Memento Mori

Dave Gahan and Martin Gore of Depeche Mode have returned to the studio for the band's first 15th studio album, 'Memento Mori'. Here's our review.

The album is a triumphant return to the studio, undoubtedly boasting some of their finest work since 1993’s Songs of Faith and Devotion. Injecting the album with a crucial dose of variety is ‘Soul With Me’, which, as the title suggests, hears Gahan take on a more soulful style following its hauntingly ecclesiastical intro. Although Depeche Mode remain loyal to their gothic synth-era-hangover sound in Memento Mori, the textural variation throughout gives fans plenty of unchartered ground to cover.

Speaking to NME, Gahan said: “Fletch was going to outlive all of us” and that now that he's gone “it still doesn't feel real.” The band were unsure whether they ...

Following the troubled sessions of their last album ‘Spirit’ (2017), and the dynamic that’s seen Gore take on lead songwriting duties and Gahan to occasionally feel creatively stunted, there’s a renewed energy to collaborate and encourage here. To have an album of this quality after what the band have been through may seem miraculous, but Depeche Mode have always turned turmoil, tension and life’s darker moments into magic. They’re almost cloyingly obsessed with the topic, but Gore’s gorgeous delivery on ‘Soul With Me’, a ballad that shares the same aurora and chords as modern R&B, is phenomenal: “I’m ready for the final pages / Kiss goodbye to all my earthly cages / I’m climbing up the golden stairs”. ‘Memento Mori’ actually poses somewhat of a hurdle to overcome as Depeche Mode kick off their massive world tour this summer: when the songs are this strong, how many classics can they cut out to do these new ones justice? Alongside Gahan and Gore, he was a founding member and played a crucial role in tempering egos and kept the ship sailing. Similarly dramatic has been their creative timeline too: members like Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder departed at inopportune moments, and creative tension has occasionally simmered between Gahan and fellow co-founder [Martin Gore](/artists/martin-gore).

The pace stays slow, the mood gloomy: this is serious music for a serious band.

The pace stays slow, the mood gloomy, even on the catchier single Ghosts Again. More often the dominant synth sounds recall the earliest days of electronic Right from the floral tribute angel wings on the black and white cover to the opening song, My Cosmos is Mine, the mood is set.

4/5 Dave Gahan and Martin Gore's first album since the death of their bandmate Tony Fletcher offers a more nuanced side of their dark electronic sound.

'Memento Mori' is the 15th Depeche Mode album -- and the first from Dave Gahan and Martin Gore as a duo, following Andy Fletcher's death in May 2022.

July 9 – Berlin, DE – Olympiastadion July 7 – Berlin, DE – Olympiastadion Produced by James Ford, with additional production work by Marta Salogni, Memento Mori’s gestation took place during the early stages of the Covid pandemic, resulting in themes inspired directly by that period.

Here's Martin Gore doing a soft solo version of the new song “Soul With Me,” another song that the band had never played live: But people don ...

The group also brought back “Sister Of Night,” from 1997’s Ultra, which they hadn’t played live since 2009. 16 “Wrong” [My Cosmos Is Mine](https://www.stereogum.com/2216441/depeche-mode-my-cosmos-is-mine/music/)” live for the first time. Depeche Mode also made some big changes to the presentation of some of those older tracks. DM played a whole lot of classics last night, including all the ones you’d expect. [entire internally warring tribute-band scenes](https://www.stereogum.com/2217388/depeche-mode-tribute-bands/columns/sounding-board/), release their new album [Memento Mori](https://www.stereogum.com/2201667/depeche-mode-memento-mori-album-tour/news/).

Sacramento got the live debut of three 'Memento Mori' songs, a tribute to Andy Fletcher, and lots of hits.

December 17 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena December 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena December 8 – San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena Check out the setlist and more fan-shot videos and a few pics from Instagram -- including ones by band photographer Anton Corjbin -- below. The band also paid tribute to founding member Andy Fletcher, who [read our review](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/album-reviews-depeche-mode-debby-friday-the-reds-pinks-and-purples-heartworms-purling-hiss-noble-rot-connections/)) and last night they kicked off their [2023 World Tour](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/depeche-mode-add-fall-dates-to-2023-tour-msg-barclays-included/) at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center.

