Ultravox "Lament" (1984) (single)

Lament, 7'' single
release date: Jun. 21, 1984
format: vinyl (UV 2)
[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Ultravox
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Lament" - - B) "Heart of the Country" (instrumental)

Single release by Ultravox taken from the band's homonymous 7th studio album released in April. The single is the band's third of a total of five singles from the album. The single peaked at number #22 on the UK singles chart list, and only the second single "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" became a top-10 hit peaking at number #3.

Visage "Fade to Grey" (1980) (single)

Fade to Grey, 7'' single
release date: Nov. 10, 1980
format: 7'' single
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Visage & Midge Ure
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Fade to Grey" (4,5 / 5) - - B) "The Steps" (2,5 / 5)

Single release by Visage released on the same date as the release of the band's first solo album Visage (both tracks are taken from the album as tracks #5 and #10 respectively). The single is the band's only second single release but its first after signing with (major label) Polydor.
"Fade to Grey" was the band's first and also only major hit single reaching number #8 on the national singles chart list, and several other top-10 chart entries throughout Europe, New Zealand and Australia, and also peaking at number #1 in Switzerland and in Germany.
I bought the single at some point in 1981 when the song already was a major radio hit. At the time it was referred to as new wave, although, it's more obvious in a style of new romantic and synthpop. I wasn't a fan of the band but liked the otherworldly sensation of the title track, which is a truly brilliant composition.

Visage "Visage" (1980)

Visage [debut]
release date: Nov. 10, 1980
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Visage & Midge Ure
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 4. "Tar" - 5. "Fade to Grey" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "Moon Over Moscow"

Studio album debut by London-founded band Visage consisting of lead vocalist Steve Strange (aka Stephen Harrington), keyboardist Midge Ure (aka James Ure, former member of Thin Lizzy and Rick Kids, current member of Ultravox), guitarist John McGeoch (ex-member of Magazine), keyboardist (synthesizer) Dave Formula (aka David Tomlinson, ex-member of Magazine), violinist and keyboardist (synthesizer) Billy Currie (aka William Lee Currie, current member of Ultravox), and drummer Rusty Egan (ex-member of Rich Kids). Although being a sextet, the band is formed without a traditional bass player, and on the album ex-Magazine member Barry Adamson plays bass on three tracks (as the remaining songs are without traditional bass instrumentation).
Stylistically, it's closely related to the music by Ultravox in it's synthesizer-driven compositions, and on top of that it showcases a much bolder new romantic sensation and with that places the band alongside contemporary acts like Human League, Duran Duran, Altered Images and Japan.
I only came across the album because of the hit single "Fade to Grey" and that song is really the only great song on an album that hasn't aged well. At the time of its release, the music truly represented something else, as the punk rock era had done a few years before that by presenting music at the new frontier with technical sovereignty, though, I preferred the more chorus-based bands like Human League, Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark and bands with a stronger bond to the post-punk movement.
Visage is a very fine example of the new romantic era with its synthesised sound but I don't think, the album will survive very well on future chart lists, and the band only made one other - and a better attempt with a second album, The Anvil (1982) after which the band was continued with a new line-up and quite different music.