The Sisters of Mercy | “Floodland”

On November 13th, 1987, The Sisters of Mercy released their second album Floodland—considered by many to be a step sideways in the band’s musical direction; it’s definitely a nice wandering off the beaten path of Dr. Avalanche. After the end of The Sisters of Mercy MKII, with Wayne Hussey, Gary Marx and Craig Adams—Andrew Eldritch initially formed The Sisterhood to keep others from ever using that particular name; releasing a full-length album from The Sisterhood, along with a planned 12 inch EP called This Corrosion, that was never realized.

“This Corrosion” was ultimately featured on the second studio album from The Sisters of Mercy, and the band pared down to the core two-piece of Andrew Eldritch and Patricia Morrison, creating a record that re-defined the sound The Sisters of Mercy stood for.

If one were to imagine a definitive “Goth Rock” sound, the gospel choir opening “This Corrosion” or the haunting bass line of “Lucretia My Reflection”. and/or “Dominion” with its glimmering guitar riff will immediately be echoing in your brain—becoming earworms and ultimately giving you goosebumps. Tracks like “Flood II” or “Driven Like The Snow” are still live favorites today. Being close to an Andrew Eldritch solo album—Floodland’s ultimate place in TSOM’s discography may be unclear to some. Sure, a step sideways from the rock roots the band openly celebrated favoring Motörhead to Alien Sex Fiend, but if seen as a solo album, clearly a pure moment of Eldritchian glory and bombast, which can be contributed to Jim Steinman, with whom he also collaborated for on  More, featured on Vision Thing.

Tracklist:

1. Dominion/Mother Russia
2. Flood I
3. Lucretia My Reflection
4. 1959
5. This Corrosion
6. Flood II
7. Driven Like the Snow
8. Never Land (a fragment)