An icon of modern rock phenomenon of the 80's then, the now threesome, comprising of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher are back to thrill us with more dark synthesizer riffs and the usual foreboding vocals that made Depeche Mode a house-hold name for “the greatest electronic act in the world ever” despite surviving a roller-coaster of unforgiving episodes.

Exciter, the band's latest studio album, however, lacks the “oomph”, unlike their previous shot for 1990's Violator (two thumbs up). Then again, with songs like the surreal “Dream On”, the sexy head-swirling “Shine”, the danceable “I Feel Loved”, and the lullaby-ish “Goodnight Lovers”, Exciter did not forget to inject us with the hearty goodness of Martin Gore's always-excellent songwriting and, let's not ignore the enormously sexy, haunting and yet, seemingly confident vocals of a matured Dave Gahan.