Depeche Mode are back in the studio!
It’s finally happening! Work has begun! The new Depeche Mode album is now under way! Yes, you’re reading this, and it’s real! Yay!
Last night sources close to the band informed us that studio work has begun. The band and their production team met up in California late last week and began the first set of studio sessions on Monday, May 5th.
Sessions are tentatively scheduled to wrap up in late Autumn, leaving time for mixing and mastering in time for a March ’09 release.
Touring is still being penned – expect to hear more on this nearer the completion of the album.
Till then, rejoice!
156 Comments
08 May 08 at 10:22pm
1
At last.Great news. Come back to Poland in next year! We're waiting 4 u.
09 May 08 at 7:29am
2
Ni se les ocurra volver a argentina, la verdad no valen la pena. no vayan para alla, son pura escoria y basura
09 May 08 at 7:56am
3
yeah....this is really good news. Hope its gonna be a cool record. And Happy Birthday to Dave!!!
09 May 08 at 11:30am
4
Great News!!! but quite expected due to their regular schedule. Hope than Depeche can finally come back to south America! Argentina, Brasil, Chile,... yes, but also Peru !!! yeah!! depeche rules!!!!
09 May 08 at 11:37am
5
Fantastic news...Can't wait for it! Hey Rush: White Pages, under P, "psychiatric help" (just kiddin man!!) :)
09 May 08 at 2:39pm
6
I hope they will come back to Argentina *-*
09 May 08 at 2:46pm
7
Thank you, Depeche ! You're absolutely the best ! Come to Budapest again and your concert will be the first sold out worldwide the week (day ?) after tickets sale starts ! We love your music, thanks for the many joyful moments and for giving us more and more !
09 May 08 at 2:56pm
8
Hey DM CANNOT WAIT DAMN IT! I'm sure this album is the best becouse we have genius Martin
09 May 08 at 3:04pm
9
Hey corregg-gional!!! Can't uuueitt forrrDIeM-MMMME! Ai jast cangetttinaffff!!! The mmy pppreferitt-t.
09 May 08 at 4:24pm
10
Best band & best music, heared them since Speak & Spell, and can't stop being a DMholic. ;)
09 May 08 at 6:13pm
11
As exciting as this is, I think Depeche would herald a new beginning in their colorful career were they to produce a new album with FLOOD, and by recruiting Alan Wilder once more.... THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING!!!
09 May 08 at 6:49pm
12
Hey Lettera 22 how are you? It was a pleasure to meet you in Milan last week :)
09 May 08 at 7:14pm
13
I have been a huge depeche mode fan since the early 80s. Album after album built upon each other up to SOFAD. Alan left due to whatever. Depeche rebounded and put out an album called ULTRA. The album was good, but it was missing its atmosphere that alan put in it. Then then released exciter, and that album was a huge mess. It as as if a 4 year old was banging on a keyboard somewhere. With all of the hype surrounding Playing the Angel I had my hopes set. I was hoping they could somehow fill the musical gap Alan put into the albums. However, it wasn't so. The producer seemed to chalk the album full of static and noise to give the album a full feeling. I can't stand Playing the Angel on my Ears. It kills them. I really hope this new Album will not be chalked full of noise. I hope it will have catchy and groovy beats. I hope someway somehow it will build upon what sofad was. The last two albums have been like bubble gum pop music for me.
09 May 08 at 7:40pm
14
Well I agree when people say that "the mode are big becouse they've survided this and that" But I also think that the "mode factory" has been manipulating with Dave's problems and those manipulations have created a kind of "myth" towards the band and all... I also agree that Mode is a very influential group but have in mind that they have not created something new, but did combine all aspects of music's history in a specific way and that was depeche mode...! This is what I am rebelling against, they have lost this piece of thought whcih made them special untill 1995, and the whole atmosphere, sure Ultra was a good album, but it was mainly becouse Tim Simenon worked his ass of on it, and did it thjrough a fans persepctive, as about the succes of the few last tours, well for Gods sake, they are around for 20 odd years and even they area realising "crap albums" they sell good becouse of the element of their previous albums, I know loads of people whom dont remember a song from their last two albums...thats says a lot. Sure they'll continue and even put theri new album online for free and go on tour and make a billion...but all is business, not art, not music, an enetertainment park of illusions. Again, ENOUGH!
