Artist - Depeche Mode
    Album - Playing The Angel
   Source - Vinyl
Released  - October 2005
   Ripped - January 2007

And here it is. This is what all you Depeche Mode fans out there have been waiting for ever since (that stupid bitch) Emily Lazar massacred the CD version of Playing The Angel with her *atrocious* mastering. If you see Emily Lazar in the street, kick her (big fat arse) from me and every other Depeche Mode fan.
	So, what is this torrent, then? I'll tell you. It's Depeche Mode's 2005 album 'Playing The Angel' (PTA) in FLAC format. However, it's *not* ripped from the official CD or any other CD source. It's ripped straight from the vinyl. Vinyl, being an analogue medium, cannot stand up to the same amount of abuse a CD can. The CD version of PTA is perhaps the most poorly mastered CD ever released as of 2006; it's compressed to the limit to achieve nothing but maximum loudness. There is no detail or dynamic range in the recording. Instead, it is all one loud, harsh noise from start to finish. This vinyl rip improves as much as possible on the CD version, although naturally it is still limited by the actual music itself, which was produced to achieve a 'harsh', 'loud' effect. Still, the CD version exacerbated this beyond belief and if you wish to enjoy this album, listen to these files and these files only. Many thanks to the person who supplied the vinyl and ripped it to FLAC. Also many thanks to another person, who shall also remain nameless, but he knows who he is! ;-)
	The hunt goes on for vinyl FLAC rips of Ultra and Exciter!

Links detailing complaints about Emily Lazar's _awful mastering_:
  -Complaints about Bowie's Heathen and Reality albums: http://one.fsphost.com/roiotrade/loud.html
  -Another complaint about Playing The Angel: http://brianstagg.co.uk/p_t_a_clipressed/
  -General complaints about loudness, in particular PTA: http://sharoma.com/trading/loudness.htm
  -The Wikipedia article on the album even mentions the poor mastering of the CD version: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playing_the_Angel

Also see:
  -Wikipedia's article on the Loudness War/Race: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war
  -Emily Lazar's mastering company, 'The Lodge': http://www.thelodge.com/mastering/

Make sure to e-mail The Lodge and ask them why they master music so awfully. If they don't reply (which they won't) simply bombard them with insults. C'mon, they ruined a great band and forced us all to track down a vinyl rip. Should we have to do that in this day and age? No. Say NO to loudness. Trade in your CD copy of Playing The Angel and burn your own audio CD using these FLAC files. Fuck the record companies, because that's exactly what they're doing to YOU every time they release another shittily mastered CD. DO NOT buy the constant remasters they keep releasing. Stick to your old/original CDs because they're fine the way they are. And most of all, say NO to constant compilations and 'best ofs'.

"The Loudness Race is a Disgrace, and YOU can stop it by rejecting inferior sounding CDs!"