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I really thought Blake Judd would have ceased his Nachmystium act following the scandalous merchandise episode but giving up the passion for music is downright difficult. We accept Mr. Judd for who he is first & foremost; a rather imposing figure in (US) black metal. Blight Privilege contains materials which are rather doom / stoner induced but in a positive take, of course. Mr. Judd also revisited his psychedelic meddling on some instances but not as dedicated as Assassin (Part 1). Mid-tempo adventure for the most part, folks, be informed but a credible return to form.

Depeche Mode - I'm revisiting albums by my favourite bands which are less popular or well received by the laypeople. Delta Machine contains virtually no stalwart hits, I purchased this pre-owned copy just listen to the broader appeal from the trio.

Center Block

The new Gretsch Center Block model is actually a collaboration with Depeche Mode's Martin Gore. We know Mr. Gore isn't that flashy type of a player but he stayed true to the Gretsch cause since his early years with DM. So what what we see here is actually an acknowledgement by a guitar manufacturer on one of the greatest musician to tread the electronic pop genre - no frills feature, not even the Bigsby whammy bridge in there.

I grew up with DM music, these were all in the radio back then before guitar music took over my interest. I still listen to pop music to learn a thing or two about good melodies & song structure which are easily obscured by guitar driven songs. More importantly, I respect Gretsch for recognizing who Martin Gore really is, first & foremost - a Gtretsch guitar geek from the start.

After watching this clip, I'm in absolute concurrence with Mr. Gore when he said, "... I don't know where songs come from." There shouldn't be a definite source, that's for sure. Songs tend to happen more than being intentionally written. In the creative domain (which I am from, professionally), it's this this concept of flow; an immersive episode leading to creativity, among others (M. Csikszentmihalyi, 2010).

On a personal note, the Gretsch line of guitars, majority of them, are beyond my comfort handling. They are conceived to manifest an acoustic timbre & the body dimensions matter in this case. Unfortunately, I'm not naturally framed to enjoy these kind of guitars despite them being very appealing for specific applications.

Pic: Gretsch

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Depeche Mode: Memento Mori

I simply like this album. It has that lethal mix of pop & forboding atmosphere that would appeal to cult followers as opposed to casual listeners. There's a very strong Ultra vibe here which is why it clicked well with me. More importantly, the synth element did not experience any reduction since the passing of Andy Fletcher. Good release.

Enslaved: Heimdal

The Enslaved camp continues to defy black metal expectations & forge onwards into the prog realm. OK, it's not an entirely prog release, remnants of their roots could still be heard. There's a more focused composition here compared to the previous outing (utgard), putting it simply, it's not that boring. If you think Enslaved is going to revert to their formative years in terms of music-making, then be informed that this fine bunch have moved well on.

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Tulus: Cold Cuts Collection

This is a 2-disc compilation release. Disc 1 contain selected songs from the band's initial two releases, I actually have those albums & do not need this. Disc 2 has demos, pre-produced & cover songs; this is the disc that I was after when I bought this package. Tulus sounds more menacing in their unpolished version. I have a feeling some of these are also live renditions. Interestingly, there are two cover songs; one by Obituary & the other by David Bowie. I'm always a fan of how metal bands re-interpret non-metal songs & make it their own. It has to be tasteful, otherwise, it's just attracting attention.

Depeche Mode: Violator

1990 is that turn in the music timeline when grunge took over & everything musical was secondary, the image & anti-guitar attitude was everything. Being in a pop, non-guitar inclined setting meant Depeche Mode held their own & Violator proved to be one of their best post-80s effort. World in My Eyes, Policy of Truth, Personal Jesus & Enjoy the Silence are definitive DM songs that continue to inspire even today. This release has an immense relevance & staying power.

In memoriam: Covers

I'm still in Andy Fletcher mode so I'm doing this to re-live the memories by listening to others who are re-living those memories. I am sharing three Depeche Mode songs which are covered by other musicians & these are tasteful interpretations, firmly rooted in the genre embraced by the covering musicians. When I heard Jhonny Cash sing Nine Inch Nail's Hurt in the movie, Logan, this cover of Personal Jesus is another brilliant Cash cover which must be shared. Melancholy at its finest. 

This one preserves the genre authenticity - Behind the Wheel, by the Argentinian act, Voil Tage. Brilliant & impressive effort all round.

This is here because: 1) I am the Faceless fan 2) This is the genre I thrive on. It's darn difficult to manifest a Depeche Mode song in this genre but I must say this was done well, without losing the song's essence (Shake the Disease).

Thank you for taking time to check out my indulgences. We say goodbye to May in memory of many things, Andy Fletcher included.

Fletcher: 1961 - 2022

I grew up listening to Depeche Mode on the radio. The radio was my best friend because TV back then only started at 3pm. Radio was there for me early. Some of the best songs that went on air in the 80s was from Depeche Mode. In addition to their pop sensibilities, Depeche Mode has a tangent for protest, all this concocted in memorable melodies, a permanent imprint in my case - Strange Love is still playing at the back of my mind in times of loss. With the passing of Andy Fletcher announced today, it effectively meant that there is no synth expert in Depeche Mode. We don't see the remaining duo recruiting a replacement to see things through unless there is a contractual performance to be fulfilled. It is a great loss indeed, it's hitting me rather hard because Depeche Mode is still relevant to me till this day, I look forward to the band's releases but as it is, things might come to an end for them soon.