09 May 08 at 8:05pm
15
Wow, complaining already.
09 May 08 at 9:41pm
16
Great news:P I hope they visit Poland... we are waiting:))) DM na zawsze
09 May 08 at 10:27pm
17
GREAT! I's easy to forget how beautiful EXCITER is!
09 May 08 at 11:37pm
18
I hope the horrible heavy and flat sound of PTA will never be used again: inaudible!
10 May 08 at 12:58am
19
Please,go to south america!!happy birthday Dave!!
10 May 08 at 8:08am
20
And please, please Rotterdam again!!! T.i.a.!!
10 May 08 at 9:05am
21
All of which, Rush, proves absolutely nothing about Depeche Mode and everything about your attitutde to the band post Alan Wilder, a point which you and your fellow travellers never tire of boring us with. The overwhelming majority of us accepted it a long time ago and are relishing the prospect of a new album. Quite why you felt the need to piss on our collective joy here is your own personal misfortune. Give it a rest, eh?
10 May 08 at 11:02am
22
To be honest , since alan is away from DM, they've lost the creative/artistic edge of making music, but still they're very good in it, allthough they are making more and more use of reloops of their own invented sounds of earlier days, that should be different now this time, as allways for the last years, it could be their last official album to release so make the best of it, the rest of the world is counting in numbers and high profits be aware of the people who really can see !greetz from Holland
10 May 08 at 11:06am
23
The countdown begins!!! :-)Roll on next March!!! Hope it's as good as PTA, the best album since Violator in my opinion. Please play Nottingham Arena on the tour!!
10 May 08 at 11:44am
24
the bottom line with depeche mode is martin gores song writing/daves voice. alan wilder was very important but as a massive mode fan that buys any thing to do with the mode alans music just does not have the melody of what depeche mode produces.And talk of the buisness side of things is completely of no intrest to me i just enjoy the music and live events.There are so many elements that make depeche mode special ive seen countless other bands live and no one no matter how much massive production they give it gets any where near to that depeche live feeling.And to say people dont remember ther last singles is because radio does not touch them anymore which makes it hard to attract new fans,I feel the lack of air play is completely unfair considering the total crap most radio stations play this affected dave solo project which deserved to be heard.Everyone is entitled to there own opinion but i feel on the home site which celebrates the mode there is no room for negative comments. There will never be another band that compares to depeche mode!
10 May 08 at 12:06pm
25
right to proper fan, here's no better then DM, but to remind, DM was one of the most earning bands to ownership rights in the music industry without an contract to major recordcompanies except for their label Mute , they've made records in the past that would just be turned down if they actually were at that time with EMI, and for Alan , he's the king of struggle because he's just not satisfied with good, he wants the best in too little, you can hate him for that but he's willing to try, there are people who just take the easiest way, but life is more than that and DM is beyond that point at this time, it's not the boyish friendclub of lang ago, it's an institution of giving & taking,expactations and considrations, not the free ride society club, take the trip blind and see where we getting it, like for Daniel Miller he's was their guider at that point but they all think for themselves now, too much ego too little humble,
10 May 08 at 12:07pm
26
To a proper fan thanks for your statement you have just put in words exactly what I feel. There never has or will be anything that compares to DM. The closest thing I have ever come to a religious experience is seeing them in concert and now hearing them in 5.1 surround sound (just got my system)and lying on the floor in the middle of the room. Everyone has there own views and opinions. If you haven't like them since Alan left or what ever then fine, remember them how you want to, don't spoil it for the rest of us that are actually happy they are still here and making really good music And people who complain that "I know loads of people whom don't remember a song from their last two albums" because these are probably the same people who download the album for free and don't give a shit about them. I hope they do continue, I hope they make billions, good on them they have worked fucking hard for it. If i get more DM albums then I'm a happy man. So go back to your pop idols and you timberland and leave the rest of us to enjoy something that we appreciate it.
