Artist: Forced To Mode & EklipseTitle: One Caress
Genre: New Wave
Release Date: 1st December 2025
Label: Last Recording
Album Review
While there’s no need to present FORCED TO MODE, THE best DEPECHE MODE (DM) tribute band in the world, EKLIPSE is new to me. EKLIPSE is a female string quartet. They toured with band like NIGHTWISH, KAMELOT, THE MISSION, or UNHEILIG and released some EPs since 2019. FORCED TO MODE (F2M) and EKLIPSE toured together back in 2024 for the electro-acoustic-strings “One Caress Tour” and now offer their beautiful arrangements on this album.
F2M is no stranger to acoustic versions of DM. Their “Acoustic Lounge” concert and recent ‘Acoustic Collection’ compilation were praised internationally. And once again, the result is absolutely stunning. Christian Schottstädt’s vocals are perfect. Of course, the Gahan’s touch is here… but in the 86-93 era’s sounding. No Gothic Rock here. Pure emotion and even daring doing his own vocal lines, escaping the DM routes. Matthias Kahra on his side brings some great guitars part while Thomas Schernikau excels in is keyboards and vocals on Martin’s songs.
The choice of the songs is also to be praised. While songs like ‘Freelove’ or ‘One Caress’ are kind of obvious choices for this exercise, things really get interesting when they pick other numbers. Gahan’s solo songs ‘Endless’ and most of all, ‘Saw Something’ supersede the originals. Over highlights include terrific versions of ‘Rush’ and ‘Photographic’, merging perfectly orchestral arrangement and electrotonic, whereas ‘Little Soul’, a song that I really didn’t like before, gave me goosebumps and really moved me. Not to forget the beautiful version of ‘But Not Tonight’ that ends the album. It emphasizes the absolute perfection of Martin’s songwriting while it was “just a B-Side”.
To conclude, F2M proves, once more, that they are not just another DEPECHE MODE tribute band. They bring their artistic vision on a gigantic repertoire, and most of all, as sad as it is to say, offers what DEPECHE MODE doesn’t: great live setlist (B-Sides, rare album tracks) and audacious arrangements while re-inventing themselves constantly. This album is everything long time DM fans were dreaming DEPECHE would do one day. I would really have loved seeing that performed live.
Well done!
Tracklist
01. Monument
02. Should Be Higher
03. Freelove
04. Endless
05. Saw Something
06. One Caress
07. Rush
08. When The Body Speaks
09. Little Soul
10. Somebody
11. Photographic
12. But Not Tonight
Line-up
Forced to Mode
Christian Schottstädt - Vocals
Thomas Schernikau - Keyboard
Matthias Kahra - Guitar
Eklipse
Felicitas Fischbein - Violin
Maline Zickow - Violin
Ida Luzie Philipp - Viola
Linda Laukamp - Cello
Website
https://forcedtomode.de / https://eklipse-music.com
Cove Picture
Rating
Music: 10
Sound: 10
Total: 10 / 10
