Everyone is obviously aware by now of the Dave Gahan heroin/overdose/suicide attempts story of the last couple of years, so we'll leave it alone. What is relevant is the first album in five years from a three-piece Mode, and a return to a more traditional keyboard driven sound.
Ultra kicks off with first single "Barrel of a Gun," an abrasive, distorted affair that sounds like a reflection on Gahan's dark period, though Gore, as usual, would deny this. It's atypical of the rest of the album, as lead-in singles have tended to be for Depeche (vis: "Personal Jesus" from Violator, "I Feel You" from Songs of Faith and Devotion). The album as a whole is a surprisingly slow affair, with a sparse, unlayered sound that may partly be due to main musician Alan Wilder leaving the band.
There's some solid Depeche Mode to be found within the new album. The second single "It's No Good" is a classic single of the "Enjoy the Silence" school - lyrically weak as usual, but with superb vocals and the typical irresistable hook. "Useless" employs real guitar, drums and bass to achieve the least synthesized sound on the album. "Insight" is a Gore/Gahan duet of sorts, similar to Violator's "Waiting For The Night", with the added bonus of a superb chorus. Martin Gore takes two vocals, as usual, with "The Bottom Line" and "Home", both rather typical Gore affairs - "The Bottom Line" is similar in style and instrumentation to his solo Counterfeit E.
Stylistically, Ultra is closest to 1990's Violator, and the band themselves have suggested that it would be a more logical follow-up than the now apparently accepted unsuccessful deviation into bombast that was Songs of Faith and Devotion. One striking difference from previous outings is Gahan's voice. Apparently so wrecked by heroin and its associated abuses that he had to get a vocal coach, Gahan has discovered a more expressive style than the deadpan baritone of old, and more disciplined than the unpleasant wail frequently employed on Songs of Faith. The only song that remains from the original recording sessions during the height of Gahan's troubles is "Sister of Night", seemingly about drugs, and rather chilling given the circumstances under which it was recorded.
Nothing particularly ground-breaking then - a small step sideways, if you like. Depeche Mode are back to playing to their strengths, however, and this album finds them back on form for what may be their swansong, if recent interviews are anything to go by. Ultra has overtones of Violator, Music For The Masses, even the bleaker Black Celebration in places. Mode fans will rejoice - this is an excellent Depeche Mode album. Others will ignore - about par for the course.
