Violator

Depeche Mode | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 22, 1990)
• Original Release Date: March 20, 1990
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sire / Reprise
• ASIN: B000002LK1
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (295 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,591 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #24 in Music > Alternative Rock > New Wave & Post-Punk > Post-Punk
  • #32 in Music > Alternative Rock > Hardcore & Punk > General AAS

Track Listings

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

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

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

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

111 of 119 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A pinnacle in brilliance and acceptance for DM July 2, 2000

By J. Derek Reardon

Format:Audio CD

When Violator hit the US, I was already a die-hard Depeche Mode fan, owning every album they had put out. However, with Violator, I gained an even deeper appreciation for their writing skills, both lyrically and orchestrally. Violator is an amazing piece of euro-alt-dance-pop that has a huge dance floor appeal while at the same time makes one think and feel. Hugely successful, Violator was one of those releases that crossed over from long-time fans to a new generation and audience.

The release starts in classic DM synth dance mode with the funky and "trip"-worthy "World in My Eyes." Released as a single, this sensual piece filled dance floors across the country. The remix single is especially appealing with not only great remixes of this song, but also two other non-album tracks, "Happiest Girl" and "Sea of Sin." [The remix cassette contains the bonus Dub In My Eyes Mix!] Turning darker and slower, "Sweetest Perfection" has a depth and dangerous beauty in its lyrics and orchestration that pull you deeper within yourself as you let the music flow over you. "Personal Jesus" is a the floor stomping first single released off Violator that was a smash hit on and off the dance floor with its country twang flare, driving drum beat hooks, and anthemic lyrics like "reach out and touch faith." The remix single for this one is especially awesome and features the phenomenal non-album track "Dangerous," one of the best b-sides DM ever released. "Halo" is an amazing song and is probably my favorite on the release. With bass, synth, and orchestral hooks that blow my mind, this masterpiece builds into an emotional catharsis that is released by its audience dancing and singing along wildly by the end. This, I believe, was released as a single only in the UK (it's a very hard to find release) - this easily could have been the fifth smash hit from Violator. Returning to ballad mode, "Waiting for the Night to Fall" is soft, ethereal, and again hauntingly beautiful. You just want to curl up in the dark and enjoy the beauty of solitude with this one. Get ready to hit the dance floor again; "Enjoy the Silence" was the second single and was an absolute smash with its awesome beat, orchestration, and yell along chorus. The remix single had 6 mixes and included the awesome instrumental non-album tracks, "Sibeling" and "Memphisto." [The cassette remix contains the bonus The Quad: Final Mix!] I especially loved the video which was predominantly deep blue (I love blue videos) and features Dave Gahan wandering through the English countryside as (I believe) King Richard. "Policy of Truth" was another single, though it didn't quite see the success of the others. The remix single contains the bonus "Kaleid" (a very funky techno instrumental). With an interesting guitar and ambient intro, the song soon moves into a groovy guitar and synth driven twanger that is quite sultry and seductive - definite dirty dancin' kinda music. Still sultry but much slower and more subdued, "Blue Dress" is a beautifully crafted piece of depth and emotion that sounds almost obsessive and compulsive. This somewhat short release comes to a close with "Clean" which continues the slower theme. However, it is much darker and hazy feeling, and it has a sultry pulsating rhythm throughout that pulls you closer inside yourself.

For me, Violator is the best DM album, and one of the best alterno-euro-techno albums ever released. It gets a strong 5 star rating and falls within my top 20 releases of all time. Not only is the album amazing in its danceability and its depth of emotion, but the additional pieces that went with marketing this piece (the remix singles and videos) were equally impressive. The remix singles were especially awesome, featuring not only killer remixes, but also a plethora of unreleased material that could have filled another album!

I recommend this album highly to any DM fan, late 80s/early 90s club music fan, or anyone who simply loves good synth beat music that can make you both dance and feel. Don't let the fact that the releae only has 9 songs bother you - there isn't a single song on this release that is less than perfect. Oh, and a bonus recommendation: if you couldn't tell, get all the remix singles you can from this one - they're worth having!

