DEPECHE MODE; "Playing the Angel" (Sire/Reprise/Mute)*** 1/2
Every day is Halloween for Depeche Mode.
The dark, electronic mixes; singer Dave Gahan's menacing, vampirish delivery; the mixing of sacred icons and profane lyrics — they have all helped create a fan following that could, on the surface, rival cultlike devotion.
Gahan, Andy Fletcher and Martin Gore have been through the ups and downs of life and music. And what they have created with this new album, "Playing the Angel," is a sometimes cynical album filled with trademark Depeche Mode gothic soundscapes.
The opening track, "A Pain That I'm Used To," flares into existence with grinding guitar chords before leveling out into an electronic jam. The catchy "Suffer Well" and the brooding slam of "John the Revelator" clear the path for the industrial clank of "The Sinner in Me."
The opening chords to the lead single, "Precious," bring to mind the vintage DM lullaby "Enjoy the Silence," as the spacey "Macro" makes for a great headphone trip.
The drawling hedonistic anthem "I Want It All" and the experimental "Damaged People" help comfort the disenfranchised who call the band their idols.
Wrapping up the album is "The Darkest Star," an encompassing work that sums up the album's concept — a sinner playing an angel, trying to make restitution. The music is not as abrasive as Nine Inch Nails, but the lyrical content is quite dark and atmospheric.
If you go . . .
What: Depeche Mode
Where: E Center
When: Saturday, 8 p.m.
How much: $25-$46
Phone: 467-8499 or 800-888-8499
Web: www.smithstix.com
E-mail: scott@desnews.com