10 May 08 at 2:00pm
27
I am a huge fan,and therefore I criticize, I can be brutal too, since I've spend more money on depeche mode records and concerts than I've spend on my girlfriends (and you know what I mean). But, as a fan, don't we all want them do the best!? Don't we all strive for a mode album that sounds, looks and shouts a cosmos away from the "timberland" world... But, I just do not see this happening, and them having Ben Hillier back at the production site it just feeds the fears and doubts. I do not advocate for Alan, but without him I dont see the big sound coming back, the atmosphere, take a look at "wating for the night to come" or "in your room" and you'll know what I mean, on the other hand, take a glimpse of the elast few records... Now, one can say, well they are depeche mode, they never repeat themselves, well yeah, being depeche mode is something special, and this is surely a burden for the band, but it seems they've decided to go with a different flow, blast the bass, add few dodgy samples and make the album "sound like something" by givin it to Simon Heyworth (one of the worlds best mastering engneer), a million dolars investment in studio, programmers, enegneers-does not work-but a 5000 euro mastering session does the job, i mean thats a very "pop" situation, not a mode one... And for those whom are saying that the business side of things are not important, well in art-this case music it is, becouse the reason they are making this type of albums with these specific producers, is the "market" my friends, not us, the fans! Very sorry to be writing this, but if you think about it, and infomr yourselves about th industry at the moment then you'll know... Go wonder!?!
10 May 08 at 2:10pm
28
Oh children, please stop crying for Alan..I like Depeche since 1987 and I´m sure that last record (PTA) was great and Touring The Angel was one of the best DM tours ever. Alan was important part of Depeche but he is past.
10 May 08 at 4:51pm
29
Err... I think we have a troll. Could a moderator please boot him? Thank you. PS: DM is marketting commercial music? Oh pls. Try listening Macro or the Darkest Star from PTA. Cant imagine tht being played on MTV... Plyaing the Angel is one of my favourite albums. I cant imagine a better album for DM without copying Violator of SOFAD
10 May 08 at 6:14pm
30
TRUTH HURTS! I can't wait to hear your coments after the album is being released. And one more thing, I aint a product, so all those bitching that DM is still a great band, and some of us, over here, truthfully carying about the band, and their current situation, are being delated. Well we were, once, a free society...
10 May 08 at 6:18pm
31
To Mr.or Mrs.Ghandi :-) You said it my friend, DM is not in the side of things where they would be able to out do or at lest do a good/great album as violator nor songs of faith and devotion...
10 May 08 at 6:19pm
32
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!
10 May 08 at 9:02pm
33
Everyone's talking Depeche Mode pre & post Alan Wilder (1995)...What about pre-1995 and post 1995 Alan Wilder? IMO after Bloodline and SOFAD Alan lost it...And that's the fuckin' truth. Sorry. I really like Recoil pre-1995 he he. Hydrology rules cos it has no blues.
10 May 08 at 9:04pm
34
great news, fan from 1985, have well over 3000 cds/records/tapes but last two albums leave me feeling empty i think alan was and still is a big loss, buy fair game for them keep going. Would i like an other exicter of PTA yes as its another depeche mode record but will it be enough for me as a fan no!
10 May 08 at 9:23pm
35
Your concerts can not wait for POLAND , you have asking concerts devoted fans here. We wait for champions.
10 May 08 at 10:30pm
36
there unique record deal sittuation i feel helped the mode form into what they are now one of the worlds super bands(well the biggest and greatest cult band anyway!!!!).I still feel that if you have the talent to write music and music that a very large group of people across the world want to listen to,your motivation in writing is not the money but constantly trying to better your self and keep producing music that the fans enjoy. the money in the music buisness is of course fantastic if you are succesfull but that just goes hand in hand with the job.Again i repeat my self by saying im not intrested in how much money my favourite band generates,Its all about putting my headphones on and escaping into there musical brilliance.That feeling when your at a mode concert and the lights go out and the intro music starts is just so incredibly exiting and when mr gahan comes on stage it just blows my mind ,saw them at o2(completely amazing),but the wembley gig that year was really one of the single best days of my life,stage/lighting/coice of songs all completely perfect the band were on ultimate form!. The question of ego is intresting because in iterviews i have always found band members humble/some times funny/lack of rock star arragance which i feel adds to there apeal.When you see bono or micheal stipe interviewed they always come across as complete twats who think they can change the world , you get none of that with the mode.ITS ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC,ITS ALL ABOUT THE LIVE PERFORMANCE. I LOVE YOU DEPECHE MODE MY WORLD WOULD BE LACKING WITHOUT YOU.ABSOLUTELY CANT WAIT FOR NEXT ALBUM/TOUR .please keep up good work home(best mode site no question!!!!!!!!!
