Condemnation

"Condemnation" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 13 September 1993 by Mute as the third single from the band eighth studio album, Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993). The song reached 9 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 3 in Sweden, and No. 1 in Portugal. Its music video was directed by Anton Corbijn. The B-sides to the "Condemnation" single are remixes of "Death's Door" and "Rush" plus some live tracks from the Devotional Tour. "Death's Door" is a song from the 1991 Until the End of the World soundtrack. The original version, recorded by Martin Gore and Alan Wilder after the World Violation Tour was over, was exclusive to that album until the 2020s MODE box compilation. Critical reception In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton described the song as "a haunting, beautiful ballad of the type they do so well". David Fricke from Melody Maker viewed it as "typical, a song that almost makes it, a sly Angelican gospel take on R.E.M.'s Al Green experiment "Everybody Hurts" that stumbles basically because Dave Gahan doesn't have the vocal authority to bring it home." On the magazine's single review, music critic Peter Paphides said, "And it's all very anguished, intense and protracted, with lots of gospel singing going on in the background and a bit of real piano, none of your fancy keyboards, and MTV will play it every 10 minutes until the end of the century." Alan Jones from Music Week gave it four out of five, writing, "One of the more atypical singles in Depeche Mode's career, this slow gospel-style song bears a lusty, full force vocal, but a reverential and reserved instrumental track. Subtle and stylish." Sam Wood from Philadelphia Inquirer noted that "Depeche Mode appropriates gospel harmonies and the rhythms of Southern slave chants for "Condemnation", a song that defies the judgment of some unnamed Philistine accuser". Tom Doyle from Smash Hits also gave the song four out of five, adding, "You always expect the strangest things to happen in the world of pop, but Depeche Mode going gospel?! The Bizarre thing is, it really works too. Dave Gahan is joined by a gospel choir and the result is quite the best thing since, well, the last Depeche Mode single. Life is weird."