Eldritch released the single "Giving Ground" on 20 January 1986 as part of a project under the name the Sisterhood, which features vocals by his musician friend James Ray. At the end of February 1986, the record label Merciful Release announced that the "forthcoming Andrew Eldritch album which for some months has had the working title "Left on Mission and Revenge"." The album was eventually titled "Gift", being released in July 1986, again by the Sisterhood. It was recorded at Fairview Studios in Willerby, Hull. Eldritch did not sing on the album for contractual reasons, though Morrison collaborated with him for the first time, contributing a spoken passage on the track "Jihad". "Gift" was negatively received overall and Eldritch lost his publishing deal with RCA Music Limited as a result of it. A 12-inch EP by the Sisterhood entitled "This Corrosion" was planned for release and set to feature an American vocalist, whose identity was meant to be kept secret until release. The EP had been recorded at Fairview Studios with Alan Vega but remained unreleased, with Eldritch instead keeping the idea for when he would reboot the Sisters of Mercy.