11 May 08 at 12:43am
37
Por Favor PLease, dEpeche mode come to CHILE Again, this is an incredible country, vias to development. HERE WE ARE MANY PEOPLE, THOUSANDS!! We SEE you NEXT TIME AGAIN GUYS; DEPECHE MODE Never let me down Again in the coming tours...!!!! Exoctic Tour in Santiago V. 2009 it´s my dream come true, if will not come true, i will travel to england to see them. a concert of depeche mode in chile = 40.000 fans, i am sure of this.
11 May 08 at 12:59am
38
Gimme BNT live for the upcoming (?) tour and I‘ll die happily after! Just kidding... ;) Great news, right!
11 May 08 at 9:47am
39
come to home to uk missed out last time because some scum bag robbed my ticket pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
11 May 08 at 9:50am
40
i am sure the new album will be another fantastic piece of work good luck lads cant wait
11 May 08 at 1:25pm
41
ULTRA was the beast -please make ULTRA part-2.
11 May 08 at 3:15pm
42
Bulgaria love Depeche Mode! You are the greatest band ever!
11 May 08 at 7:42pm
43
Good news! I'm so happy :D Come to SWEDEN, DM! We love you over here!
12 May 08 at 9:08am
44
'This is what I am rebelling against, they have lost this piece of thought whcih made them special untill 1995' Yeah, they were that special they recorded tracks like I Feel You, Condemnation and Get Right With Me. Brilliant!
12 May 08 at 9:11am
45
'But, as a fan, don’t we all want them do the best!? Don’t we all strive for a mode album that sounds, looks and shouts a cosmos away from the “timberland” world… ' Of course we want them to give us the best music, although an improvement on PTA is an improvemnet imo, but hey, I don't think DM are desperate enough to go the timbaland route just yet, are they? All I can say is, roll on the tour.
12 May 08 at 4:31pm
46
"Waiting for the Night to COME" you say Rush and then talk about how, since you paid so much for the band, you are entitled to be really harsh? You don't get it if you think PTA was commercial. But whatever: I don't care so much about what you say. Nobody would if you weren't a mod.
22 May 08 at 12:44am
47
Great info your music is coooooool Depeche make new album and go on TOUR 09 we are SEEEEEEEEE YYYoooUUU in Macedonia I HOPE :-)
22 May 08 at 6:39pm
48
It' a great new's, i'm wait you and my friends in Belgium in 2009. I'm waiting patiently ;-)
22 May 08 at 10:26pm
49
ref comment 74. "the buisness side of things has no intrest to me".This is a personal point of view. Of course im aware of how the record companys work, And talk of the mastering of p.t.a to make it a "pop" album is absolute cobblers,Precious was quite a commercial sounding single yes but 99% of the album wasnt. Again this brings back the issue of airplay, Precious got some air play on radio 2,But i didnt here any other singles released played at all.A pain that im used to is perhaps a little to extreme for some stations(BRILLIANT SONG THAT IT IS).With the power that radio 1 hold it would be nice if xfm could get behind the mode a bit more and promote there material when released as there radio 1s nearest rival.I completely dissagree when people say exiter was a bad album, It definetly took them in a different direction and does sound a bit more minnimal in the production side of things but still another great piece of work to add to there history.And ultra was an absolute masterpiece any "fans" who slag that album off must be deaf,Thers some real forgotten gems like insight and all the singles were amazing.When it comes to the choice of songs they play live next time they tour i think it would be agreat idea to let the fans vote online ,and then pick the most popular. I would love to here barrel of a gun/shout/here is the house and i feel a medley could really work for them as well.
23 May 08 at 3:00am
50
I´m DM fan since 1988!!. PLEASE!, COME TO ARGENTINA!!!