The Depeche Mode songwriter talks to Nick Krewen about the loss of Fletcher, hit song “Ghosts Again” and how it felt to turn 60.

“I think I’m open more to collaborating with people now,” he said. “Also, I did actually turn 60 during the pandemic and that was a big wake-up call to me as well.” We decided to carry on with the schedule that we had, because focusing on music was better than us sitting at home and focusing on the fact that Andy had died. We had to go and do a photo session without him for the first time. It’s getting a lot of universal respect.” “Andy was a larger than life character and very sociable and chatty. we had to go into the studio and make an album without him. I said, ‘OK, let’s do it’ and we ended up writing six. He’s been filming the movies that will be playing behind us on the stage while we’re on tour.” “So taking those things into account, 60 sounds pretty old.” “I don’t think the end result of the musical part of the album would have changed that much, but … He’s designed the stage set.

The synth-pop duo – comprising Dave Gahan and Martin Gore – delivered a 23-track set at the Golden 1 Center arena in Sacramento, California. To open the concert ...

The music world is richer for it.” [Dave Gahan](https://www.nme.com/artists/dave-gahan-and-soulsavers) and [Martin Gore](https://www.nme.com/artists/martin-gore) – delivered a 23-track set at the Golden 1 Center arena in Sacramento, California. See a selection of images and videos from the gig below. [Setlist.FM](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/depeche-mode/2023/golden-1-center-sacramento-ca-73bbd23d.html)): Black-and-white images of the musician – [Setlist.FM](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/depeche-mode/2023/golden-1-center-sacramento-ca-73bbd23d.html). [the duo will head out on a second leg of North American shows ](https://www.nme.com/news/music/depeche-mode-add-extra-north-american-leg-to-memento-mori-world-tour-2023-shows-buy-tickets-3399855)between late September and mid-December, 2023 ( [buy tickets here](https://www.ticketmaster.com/depeche-mode-tickets/artist/734907?irgwc=1&clickid=xdw1ZdWHVxyNU3VyfNU4iUJJUkA3tPymiX1Ozs0&camefrom=CFC_BUYAT_2862475&impradid=2862475&REFERRAL_ID=tmfeedbuyat2862475&wt.mc_id=aff_BUYAT_2862475&utm_source=2862475-NME%20Networks%20Media%20Limited&impradname=NME%20Networks%20Media%20Limited&utm_medium=affiliate&ircid=4272)). [Find any remaining tickets for the UK dates here](https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/depeche-mode-tickets/artist/734907?irgwc=1&utm_source=2862475-NME%20Networks%20Media%20Limited&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=2862475&awtrc=&clickId=xdw1ZdWHVxyNU3VyfNU4iUJJUkA3tPVHiX1Ozs0&camefrom=CFC_BUYAT_2862475&ircid=7559). [‘Ghosts Again’](https://www.nme.com/news/music/depeche-mode-ghosts-again-listen-new-album-memento-mori-tracklist-release-date-3395588). [who died last May aged 60](https://www.nme.com/news/music/depeche-modes-andy-fletcher-has-died-at-the-age-of-60-3234836) – appeared on the big screens. To open the concert, they performed [‘My Cosmos Is Mine’](https://www.nme.com/news/music/listen-to-new-depeche-mode-song-my-cosmos-is-mine-3410979) from their new album [‘Memento Mori’](https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/depeche-mode-memento-mori-review-3418286) for the first time. [Depeche Mode](https://www.nme.com/artists/depeche-mode) kicked off [their 2023 world tour](https://www.nme.com/news/music/depeche-mode-announce-new-album-memento-mori-world-tour-dates-2023-buy-tickets-3322103) in the US last night (March 23) – check out photos, fan-shot footage and the full setlist below.

Depeche Mode opened its massive tour in support of new album Memento Mori in Sacramento on Thursday night.

Oct. A second, longer North American leg picks up in September and runs through December, ending with four nights in Los Angeles. “Our friend, Andrew Fletcher,” Gahan said at the song’s conclusion. During the encore, Gahan and Gore teamed up to duet Nov.