"I'll never be a saint / That's not a picture that your memory paints / Not renowned for my patience / I'm not renowned for my restraint / But you're always around / You can always be found / To pick me up when I'm on the ground" — from "The Sinner in Me"

When thinking of iconic, stadium-sized '80s music with a religious bent, U2 certainly comes to mind. But Depeche Mode? The English trio otherwise known as poster children of synth- and electro-pop, styles oft-associated with the club circuit, some Gothic spheres, and excessive eye makeup? Indeed.

Let's not shortchange their impact. Like other '80s new wavers, Depeche Mode was initially a happy-go-lucky dance-pop outfit emphasizing fashion more than substance. In time, the band grew progressively darker in image, sound, and poetry, ironically becoming more popular in the U.S. the bleaker they got. Since first surfacing over 25 years ago, DM went on to sell nearly 50 million records, embarked on a string of wildly successful mega tours, and scored over a dozen radio hits.

All along, a point of contention has always been the band's constant religious references. Whether in the form of sarcasm, supplication, or scathing commentary, vocalist David Gahan—who has kicked a drug addiction and survived a 1995 suicide attempt—and chief songwriter Martin Gore have often hinted at a spiritual search. Ever since 1984's glum single "Blasphemous Rumours," every album has had something to say about God, faith, human nature, or organized religion, with most songs remaining open to interpretation.

The band's greatest hit remains "Personal Jesus," the first single off the now-classic 1990 effort Violator. The song was a country twang-flavored synth-pop anthem, a fist-pumping smash that encouraged listeners to "reach out and touch faith." (The song would later be covered by Johnny Cash and Marilyn Manson, of all people). But that was only the beginning, as 1993 marked the advent of the mysteriously titled Songs of Faith and Devotion, an album replete with oblique odes about, for, and even against faith.

In an interview with MTV's John Norris, Gahan spoke of his "synergy" with Gore, and how he's something of a messenger of Gore's revelations. Gahan said that Gore "feels like he gets his songs … from God," Gahan said. "For some reason, he thought that he had to channel that work through me, and I was his voice kind of thing, which I thought was the most beautiful thing he had ever said to me. … It really stuck in my mind like maybe I really am supposed to deliver some kind of message, you know."

With the new Playing the Angel, the group's 11th album, Depeche Mode still has a message to share, albeit it in their own morose, sinister kind of way. The band is at a creative peak, recreating the sound that endeared them to millions in the early '90s, yet with a new degree of sophistication. But more impressive is the heightened religiosity in the band's lyrics, visible in nearly every song. First single "Precious" is dedicated to someone dear to Gore's heart who's facing a tough situation: "Angels with silver wings shouldn't know suffering / I wish I could take the pain for you / If God has a master plan that only He understands / I hope it's your eyes He's seeing through."

Elsewhere, Gore recalls the apostle Paul and his struggle with the natural self in "The Sinner in Me" (excerpted above), a brooding electronic masterpiece that seems paraphrased from Romans 7: "If I could just hide the sinner inside and keep him denied / How sweet life would be if I could be free from the sinner in me." But Gore doesn't simply pity his carnality, but seems to rely on a higher power whenever he falls from grace: "But you're always around / You can always be found / To pick me up when I'm on the ground."

Gahan only contributed three songs to the set, but he too expresses faith in something bigger than himself, at times with hesitation. In "I Want It All," he says, "I see a river / It's oceans that I want / You have to give me everything / But everything's not enough / It's my desire to give myself to you, sometimes." Discontent with all his blessings, he still demands more: "And I've crossed the line again / A line I drew in sand / And still you give me everything / But everything's not enough."

In "Suffer Well," Gahan encourages someone to hang on in the midst of trial, then proffering a personal testimony of how belief can result from hardships: "From the blackest room I was torn / You called my name, my love was born / So I believe."

With "John the Revelator," you might think Depeche Mode is simply offering an electronic cover of the traditional gospel song. But Gore simply kept some melodic elements of the original and rewrote it into what seems like an indictment of the beloved disciple, but perhaps written from the perspective of his enemies—the religious leaders of the day: "John the Revelator, he's a smooth operator / It's time we cut him down to size / …by claiming God as his holy right / He's stealing a God from the Israelites / Stealing a God from the Muslim too / There is only one God through and through."

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Make what you will of Depeche Mode's peculiar ruminations, but Playing the Angel still stands as a different stance on the topic of faith. It won't leave you with a new sense of spiritual fervor, but it will otherwise give you a glimpse into the hopes, fears, doubts and religious misgivings of one of the biggest pop bands that ever existed.

Unless specified clearly, we are not implying whether this artist is or is not a Christian. The views expressed are simply the author's. For a more complete description of our Glimpses of God articles, click here

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