{{Infobox Album |
| Name = Violator
| Type = Album
| Artist = Depeche Mode
| Cover = DMviolator.jpg
| Released = March 19, 1990
| Recorded = May 1989 – January 1990
| Genre = Synthpop
Alternative Rock
| Length = 47:02
| Label = Mute Records(UK), Sire(US)
| Producer = Depeche Mode, Flood
| Reviews =
  • All Music Guide link

  • Pitchfork Media (7.9/10) link

  • Q *Robert Christgau (C-) link

  • | Last album = ''101''
    (1989)
    | This album = ''Violator''
    (1990)
    | Next album = ''Songs of Faith and Devotion''
    (1993)
    }}

    ''Violator'' is Depeche Mode's seventh full-length album. It was released by Mute Records on March 19 1990. The album is notable for propelling the band into stardom with the hits "Personal Jesus", which was actually released six months before ''Violator'', and "Enjoy the Silence". This album is seen by many fans as the third in the band's triptych of top albums. It is also seen as a watershed album in terms of both production and song quality by fans, critics and the band itself.

    It was supported by the ''World Violation Tour''.

    2006 re-release

    As part of Mute's 2006 reissue schedule, ''Violator'' was re-released as a Hybrid SACD/CD + DVD package on 3 April, 2006 which included and 5.1 surround mixes of all ''Violator'' album tracks. The six B-sides to the ''Violator'' singles — "Dangerous", "Memphisto", "Sibeling", "Kaleid", "Happiest Girl", and "Sea Of Sin" — also appear, albeit without the surround sound treatment. The reissue didn't reach the US till the 6th of June, 2006. The US version lacked the hybrid SACD/CD and instead just had a CD, but the DVD was included, and was identical to the European DVD.

    A 32-minute short film entitled ''Depeche Mode 1989-90 (If You Wanna Use Guitars, Use Guitars)'' and featured interviews with the band (including Alan), Daniel Miller, Flood, François Kevorkian (who mixed the album), Anton Corbijn (who directed the music videos and did the album's photography/cover), and others. It also includes news footage from the infamous "riot" in Los Angeles which gave the band media publicity the day before ''Violator'' came out. The band were scheduled to do autographs in an LA music store, and the line reached into the 10,000's. The event had to be cancelled shortly after it began due to problems keeping the line in order. Unfortunately, the documentary lacked footage from the ''World Violation Tour'', but did have information about it. For example, interviews regarding the soldout Dodger Stadium shows. There is also footage from ''Strange Too'', notably clips from the music videos for "Halo" and "Clean".

    A caption at the end of the film reveals ''Violator'' has sold 7.5 million copies worldwide. Today, "Violator" sold more than 8.2 million.

    The remastered album was released on "deluxe" vinyl 2 March 2007 in Germany and 5 March 2007 internationally.


    Violator was placed on #17 on the Billboard Year End chart in 1990

    Track listing
    1990 release: Mute / Stumm 64
    ''All songs written by Martin Gore''
    # "World in My Eyes" – 4:26
    # "Sweetest Perfection" – 4:43
    # "Personal Jesus" – 4:56
    # "Halo" – 4:30
    # "Waiting for the Night" – 6:07
    # "Enjoy the Silence" – 6:12
    # "Policy of Truth" – 4:55
    # "Blue Dress" – 5:41
    # "Clean" – 5:28

  • ''It has been said that the original title for "Waiting For The Night" was "Waiting For The Night To Fall" and that the printing for the ''Violator'' cover accidentally erased the rest of the title. Alan Wilder claims it is not true.http://www.recoil.co.uk/forum/qa/dmviol.htm However, the band's official web site claims it is.''


  • 2006 re-release
    Mute: DM CD 7 (CD/SACD + DVD) / CDX STUMM 64 (CD/SACD)
  • Disc 1 is a hybrid SACD/CD with a multi-channel SACD layer.

  • Disc 2 is a DVD which includes ''Violator'' in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM Stereo kHz/24bit plus bonus tracks


  • # "World in My Eyes" – 4:26
    # "Sweetest Perfection" – 4:43
    # "Personal Jesus" – 4:56
    # "Halo" – 4:30
    # "Waiting for the Night" – 6:07
    # "Enjoy the Silence" – 6:12
    # "Policy of Truth" – 4:55
    # "Blue Dress" – 5:41
    # "Clean" – 5:28

    Bonus Tracks (in PCM Stereo kHz/16bit ):
    # "Dangerous" – 4:22
    # "Memphisto" – 4:03
    # "Sibeling" – 3:18
    # "Kaleid" – 4:18
    # "Happiest Girl Mix " – 4:58
    # "Sea Of Sin Mix " – 4:46

    Additional Material:
    # "Depeche Mode 89-91 (If You Wanna Use Guitars, Use Guitars)" video

    Unlisted songs
    :"Crucified" (Short track at the end of "Enjoy the Silence". During the song you can hear the distorted voice of Andy Fletcher utter the word "CRUCIFIED". Also known as Interlude 2)
    :"Interlude 3" (Short instrumental at the end of "Blue Dress"). Unlike "Mission Impossible" (from ''Music for the Masses'') and "Crucified", it does not have a nickname other than "Interlude 3")

  • Dave Gahan sings lead vocals on all songs except "Sweetest Perfection" and "Blue Dress", which Martin sings. However, Gore's background vocals can be heard throughout the entire album. The interludes are instrumental.


  • Singles
    # "Personal Jesus" (29 August, 1989)
    # "Enjoy the Silence" (05 February, 1990)
    # "Policy of Truth" (07 May, 1990)
    # "World in My Eyes" (17 September, 1990)

    Personnel
  • Andrew Fletcher - keyboards, distorted vocal on "Interlude 2"

  • David Gahan - vocals (except "Sweetest Perfection" and "Blue Dress")

  • Martin Gore - keyboards, guitar, backup vocals, lead vocals ("Sweetest Perfection" and "Blue Dress")

  • Alan Wilder - programming, keyboards, drums on "Clean"


  • Mark Ellis “Flood” - Production.

  • François Kevorkian - mixed, except track 6.

  • ''Enjoy the Silence'' mixed by Daniel Miller and Flood.

  • Pino Pischetola, Peter Iversen, Steve Lyon, Goh Hotoda, Alan Gregorie, Dennis Mitchell, Phil Legg - Engineering.

  • Daryl Bamonte, Dick Meaney, David Browne, Mark Flannery - assistance.


  • External links
  • Official Remaster Info


  • Category:Depeche Mode albums
    Category:1990 albums
    Category:Mute Records albums

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