Thoughts on Violator

• World In My Eyes Goodness gracious, talk about an iconic opening! The instrumental intro for this song really sets the tone for the whole album in my opinion, with that beautiful, energetic, and weirdly exotic sounding synth. The rushing sound before "That's all there is" feels like you're being forced up a mountain before looking down upon the world. Of course, going by the lyrics the "world" in this case is the body of your lover. Which honestly does sound pretty beautiful in and of itself! I imagine it personifying that hungry gaze as you look down upon them, nude and vulnerable beneath you, eyes completely and utterly fixated on their flawless form. I may have gotten a bit carried away there, especially so soon but hey! It's a horny, evocative song! Favorite line: that's all there is, nothing more than you can feel now, that's all there is
• Sweetest Perfection A longstanding favorite of mine, I think I said before that there's something about the romanticization of addiction in their music that has always appealed to me, and this song is probably the root of it! You can *feel* Martin's desperate yearning, and the mixed imagery of how beautiful and how horrible it is is just so striking and sincere. A fun story about this song, I was getting dropped off at a friend's house at night for a sleepover in middle school, or perhaps 9th grade. I remember talking with my mom about how the instrumental section sounded like something that hunting vampires would play, and I still think about that to this day. I'm not sure I 100% hear it as I did then, but vampiric is definitely a good quality to attribute to this song. The sheer messy noise of the song as it goes on fits it to an absolute T, it really feels like a the mental degradation accompanying a need going longer and longer un-sated. Favorite line: the sweetest perfection, an offer was made, an assorted collection, but I wouldn't trade
• Personal Jesus Arguably their most iconic song, to the point that even my uncle had it in his playlist. Such a wildly different evolution of their sound that feels so strange and yet makes so much sense. Very clearly develops into the sounds we'd see in Songs of Faith and Devotion (which is a lil' funny considering the name and themes of the song :P). A fun fact, the song is actually, if I'm remembering right, based upon the relationship between Elvis Presley and his wife who's name I forget. I want to say it started with a P (upon looking it up I was right, Priscilla). Anyways, it comes from Martin reading her book and finding her views on him a little warped and unhealthy as a base for a relationship, but also being fascinated by the combination of piety and sexuality she expressed in it (phenomenal themes that DM has often dabbled in I'd say) and writing this song as a result. I wouldn't say I love it as much as the world does, but I'd never be so foolish as to knock this great song out of contrarianism. It's a great song! Just not my *personal* (hehe) favorite, even on Violator. Iconic music video too! Love the panting scenes. Favorite line: feeling unknown and you're all alone, flesh and bone by the telephone, lift up the receiver I'll make you a believer
• Halo Like the upcoming Policy of Truth, this is a song I've grown less fond of over time for its themes. I have a virulent disdain for themes of betrayal and infidelity, and while I didn't clock them as a teen, I definitely pick up on them now. It definitely captures its theme well, I'm just biased against it. It still has an absolutely gorgeous performance from Dave matched by an even better beat, the swelling sound that accompanies "though we may deserve it" and occurs throughout rules. Favorite line: you wear guilt like shackles on your feet, like a halo in reverse
• Waiting for the Night What a delightful palate cleanser, my adoration of this song hasn't diminished a bit! I still remember falling asleep on the patio with this blaring out of the big old rear projection TV during the summer while the 360 did its little music visual thing, lovely memories. A beautifully ephemeral sounding song, and I love the vaguely sinister voices muttering "soon" after Dave sings "know my deliverance will come soon". It feels like a song about escaping the troubles of the day in a big warm comfy cloak of the night, not necessarily being rid of them but swaddling yourself up to the point that you can ignore them all for a bit. Martin's crooning echoes later on are also just SO beautiful and really enhance the trancelike feel of the song. Long ass outro (won't be the only one of those on Violator, haha) but that's all good because it's so darn pretty. Favorite line: and when I squinted the world seemed rose tinted, and angels appeared to descend
• Enjoy the Silence The only song I'd say could reasonably make a claim to their most iconic song versus Personal Jesus. Absolutely iconic beat that will errantly float into my head for the rest of time, it's just a very pretty sounding song. It definitely has a sort of desolate feel to it that matches the theme (AND the music video). Another fun fact, back when they added lending to Runescape I remember borrowing a yellow partyhat and trying to recreate scenes from this song to make an RSMV recreation of the music video. Never got around to it, but honestly I should totally get around to doing so in OSRS someday. Cheeky long ass outro after being told to "Enjoy the Silence". Said outro also contains Crucified which is a cute little hidden song (it was also the only time we ever got Fletch's vocals if I'm remembering right? Which is funny. RIP) Favorite line: all I ever wanted, all I ever needed is here, in my arms
• Policy of Truth Ironically, I was actually scared of this song as a little kid! The synths at the start reminded me of the X-files opening, which I distinctly remember hearing and being terrified of, hiding behind the couch while my Mom and one of my uncles watched it as a very small child. Back to the song, I'm sure it doesn't come as a surprise that I find the theme abhorrent after what I said about Halo. Even moreso here since it paints the consequences as being for honesty as opposed to the heavily implied infidelity. That said, it's still undeniably an absurdly iconic song with a great melody, and is one of like 6 Depeche Mode songs I've heard over the radio while out and about. Favorite line: it's just time to pay the price
• Blue Dress And just like with Halo leading into Waiting for the Night, Policy of Truth serendipitously leads into my favorite track on the album! A sweet, beautiful song about perversion and the power it holds that has always been dear to my heart, as something of a pervert myself. There's something just so simple and real about this song, and that's not even getting into the phenomenal *sound* of it beneath the saucy lyrics. Well, 'saucy' in terms of sheer perversion, the song itself really *is* just about asking for a particular pretty dress to be worn and remarking about how funny the impact that has on the singer is. Martin always sings some of the most emotionally stirring songs, and it's no surprise he's the singer for this one, I just don't think Dave's voice would have lent itself to the delicate freak energy needed here. Also, it has a gorgeous outro worth mentioning. Favorite line: Put it on, the one that I prefer, put it on, and stand before my eyes
• Clean A song that really feels like a taste of Ultra, 7 years early. The counterpart to Sweetest Perfection, Clean (which they definitely were not quite yet) really feels so hopeful despite its heavy, grandiose, and dark feel. Of course, as the ominous "sometimes" remarks and the "the cleanest I've been" lyrics make clear, this song is more about those first steps to fixing something you want to fix, not necessarily it *being* fixed. In a lot of ways, it feels like an evolution of To Have and To Hold. Favorite Line: I just know what I like with my own eyes
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