The Sisters of Mercy

The Sisters of Mercy is one of the most influential gothic rock bands, despite the existence of only three proper studio albums. The group is largely responsible for changing the sound of early goth rock, bringing in elements of both dance and metal that helped the musical genre widen its appeal. It's worth noting that whether the band themselves ever considered themselves gothic (at least in the sense of the Goth scene) is debatable.

Formed in Leeds (England) in 1980 and taking their name from a Leonard Cohen song, the only constant members of the group have been Andrew Eldritch (vocals and guitars) and Doktor Avalanche, a drum machine (although there have actually been several different drum machines bearing that name; listen carefully).

A disagreement between Eldritch and guitarist Wayne Hussey and bassist Craig Adams resulted in Hussey and Adams trying to form another band called Sisterhood; subsequent legal action and the surprise release of material by Eldritch on the Album Gift under the name of 'The Sisterhood' caused Hussey and Adams to form The Mission UK.

After the release of its third album, Vision Thing, in 1990, the Sisters released two compilation albums. Although Eldritch still tours with background musicians as the Sisters (mostly in mainland Europe), there has been no new recorded material from the band since 1993. Several new songs have appeared in the live shows, however the persistent rumours of a new album have yet to find substance.

The distinctive Sisters sound is dominated by a powerful drum-machine track, making the music very dancable. The bass dominates over the rhythm guitar and rarely is there a discernable 'lead' guitar; the rhythm and the vocals dominate. Andrew Eldritch's voice is a distinctive baritone, deeper than most male singers; this has been copied by numerous bands since, although Andrew's voice has noticeably deteriorated from its prime. The earlier Sisters works have a notably spare style less present later.

Andrew Eldritch writes sometimes complex yet still rhythmic lyrics whose meaning is often a matter of intense debate among fans. Influences he's acknowledged include T.S. Eliot and a number of philosophers, notably Søren Kierkegaard.

Discography

• The Sisters of Mercy homepage