The Sisters Of Mercy - First And Last And Always [40th Anniversary]

To celebrate four decades of a record that defined a genre, The Sisters of Mercy present a special 40th Anniversary edition of their landmark debut, First and Last and Always. Formed in Leeds in 1980 by Andrew Eldritch and Gary Marx, the band spent five years cultivating a massive cult following through independent releases before signing to Warner in 1984. Released in March 1985, this album was the spectacular culmination of that journey, reaching Number 14 on the UK Album Charts and cementing Eldritch’s status as the enigmatic architect of modern darkwave.

This is pressed on a striking Black and Red Marble variant, housed in premium packaging that honors the record’s enduring aesthetic. The collection includes the original studio album—recorded by the classic lineup of Eldritch, Marx, Wayne Hussey, Craig Adams, and the digital heartbeat of the band, Doktor Avalanche. This specific era remains legendary, as Hussey and Adams would shortly depart to form The Mission, making this record the only full-length document of this short-lived but highly influential "supergroup" of gothic rock.

The anniversary set significantly expands the story of the debut by including the three seminal EPs that preceded its release: Body and Soul, Walk Away, and No Time to Cry. Each EP features essential non-album bonus tracks and B-sides that were instrumental in building the band’s reputation. From the driving, drum-machine-led power of "Marian" and "Black Planet" to the anthemic gloom of the title track, this collection is the ultimate tribute to a record that remains as cold, precise, and beautiful as it was in 1985.