It seems that Depeche Mode has begun to face the music. Recently, the band has started to advertise their 15th studio album, “Memento Mori,” for a  Mar. 17, 2023 release. This began with a countdown to their debut single, “Ghosts Again,” released on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023.

As the first song from the newest album by such an influential band, “Ghosts Again” carries the group’s trademarks. Dave Gahan’s vocals ring out like the ghost of electronica present. Martin Gore’s guitars come off as smoother and softer here, and the keyboards shape the whole song around a simple, yet emotionally driven, rhythm that elevates the piece.

Recently, the band suffered a tragic loss in longtime keyboardist Andy “Fletch” Fletcher. Fletcher was the only member from the original band lineup to remain until his passing in 2022. The death came shortly before the band announced they had returned to the studio. Work on the album has been going on since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. The lyrics of the song seemingly reflect this passing, being sung in a way that could be seen as a final goodbye to a lifelong friend.

The music video, released alongside the song, shows the remaining members of the band in two separate settings. In the beginning, we see Gahan and Gore play chess on a rooftop, an homage to the Swedish film “The Seventh Seal.” The second setting is a graveyard, wherein Gahan crawls around and Gore sits against a tombstone playing guitar as a ghost dances in the background. The video fits the song very well and paints a very interesting visual for people to see while listening to a standout song from this month.

Long cited as influential in the electronic music scene, Depeche Mode has famous songs like “People Are People,” “Enjoy The Silence,” and “Personal Jesus.” They’ve influenced numerous modern artists, including The Killers, Coldplay, Muse, Linkin Park, Rammstein, A-ha, and Teagan and Sara.

“Memento Mori” releases on Mar. 17 through Mute records and will be available on all streaming platforms and physical media. A tour in support of the album begins the week after release on Mar. 23 in Sacramento, California and continues until Aug. 11 in Oslo, Norway, before starting a second leg on Sept. 21 in Mexico, and finishes on Dec. 15 in Los Angeles.