Hall of Fame synth-pop band Depeche Mode excited their fans with the release of their new single “Ghosts Again” from their upcoming album Memento Mori today.
This comes almost a year after Andy Fletcher, one of the three remaining original members of the band, passed away.
Who is Depeche Mode?
For GenZs and millennials who need to be made aware of who this band is, Depeche Mode is one of the legends of rock ‘n roll. They were among the most popular English new wave bands in the 80s. Their hit single “People Are People” became the anthem of the LGBT community.
Their other popular songs were “Just Can’t Get Enough,” “Strange Love”, and “Somebody.”
The band was initially composed of four members. After almost two decades of fame, there were only three: lead singer Dave Gahan, guitarist Martin Gore, and keyboardist Andy Fletcher.
Then Fletcher died last year, leaving the band members to only two.
Ode to Fletcher
“Wasted feelings
“Broken meanings
“Time is fleeting
“See what it brings
“Helloes, goodbyes
“A thousand midnights
“Lost in sleepless lullabies.”
The lyrics were a melancholic expression of grief for losing their founding bandmate, Fletcher.
And it was a thought-provoking reminder of their mortality. Both Gahan and Gore are in their 60s.
“Heaven’s dreaming
“Thoughtless thoughts, my friends
“We know we’ll be ghosts again.”
The lyrics were a tribute to Fletcher, one of their founding bandmates.
“Sunday’s shining
“Silver linings
“Weightless hours
“All my flowers
“A place to hide
“The tears that you cried
“Everybody says goodbye.”
The single will form part of the album “Memento Mori,” a Latin phrase which means “Remember that you must die.”
Depeche B&W MTV-style
The new Ghost Again video appears to have been taken out of their greatest hits vault. It had the trademark Depeche sound long-time fans were accustomed to.
Dave Gahan, on the band’s website, said the song “captures the perfect balance of melancholy and joy,”.
With legendary avant-garde director Anton Corbijn again at the helm, it isn’t surprising that the video is still captured in his trademark black and white color grade.
You could line them up with the music videos of the songs from the 1987 album Music for the Masses, and it will be in the right place.
In the video, you could see how they’ve embraced their advancing age. Wrinkles and all for everyone to see, but they still look regal and mysterious as they did in the 80s 90s.
Naturally, there is some symbolism of death and renewal—themes and deep insights that are common in DM’s music.
Overall the song is a triumph, and a renewal of the vintage Depeche Mode sound parents of GenZs grew up enjoying.
Fans are just happy that after all the struggles the band had to endure, here they are with their 15th studio album and a new song.
If only they had the opportunity to perform live when they were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020 when Fletcher was still alive, this would have been a more joyous occasion.
Depeche Mode will kick off their Memento Mori world tour on March 23 in Sacramento, California.
Watch their music video here:
