Füneral Rain Press Cörps

Genres: Electronic Rock, Synthpop
Labels: Mute, Reprise

2001 saw the release of Exciter and although it’s not their best selling album, or even their best sounding album, it is still such an amazing disc.
Production-wise, it’s a good show of what Depeche Mode are – a rock band that happens to have a penchant for electronic sounds and instruments. This album was apparently inspired, sound-wise, by minimal German techno. So while making you want to rock, it’s making you want to move too.
It has what I think is my favorite Depeche Mode song on it, “The Dead of Night”, and the club hit “I Feel Loved” as well as the great “Dream On”.
I’d say Exciter is a 7.5 out of 10. It’s really good, and an essential album for Depeche Mode fans.

Genres: Alternative, Synthrock, Rock
Labels: Mute, Reprise

1997 was a great year for music. Hiphop was getting unprescendented airplay, rock and metal were seeing strong sales, and even country was at a high point.
1997 was a great year for Depeche Mode as well. They released Ultra, an album that is no less than a masterpiece, possibly their best one at the time, and it could still well be the best they’ve done.
Classic tracks are all over this disc, and not just the four singles (“Barrel of a Gun”, “It’s No Good”, “Home”, “Useless”). “Sister of Night” and “The Bottom Line” are phenominal, as is “The Love Thieves”.
Super dancy, rock as fuck, and darker than a black hole, Ultra is in my own personal Music Hall of Fame.
10 out of 10.