Long before Depeche Mode enjoyed popular success with their Violator album in the late 1980's, they were creating solid, breakthrough music in the gothic/techno alternative music genre. Especially well known for their trance-like rhythms, haunting melodies, and darker themes, they were instrumental (pun intended) in bringing the natural sounds of human heartbeats and breathing into the multi-layered rhythms of their songs. They have a unique sound that's all their own, and have never really deviated from that.
This recent addition to their musical collection is solid, although I find some of the songs fairly frenetic, less melodic than their previous music - it feels grating at times. I'm glad to see they're having more commercial success, but after a 4 year hiatus from recording or touring, I was expecting something a little more polished and put together. Still, there are enough great songs here to justify a purchase, or just download your fav tracks from iTunes and skip the rest.
