Policy of Truth", "Enjoy the Silence" and "World in My Eyes" prove that DM did their homework. A particular highlight on this fantastic album is the bluesy guitar line Martin Gore lays down on top of the synth-dominated grooves on "Personal Jesus". -- Beth Bessmer

Customer Reviews

(STILL) THE BASILDON BOYS FINEST HOUR
The fact that Depeche Mode can still fill Arena's in the UK, America and across much of mainland Europe is largely down to Violator and it's follow up long player Songs Of Faith And Devotion. Whilst many of their peers from the early 80's rely on nostalgia and novelty - OMD, Duran Duran - Depeche Mode continue to release new commercially and critically successful material.
Violator was the album that saw the band completely make the transformation from synth poppers to something altogether more interesting. They mixed treated guitars with live drums, synths with distorted vocals and lyrics concerning themsleves with death, religion, alienation and emotional pain. That the thundering 'Personal Jesus' has now become a rock staple says it all.
The singles on Violator were peerless - 'Enjoy The Silence' is possibly Martin Gore's finest song, 'World In My Eyes' catchy as hell and the aforementioned 'Personal Jesus' gifted Basildon's finest the American rock crowd. Even the minor hit 'Policy Of Truth' reveals itself as a sparkling pop song dressed in goth clothing and treated horns.
As with all classic albums though there is so much more to Violator than just the singles - 'Clean' is Dave Gahan's finest vocal perfomance on a Mode release and both 'Waiting For The Night and 'Blue Dress' are rich with atmosphere and full of melodic invention.
The songs on Violator are a world away from the likes of 'Just Can't Get Enough' and 'See You' - Depeche Mode were clever enough to grow and evolve throughout the 80's and 90's - which explains why they are still one of the most successful indie bands (Mute) of all time.
Violator is the one original Depeche Mode album you need to own. It hasn't dated in 18 years.

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Musical Heaven
This album just gets better and better!!!! I bought it the week it was released IN 1990 and I would take it on a desert island above all other. I was listening to World in My Eyes in the car today and it actually makes my spine shiver especially when the chords and strings kick in at 3.05 seconds - check it out it will bring about a state of inner euphoria that cannot be matched - moving and beautiful, this is sweet sweet music i LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!!

The best Mode album
As a fan of DM over 2 decades, collecting all their releases on CD and vinyl, re-mixes, etc. in my view this is the best of their albums. All the songs gell together so well and as a whole it is complete (the 12"/remixes of Policy of Truth, etc. are worthwhile tracking down). I bought this remastered version based on the first review above, as I have top-range HiFi and wanted to hear this album at its best. I can concur with that reviewer that this version is superb and a vast improvement. Unlike some remasters, nothing has been taken away and the sound is so much more detailed and brighter, bringing out the fantastic vocals of Gore and Gahan a treat. Buy it; you're missing out on a "classic"!