Policy of Truth

When you dive into Policy of Truth, you encounter an atmosphere that invites you to pay attention to the details. The way they built the sound, seeking something that was neither purely rock nor purely electronic, is a key point. Imagine Martin Gore bringing quite simple demos, and from there, the production team, along with Flood, working to shape it. It was a process of experimentation: they looked for that main riff, trying more than a hundred variations, until they found the sliding guitar sound we hear. Even the initial melody uses a single-note loop to create a very particular vibrato effect. Martin Gore himself has said it's one of his favorite songs they recorded, highlighting the lyrics and the idea of having to lie to maintain appearances.

The recording of Violator, the album that Policy of Truth is part of, had several stages. They began in 1989 in a studio in Milan, Italy, where they created tracks like Personal Jesus. Then, they moved to Puk Recording Studios in Denmark to continue with the rest of the material. It was there that, after World in My Eyes, they dedicated themselves to Policy of Truth. This track, along with World in My Eyes, marked a change in how they approached the rest of the album's recordings. The single was officially released on May 7, 1990. Regarding its impact, it's interesting to note that it was Depeche Mode's only single to reach a higher position on the United States' Billboard Hot 100 (reaching number 15) than on the UK Singles Chart (where it reached number 16). Furthermore, it became their second track to reach the top spot on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. The music video accompanying the song was directed by Anton Corbijn.