32 years after their debut album, Depeche Mode have released yet another fantastic collection of brand new songs. My admiration of this band, and what they have achieved, only seems to grow as the years stretch onward. On Delta Machine, they've written a collection of songs that they say are akin to their 1993 album Songs Of Faith And Devotion. While that is true in some areas of the production, this album could have actually been called Songs Of Damnation And Redemption for many of its lyrical elements. No other band makes soundscapes or blends analog and electronic elements quite like Depeche Mode. There have been many imitators over the years... all of them easy to identify. The truth is that no other artist (or group) will come close to reaching the breadth of their sound palette or the depth of feeling that they can conjure. It's amazing to note that they're not only one of the few acts that rose to fame in the early 80s that are still thoroughly engaged in the pop music game, they're one such act that still enjoys commercial success and sellout tours at large venues across the globe.
And while we're at it, they can kick ANY other band's ass in terms of live performance... Just sayin'.
