The Sisterhood - Gift (1986/2023)

Following the bitter end of the Sisters Of Mercy and subsequent musical split, Andrew Eldritch formed The Sisterhood in early 1986 alongside Alan Vega (Suicide), Lucas Fox (Motorhead), Patricia Morrison (Sisters Of Mercy), James Ray (Gangwar) and Doktor Avalanche (the Sisters' drum machine), beating to the punch former band mates Craig Adams and Wayne Hussey for control of the Sisterhood name.

Put out by as a spoiler to prevent ex Sisters guitarist and future Mission-ary Wayne Hussey trading under the Sisterhood name Gift is far better than anyone had any right to expect, especially considering how quickly it was presumably put together. Drafting in a bunch of like-minded mates including Lucas Fox, James Ray, Alan Vega and future Sister Patricia Morrison this is almost a dry-run for Floodland - one of the best albums of the 80s - albeit not quite as epic in scope. In fact the track Colours turned up in shortened form as a bonus track on the CD version of the same. My personal favourite is the spooky Finland Red, Egypt White with its spoken spec of Kalashnikov AK-47 variants and ammunition over a hypnotic Doktor Avalanche beat. "Gift" of course is German for poison. Destroy personnel indeed!

1 Jihad
2 Colours
3 Giving Ground
4 Finland Red, Egypt White
5 Rain from Heaven