Some would perhaps argue that Violator was the point at which Depeche Mode sold out. It was a huge commercial success, spawning 4 hit singles (5 if you count the rare "Halo") that filled dance floors and concert venues all over the world. However, I call it justice and recognition due. Violator is a crowning achievement for Depeche Mode's brilliant lyrical and orchestral composition talents. Accessible to all with brilliant pieces of poetry, addictive dance beats and techno hooks, and beautifully crafted videos, Violator achieved a bonding between old die-hard fans and fans new to the group, a rare feat to accomplish in the complicated world of (at least then) "alternative" music.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Get the import - it's worth five stars August 23, 2006

By Stuart Southerland

Format:Audio CD

I don't really mind having to conduct research before deciding which version of a CD to purchase, but I suspect that I am in the minority. So I'll pass on what I learned after doing some reading and settling on the SACD UK import version of this release:

1. First, be aware that there are two versions of this release - both have a CD and a DVD, but only the UK import has a SACD 5.1 surround sound layer on the CD.
2. The DVD has a short film about the band at the time of the release of Violator. It also has the album in 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS surround. There is no DVD audio on either the US or the UK version. There are a few additional music tracks on the DVD.
3. I went for the UK import because the high resolution (SACD) will always sound best. I cannot say whether it is a noticeable difference from the DTS or Dolby Digital, as the DVD will not play on my Pioneer DVD player. It is, you see, in PAL and not NTSC format. I was, however, able to view the film on my computer, and play the extra music tracks which are also on the DVD. There are no music videos. In my opinion, the additional music was OK, but probably only of real interest to the die hard fan.

The sound on the SACD is simply stunning. If enough people had actually heard the difference between SACD and CD the way that this issue sounds different from the original CD (which sounds pretty good) I believe that the format would have done better. The sound is the reason for shelling out the big bucks for this reissue. From what I have heard in the DTS format in the past, I am sure that the US DTS or even Dolby Digital will sound excellent, if you have the proper equipment. If you have a SACD player, I would recommend the SACD version, because it is the best. Even if you cannot play the DVD on your television, you can probably watch it on your computer. And it's only worth about a single viewing. Believe me, you will listen to the SACD many times.

If you do not have the proper 5.1 surround equipment (SACD, Dolby Digital or DTS), give this a miss. It is too expensive, and you will not notice enough of a difference listening to the stereo CD layer.

It is a shame that the recording industry continues to sabotage the SACD/DVD Audio formats. It's confusing, and it need not be as bad as it is. There was no good reason not to have the hybrid SACD layer on the US version. It is begining to look as though the SACD format will become a European favorite, and DVD-Audio, such as it is, will be the "hi resolution" format of choice in the US, at least for pop music. The absence of either high resolution format on the US version of this reissue forces me to recommend the UK import, even if it does cost more.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the rare albums that got the recognition it deserved! March 20, 2003

By Distant Voyageur

Format:Audio CD

Depeche Mode built a huge underground cult fan base with their unique dark undertone style of synth-pop with their masterpiece "Black Celebration" and "Music For The Masses". "Violator", their 1990 commercial breakthrough though brought the foursome into the mainstream spotlight for the first time in their career. Spanning three hit singles, and a successful worldwide tour, "Violator" became their biggest selling album of their entire career and remains that to this very day. This CD IMO was one of the few great albums that got the praise, success, and recognition that it deserved and is now a classic today.

For a CD that is so popular on the radio and the buying public, "Violator" is a surprisingly bleak, dark, and chilling in mood, and even the smash hits like "Enjoy The Silence" and "Policy Of Truth" are hardly happy, and sunny in mood like almost all other popular songs on the radio. I still hear these songs on the radio from time to time to this very day. Reasons why? They are classics, and deserve to be heard by younger Mode fans. Still though, despite these three songs being what many casual fans seem to recognize "Violator", this album as a whole offers more than just those three songs alone. Some of the songs have some hidden interludes buried within them.

