British electronic music pioneers Depeche Mode announced a new album and world tour on Tuesday, their first since the death of founding member Andrew Fletcher earlier this year.
At a press event broadcast live from Berlin, singer Dave Gahan and guitarist/keyboardist Martin Gore said they were still working on “Memento Mori”, their 15th studio album since the band originally formed in Basildon, east of Berlin. England, in 1980.
The title, which means “Remember you’re going to die” in Latin, was chosen before Fletcher, the band’s keyboardist, died in May.
“We’re pretty far along in the recording process. We’ve got all the tracks done, more or less for the album, without them being mixed,” Twitter said.
“All the songs and even the album title were decided before Andy passed away. (The title) sounds very morbid, but I think it can also be seen in a very positive way in terms of living each day to the fullest. That’s how we like to play it too.”
Most of the songs were written during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their themes were inspired by that period, Gore said in a statement on the band’s website.
“After Fletch’s passing, we decided to continue as we are sure this is what he would have wanted, and that has given the project more meaning,” he said.
Fletcher died after suffering an aortic dissection. He was 60 years old. Gore and Gahan returned to the studio in July.
“Many times we joked around or things came up and of course we missed Fletch,” Gahan said in Berlin.
The band will kick off a world tour to support the spring album release in March.
“That process is still going on, what are we going to do onstage, how are we going to do it, what visuals are we going to use,” Gahan said, when asked what stage tributes the band was planning for Fletcher.
“He’ll be there in spirit anyway, I’m sure, judging us.”
Depeche Mode, known for songs like “Personal Jesus” and “Enjoy the Silence”, released their first album “Speak & Spell” in 1981, establishing themselves at the center of the British new wave scene.
They released their latest studio album “Spirit” in 2017.
