Sisters Of Mercy - Floodland (CD 1987)

The album which never fails to hold my attention…

Floodland begins with Dominion/Mother Russia – using heavy bass throughout, an explosive track to open a deliciously moody album. The New York Choral Society provided backing vocals for this track, and Ofra Haza provided the chorus vocals.

Flood I is more of a slow, brooding track, which many people dismiss because ‘it doesn’t seem to go anywhere’, yet the two Flood tracks are amongst my favourites. The underlying heartbeat, as well Eldritch’s droning vocal draws you in to what on the outset appears to be a particularly dull song.

Lucretia My Reflection is the nightclub favourite, with a rumbling bass line. The vocals begin hushed but climaxing in a dark, strong and breathy fashion.

1959 features Eldritch’s vocals laid bare, nothing but him and a piano, a stark song containing haunting vocals with not a lot else, but this isn’t a bad thing….the song was written after a fan wrote to Eldritch suggesting that he wrote a song to be sung with just a piano. I believe the title is taken from his year of birth.

The epic This Corrosion at 11 minutes long, is the longest track on the album, and is definitely the most dramatic and theatrical, backing vocals again provided by The New York Choral Society and Ofra Haza. It’s fast paced, and even operatic with its choice of vocal style. Mainly people purchased this album because of this one track, and I can’t say I blame them.

Flood II is more upbeat than Flood I, again with driving bass, yet another track that wouldn't feel out of place in the club environment.

The album now takes on a more ambient feel with Driven Like The Snow,which for the first minute of the song is very quiet until Doktor Avalanche (the famous drum machine) kicks in…the lyrics are fantastic just to read… Like a voice in the wind blow little crystals down, like brittle things will break before they turn, like lipstick on my cigarette, and the ice get harder overhead…

Never Land (A Fragment), Torch and Colours (the latter two = bonus tracks) are intense and brooding with thought-provoking lyrics. Torch is my least favourite as it seems to be quite stark, yet not in a good way as with 1959. Never Land and Colours are more melodic, and ambient, with heavily synthesized keyboards.


How many times can I say bass and dark in a review?


Floodland is my preferred Sisters album release, although more commercial than other albums, it doesn’t sound too commercial, with a couple of tracks - Lucretia My Reflection and This Corrosion being produced by Jim Steinman. It appears to be more upbeat in a larger number of tracks than other releases, yet Eldritch keeps the dark feeling effortlessly throughout. A large number of the tracks would not be out of place being played in a club, with the pounding bass. This isn’t your typical ‘Goth’ album.

To me it is an oddly erotic album, which I couldn’t do without in my collection.

In my opinion, the best way to listen to this album is played as whole, laid back; eyes closed and immerse yourself in the wondrous world of the Sisters….