A couple of the `non-hit' songs are the best on the album. "Blue Dress" is one of those and so is "Clean". The latter song is one of the most punching numbers on this CD and one of the best songs that Depeche Mode had ever made at this point in their career. It may be about coming clean from drug problems, maybe I'm wrong on that but the truth was, their lead singer David Gahan would go into a downward spiral with heroin addiction and nearly overdosing before cleaning himself up but that's a whole other story.

Who can ever forget the gloomy classic "World In My Eyes" with it's dark, beautiful, and gloomy melody, and danceable rhythm backed up by great lyrics. DM are showing their world from their eyes. It was this song that introduced me to the Mode and I listened to more of their music and have been a fan ever since but I credit this song for turning me into a fan of them. "Enjoy The Silence" remains their biggest charting single of their career and definitely deserves so as it's an intelligent, and innovative dance song with disturbing keyboards and unforgettable atmosphere. There are five fabulous remixes of this song available on the Maxi CD-Single with two B-Sides "Sibeling" and "Memphisto" both of which are nice songs in the vein on "Pimpf". Get the CD-Single and listen to the "Ecstatic Dub" and Hands and Feet Mix: AWESOME! There's also an interlude track on the parent album version called "Crucified" which is a bizarre instrumental with menacing acoustic guitars and some angry voice effects.

The same thing holds true with "Policy Of Truth". This song is the best song on "Violator" with it's dark, low-key beats and odd chord structures. The electric wailing guitars towards the ending are hypnotizing and intense. There are four remixes of this track, all of which are great, and there is a B-Side called "Kalied" which is a funky, techno dance number. The "Beat Box" remix is excellent merely being an extended version of the original stretched to 7 minutes long and the "Trancentral" remix too with different drum sound effects and different style, it's great to hear this amazing song from a totally different light.

The other highlight of this album single wise, is the unforgettable "Personal Jesus" with its industrial pounding beats and also of it's use of twangy blues guitars. The original on this album is much better than the one on the 86-98 singles collection because it quiets down into an abstract song with some awesome metal drums where as the one on the collection I mentioned simply ends with strange guitars after only 3 minutes and 40 some odd seconds. Both versions are excellent but the "Violator" version is much superior.

The `non-hit' songs on this album are just as engaging and as great as the hit singles. "Sweetest Perfection" is an odd and ominous song with somewhat light marching military drums with intense electronic guitar wailings and keyboards. This song kind of is like a pre-cursor to "I Feel You" with its rock-oriented sound. "Halo" is a good dance song but not as much as the others. "Waiting For The Night" starts off as a dark but sweet wintery nighttime trancey song and then gradually builds up into a somewhat ominous electronic number with no particular beat but some great melody and odd chord structures. "Blue Dress" is an intoxicating and somewhat eerie dance number with addictive rhythm, electrifying style, and dark Siberian winter atmosphere. There's also an interlude at the ending before merging with the final track "Clean". This song may have been about redemption or recovery it was actually an antithesis to the downward spiral with heroin that Gahan would go into before recovering. Musically speaking, "Clean" is an absolutely intoxicating number with thundering rhythm, and dark grey sky atmosphere that simply pulls you in before it wraps up the album.

Some point to "Violator" as the album where Depeche Mode sold out to the masses. They say so because DM scored 4 top ten singles, sold millions, and had a HUGE successful tour. To the detractors, I say garbage. This album was one of the few albums in the history of music that was intelligent, innovative, dark, and moody, with addictive danceable rhythms, dark melodies, and brilliant songwriting, and got the commercial success that it got. I consider this album as the best example of brilliant and intelligent albums getting the justice and recognition that they deserve and "Violator" is a crowning achievement in their career even if it's not my absolute favorite album of theirs.