Carved In Sand

Released in 1990, Carved In Sand found The Mission hitting a real high point, both creatively and commercially. After a run of European festivals with The Cure in 1989, the band headed out on a low-key Scottish Highlands tour and later took a headline slot at Reading before returning to the studio.

Issued in February 1990, the album saw Tim Palmer back on production, with contributions from Reeves Gabrels, Baluji Shrivastav and Guy Chambers. Butterfly on a Wheel arrived first in January, reaching #12, followed by the Top 40 singles Deliverance, Into the Blue and Hands Across the Ocean.

The album itself reached #7, and The Mission supported its release with their first ever shows in Australia and New Zealand.