Vinyl: THE SISTERS OF MERCY Vision Thing SEALED 180 Gram LP/3EP box set

THE SISTERS OF MERCY Vision Thing hails from 2016 and is a U.S. SEALED LP/3EP box set on 180 gram vinyl (marked UPC). The Sisters of Mercy celebrated the 30th anniversary of First and Last and Always last year with vinyl sets highlighting the band's first two albums: First And Last And Always (1985) and Floodland (1987). A new set coming out in the summer of 2016 spotlights the group's third studio release, Vision Thing (1990). Along with the original studio release, the collection includes three 12" singles from the album ("More," "Doctor Jeep," "When You Don't See Me"), all pressed on 180-gram vinyl and presented in an attractive slipcase.

When The Sisters of Mercy went to Denmark to record Vision Thing in 1989, it was almost an entirely new band. Only Andrew Eldritch - the group's founder and front-man - had appeared on the previous album, Floodland. For this new music, the singer and his drum machine "Doktor Avalanche" were joined by guitarist Andreas Bruhn and bassist Tony James (formerly of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik). While recording the album, the band added another guitarist, Tim Bricheno, formerly of fellow Leeds band All About Eve.

The result is a hard-driving album fueled by a potent combination of raw performances ("When You Don't See Me"), fist-pumping rhythms ("Doctor Jeep") and political anger ("Vision Thing"), a song that borrows a phrase used by then-President George H. Bush, the target for much of Eldritch's lyrical ire. The album's feverish pace and dense atmospherics shift gears a few times, especially on the swirling ballad "Something Fast" and the hypnotic first single, "More," which was co-produced by Eldritch and Jim Steinman (Meat Loaf), who also helped produce songs on Floodland.

Along with the studio album, the Vision Thing Era vinyl collection also includes music from three 12" singles. Among the highlights are: "You Could Be The One," the non-album b-side to "More," the extended mix for "Doctor Jeep," plus live recordings for "Knocking On Heaven's Door," "Ribbons" and "Something Fast."

LP1 - Vision Thing
1. Vision Thing
2. Ribbons
3. Detonation Boulevard
4. Something Fast
5. When You Don't See Me
6. Doctor Jeep
7. More
8. I Was Wrong

EP1 - More (12")
1. More
2. You Could Be The One

EP2 - Dr. Jeep (12 ")
1. Doctor Jeep (Extended Mix)
2. Knocking On Heaven's Door (Live 1985)

EP3 - When You Don't See Me (12")
1. When You Don't See Me (Remix)
2. Ribbons (Live, November 1990)
3. Something Fast (Live, November 1990)