Originating from Leeds, the Sisters of Mercy were described by critic Steve Huey as playing "a slow, gloomy, ponderous hybrid of metal and psychedelia, often incorporating dance beats." The one constant in the band's career has been deep-voiced singer Andrew Eldritch. The band is named after the Leonard Cohen song "Sisters of Mercy" according to Eldritch. The band originally formed in 1980 with guitarist Gary Marx and drummer-turned-vocalist Eldritch. Doktor Avalanche, the drum machine, joined them on their second single Alice. Guitarist Ben Gunn and bassist Craig Adams were added to make live gigs feasible, and the Sisters built a reputation through several singles and EPs.