Depeche Mode's "Memento Mori," the 15th studio album by the synth band turned rock 'n' roll titans, makes for a powerful epitaph for longtime bandmate Andy "Fletch" Fletcher. Last May, Fletch died at age 60 from an aortic aneurism, and his untimely death has left fellow musicians Dave Gahan and Martin L. Gore understandably reeling from his loss.
The recording sessions for "Memento Mori," which, in translation, connotes death's inevitability, had commenced back in late 2019, well before Fletch's death. As a band, Depeche Mode has long worn its fascinations with death, spirituality and sexuality on its collective sleeve. But even still, "Memento Mori" will undoubtedly take its place as the post-Fletch LP among the group's adherents. As Gore recently commented to Live Nation Entertainment, "We started work on this project early in the pandemic, and its themes were directly inspired by that time. After Fletch's passing, we decided to continue as we're sure this is what he would have wanted, and that has really given the project an extra level of meaning."
