There’s something in the dark drums and tone to the opening track that reminds me of the The, not least the gloomy political landscape of “Mother Russia rain down on me” (as I write this "Mother Russia" is "raining down" drones onto Ukrainian civilians). That’s perhaps because, as the The is fundamentally the work of one man (Matt Johnson), so is this – Andrew Eldritch. The album comes after a period where the original Sisters of Mercy split, with other members going to form The Mission. Eldritch recruited Patricia Morrison (formerly of Gun Club) to play bass and help write songs, but for one reason or another (depending on whose version you believe) she ended up credited solely with backing vocals.
Lucrezia My Reflection has a glorious bit of driving bass, more than any of the other tracks which are all still deeply gothy and deliciously murky in musical and lyrical tone. It’s the big epic tracks – Dominion/Mother Russia and The Corrosion (written about his former bandmate Wayne Hussey) that truly stand out, having enough space to really build up atmosphere and change moods throughout.
This one, certainly more than the The Cult’s Electric, really satisfied my darkwave itch.
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