Blood (This Mortal Coil album)

Blood is the third and final studio album by the ethereal wave supergroup This Mortal Coil, released in April 1991 on the 4AD label. It follows their previous albums It'll End in Tears (1984) and Filigree & Shadow (1987).

The album retains the band's signature sound of atmospheric and often melancholic cover versions and original compositions, showcasing a diverse range of musical influences and vocalists. Blood features contributions from a variety of singers including Alison Limerick, Caroline Crawley, Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Kim Deal (of Pixies fame), and Tanya Donelly (formerly of Throwing Muses and The Breeders).

Compared to its predecessors, Blood is often considered a more expansive and experimental work, incorporating elements of industrial music and ambient soundscapes alongside the band's established dream pop and gothic rock aesthetics. It features a mix of reinterpretations of songs by artists such as Chris Bell, Gene Clark, and Jacobites, as well as original material written by Ivo Watts-Russell and other contributors.

The album's cover artwork, like the previous This Mortal Coil releases, was designed by Vaughan Oliver and Nigel Grierson. Blood was generally well-received by critics, though some found it to be less immediately accessible than the earlier albums due to its greater sonic complexity. It remains a significant work within the 4AD catalog and a defining example of the band's unique artistic vision.