Formed in Leeds in 1980, The Sisters Of Mercy achieved early underground success in the city, but the band had their commercial breakthrough in the mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new records in protest against their record company.

They released three original studio albums: First and Last and Always (1985), Floodland (1987), and Vision Thing (1990); each was recorded by a different line-up, with vocalist and composer Andrew Eldritch (alongside Doktor Avalanche, the drum machine) being the only permanent member.

By 1983, following the successful ‘Temple of Love’ single, the band signed a contract with major record label WEA. At the same time second guitarist Ben Gunn left in an atmosphere of unanimous bitterness, stating that he did not agree with the direction Eldritch was taking the band. Gunn was replaced by Wayne Hussey, who concentrated on 12-string electric and acoustic guitars while also contributing as a songwriter. His studio experience with Dead or Alive also proved to be invaluable as the Sisters set out to record their first full-length album.