Sisters of Mercy formed in Leeds in 1980 around Andrew Eldritch, his baritone, and the Doktor Avalanche drum machine — gothic rock's defining outfit. Just three studio albums exist: First and Last and Always, the Jim Steinman-produced Floodland, and Vision Thing. Start with Floodland. Explore Sisters of Mercy vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Sisters of Mercy formed in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England in 1980 around Andrew Eldritch (Andrew William Harvey Taylor, born May 15, 1959, Ely, Cambridgeshire) and Gary Marx. The band's name was taken from a Leonard Cohen song (Sisters of Mercy 1967). They are widely cited as one of the most important gothic rock bands of the 1980s alongside contemporaries like the Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and the Sisters of Mercy's Leeds gothic rock scene (use of the Drum Machine 'Doktor Avalanche' as fourth member). Their trilogy of studio albums First and Last and Always (1985, with Marx and Wayne Hussey, plus Patricia Morrison on bass), Floodland (1987, produced by Jim Steinman of Meat Loaf fame, with Lucretia My Reflection / This Corrosion / Dominion singles), and Vision Thing (1990, with harder rock direction) has been influential on contemporary gothic rock and broader alternative rock. The band has been inactive in studio recording since 1990 (Eldritch disputes with East-West Records / Elektra Records preventing further studio activity, with Eldritch refusing to deliver any further material to label obligations). Wayne Hussey departed in 1985 to form The Mission (UK). Andrew Eldritch has continued touring with rotating personnel as Sisters of Mercy across multiple decades. Their foundational influence on gothic rock is widely cited.
Sisters of Mercy's sound is foundational to gothic rock as a recognized genre - combining gothic rock, post-punk, alternative rock, dark wave, art rock, and electronic rock with Andrew Eldritch's distinctive baritone vocal delivery, the Doktor Avalanche drum machine (use of mechanical rhythmic precision), use of layered synthesizers and atmospheric production approaches, and lyrical content addressing dark literary, political, and philosophical themes drawing on gothic, occult, and existentialist literary traditions.
Original Merciful Release / East-West Records / Elektra Records pressings of the Sisters of Mercy catalog are foundational items in gothic rock collecting, with collector premiums on rare pressings.
Listeners new to Sisters of Mercy typically start with Floodland (1987) or First and Last and Always (1985).
