"Pure is the fourteenth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released in November 2000 by Eagle Records. Lyrically, Pure continues Numan's exploration of atheistic and anti-religious themes, though with a more personal and introspective focus than his previous work. The album also features a larger group of collaborators compared to his earlier albums, with Rob Holliday and Monti from Sulpher contributing guitar, drums, keyboards, and additional production.
The title track opens the album, beginning with ethereal strings and piano before shifting into an industrial metal riff and a thunderous chorus. Numan described it as an attempt to explore the mindset of a rapist and murderer. "Walking with Shadows" presents a scenario similar to early Tubeway Army's "The Life Machine," with a man in a coma wishing that his loved ones would join him. Other tracks like "My Jesus," "Listen to My Voice," and "Rip" continue the religious critiques seen on his previous albums, while "I Can’t Breathe" evokes a waking nightmare akin to Sacrifice's "Deadliner." "Fallen," an instrumental piece, was a departure from Numan's usual vocal-driven tracks, full of distorted effects. Two songs, "A Prayer for the Unborn" and "Little Invitro," reflect on personal tragedies, specifically the miscarriages suffered by Numan's wife Gemma and their struggles with IVF.
Musically, Pure is often compared to the works of industrial rock bands like Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson, who had acknowledged Numan’s influence. While some critics were critical of the recurring religious themes, others hailed the album as Numan's best work since his classic period in the late '70s and early '80s.
Numan supported the album with an extensive tour, which was documented in the 2003 live album Scarred. A limited edition "Tour Edition" of Pure was released in 2001, including a bonus CD with live tracks, remixes, and a screensaver. The only single from the album, "Rip," was released 18 months after the album's release and reached number 29 on the UK Singles Chart. In the U.S., "Listen to My Voice" became a radio hit, reaching No. 13 on the R&R Alternative Charts.
The album received mixed to positive reviews. NME described it as a testament to Numan's "bloated vanity," while Canoe.ca criticized its lack of originality, comparing it unfavorably to other electro-metal acts of the '90s. However, Kerrang! praised it as a superbly dark and dysfunctional industrial album, with tracks like "My Jesus" and "Rip" standing out for their dense melancholia. The Guardian acknowledged the album’s dark mood, while Allmusic called it effective mood music with industrial elements. PopMatters described it as Numan's richest, most powerful, and most aggressive work in years.
Pure had a limited commercial impact, peaking at number 58 on the UK Albums Chart, where it remained for just one week. However, in a retrospective for GoldFlakePaint in 2013, Pure was reappraised and praised as Numan's "21st-century masterpiece."
In 2021, Numan announced that Sacrifice, Exile, and Pure would be re-recorded and produced with the updated sound of his recent work with producer Ade Fenton. As of the announcement, Sacrifice and Pure were fully recorded, but Exile's production was postponed due to the release of Intruder. No release date has been set for the re-recorded albums.
