Carved In Sand - Mission

The Mission where always a band that constantly evolved album to album. Where as their contempories from the gothic movement, the Sisters of Mercy, The Fields of the Nephilim and such remained fairly close to their roots, the Mission went through many phases. After paying their dues in the dark drug-fueled gothic club scene, the band released a compilation album, The First Chapter, followed by the first proper album, Gods Own Medicine. Both of these were representative of scene and what you would expect from a band two of which were Ex-Sisters Of Mercy. By the time the second album, Children, was released the band were taking more of a rock stance, the gothic imagery was ...  Read the complete review

Carved in Sand was the last album by The Mission original line up. It was also the most commercially sucessful and the reason behind this is because it's so accessible. If you've bought "Sum and Substance" (and I recommend you do if you want to sample the Mish first) then this (or Gods Own Medicine) is the next album you should go for. There are a range of tracks on here ranging from acoustic to all out rock and everything inbetween. The music is clever and (despite the press lambasting them) the lyrics are too - some are of the arthurian theme ("Mistress of Avalon, cast the spell and let the mist roll down on me. Slumber in lavender and ...  Read the complete review