Only 3 quality tracks, and the mastering is HARSH. Louder and harsher doesn't mean edgier!

The first half of this CD works for me but after track 5 I just lose interest. Not great, but not bad either. My one pet peeve with this record is that my favorite track, the sinner in me, is based totally on a Crystal Method sample.....oh well maybe I'm just getting old and expected something a little closer to Violator....

Overrated! "Precious" is there best track in a long time, but, past that, not much else on here to enjoy. I wish they would either hook back up w Alan or call it quits. DM are no longer relevent to anything or anyone, save themselves and their bank account.

I'm really dissapointed. sounds like adults trying to tell what it's like being a teenager, they've simply lost it.

What are you people talking about? This CD is so weak. I was and I emphasize was the biggest Mode fan around up to the early 90's. After Violator, they should've called it quits. This new album is terrible. It is boring and shows no energy or originality. Come on people, it doesn't even compare to their previous work. Its only saving grace is "Precious." Everything else shows no indication of the talent and vocal power of Gahan. What happened to my favorite band? I hate to say this, but call it quits boys. I am truly a huge Mode fan and can't take the disappointment any longer.… Expand

I have been a Depeche Mode fan since Some Great Reward (1984) and own every DM album. Being with the majority, I feel Violator is their strongest album. I am in the minority here when I say Playing The Angel is their absolute worst album. I believe what set DM apart from their contemporaries (and this spans 3 decades) was their ability to write catchy, mood-driven songs with much emotion. This was intertwined with beautiful synth driven sounds...but not only that, DM were experimental in the process and you could not mistake their sound for any other band. Playing the Angel sounds a lot like other bands...mainly Nine Ince Nails. Playing the Angel is definitely not Violator...any comparison to Violator is made for marketing purposes to sell PTA. PTA neither sounds like Violator or has the strong melodies and amazing sounds and production inherent in Violator or any of the other Depeche Mode albums. This is the most monotone DM album. Even Ultra and Exciter have songs that are worth noting. Nothing stands out on this album. Precious is the best song on this album and even then it is lacking in melodic content. The band lists a slew of analog synths they used on this album...namely a rack of ARP 2600s, Minimoog, EMS VCS-3, Voyetra 8, Korg MS-20, Korg 900PS, Roland Juno 106 and a Yamaha CS-5. For synth fans, if you're expecting rounded, warm analog sounds you will be severely disappointed. I would venture to say most of the sounds on PTA came from Native Instruments Reaktor and the NI suite of DSP synths. The back to analog synths statement is all marketing hype to sell this album. So to sum up this review...Playing the Angel contains no strong melodies, just uninteresting feedback-laden synth lines that sound digital rather than analog, monotone basslines and vocals (the songs stay on one minor chord for the duration of the song), no peaks and valleys in the production...everything is in your face, uninspired lyrics from Martin and Dave, and an overall boring album. I'll be kind and give PTA a two rating for the DM effort..only because I once loved Depeche Mode. Perhaps fans of Nine Inch Nails will love and adore this album. True, longtime Depeche Mode fans who crave the sound of DM with Alan Wilder or even Vince Clarke will be disappointed. Heck, Playing the Angel doesn't even compare to Ultra and Exciter.… Expand

A HUGE, HUGE step forward since their TRULLY ROCKER debut.