Ultra is Depeche Mode's ninth studio album, released April 14, 1997 on Mute Records — and one of the most significant entries in the band's catalog. It marked their first record without Alan Wilder, who departed in 1995, forcing the remaining trio of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, and Andy Fletcher to reinvent their process under enormous public scrutiny.
The result was a career-defining statement. Ultra moves fluidly across musical territory: the icy synth-pop of "It's No Good," the industrial aggression of "Barrel of a Gun," the raw guitar tension of "Useless," and the devastating quiet of "Home." Produced by Tim Simenon, the album layers orchestral strings against electronic architecture in a way that still sounds singular nearly three decades later. Lyrically, Gore operates at peak form — writing about grief, longing, and fragile hope with the kind of emotional precision that turned Depeche Mode into one of the most influential acts in modern music.
Ultra debuted at No. 1 in the UK and across much of Europe. It remains a touchstone for collectors drawn to the era when electronic music absorbed rock's emotional weight without losing its edge.
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Limited to 3 individually numbered copies.
