Editing Soft Cell (section)

===Decline and dissolution===
[[File:Soft Cell (1983 Sire publicity photo) 01.jpg|thumb|Soft Cell in 1983]]
By 1983, fame and nearly constant drug use were having a bad effect on the duo. Marc Almond also formed the group [[Marc and the Mambas]], featuring collaborations with [[the The]]'s [[Matt Johnson (singer)|Matt Johnson]] and future Almond collaborator Annie Hogan, as an [[Spin-off (media)|offshoot]] to experiment out of the glare of the Soft Cell spotlight. Soft Cell's third album release, appropriately titled ''[[The Art of Falling Apart]]'', was a Top 5 hit in the UK but the singles were only modest successes. The first single "Where The Heart Is" only reached 21, while the double A-side "Numbers"/"Barriers" peaked at 25. "Numbers" also generated controversy due to references in the song to the drug [[methamphetamine|speed]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/17695-Soft-Cell-Numbers-Barriers|title=Soft Cell - Numbers / Barriers|website=[[Discogs]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Wifes |first=Readers |url=http://www.polarimagazine.com/lgbt-history-month/numbers-soft-cell/ |title=LGBT History Month &#124; UK &#124; Significant LGBT Song of the Day &#124; Soft Cell &#124; Numbers |publisher=polarimagazine.com |date=2012-02-27 |accessdate=2022-08-27}}</ref>

In September 1983, the duo released a new single "Soul Inside", which returned them to the UK Top 20, but by early 1984 the duo had amicably decided to end Soft Cell. They played farewell concerts at [[Hammersmith Palais]] in January, and released one final album called ''[[This Last Night in Sodom]]'' (UK No.&nbsp;12) in March. The album's second and final single "Down in the Subway" (UK No.&nbsp;24), had already been released in February 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marcalmond.co.uk/history/discography.html|title = Marc Almond Discography}}</ref>