The Complete Collection 1985-1989

“Salvation's The Complete Collection 1985-1989 completely recapitulates the entirety of the 1997 compilation Hunger Days and adds one additional track, the previously rare debut single Girlsoul, produced by Andrew Eldritch of the Sisters of Mercy. That group is a good starting point for the sound of Salvation, but this Leeds-based band was never as over-the-top gloomy as the Sisters of Mercy, as monochromatic as Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, or as irritatingly pretentious as the Cult. Songs like Shattered Sky have some of the pop-friendly hooks that made Siouxsie and the Banshees' '80s singles so attractive, but singer Daniel Mass has an unfortunately anonymous voice that can't match Siouxsie Sioux (or, for that matter, Andrew Eldritch) in terms of personality. Salvation does have a knack for unexpected cover versions, though: the acoustic version of the Billie Holiday standard Strange Fruit is unexpectedly powerful, but their amped-up take on Sunshine Superman pales next to Hnsker Dn's similarly muscular cover. Tom Petty's Listen to Her Heart just sounds like a weird and misguided bid for commercial attention. (No, the song called Pearl Necklace is not the ZZ Top charmer of similar title, but a catchy, plaintive rocker that could have been a small college radio hit circa 1988.) A weird mix of pop and goth not far removed from very early Altered Images (themselves protTgTs of Banshees guitarist Steven Severin in their first incarnation) or Gene Loves Jezebel, Salvation is of some interest to seekers of '80s arcane, but don't expect this to be a buried treasure.” ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide.