Coil spent the next period of its existence exploring visual media. In late 1984 they recorded a rendition of Tainted Love (originally recorded by Gloria Jones, but made popular by Soft Cell in the 80s), producing a widely banned, hallucinogenic video clip featuring Marc Almond as the Angel of Death; despite considerable controversy at home, the video ultimately found its way to the archives of the Museum of Modern Art. After spending several years working with filmmaker Derek Jarman on the feature The Angelic Conversation, Coil issued a remixed edition of their soundtrack. Following 1986’s Nightmare Culture, a collaboration with Boyd Rice produced as split release with Current 93, Christopherson and Balance invited Stephen Thrower to join the group in a full-time capacity. As a trio, they recorded 1986’s LP Horse Rotorvator, introducing orchestral, jazz, and middle Eastern textures into the mix; this album included The Anal Staircase.
In 1987, Coil issued The Unreleased Themes for Hellraiser, a collection of atmospheric gothic instrumentals commissioned for but ultimately cut from the Clive Barker horror film, followed by compilation album Gold Is the Metal (With the Broadest Shoulders), a remixed history of the group’s first several years of work. Unnatural History, another career overview, effectively ended the first phase of the band’s career in 1990; when Coil resurfaced a year later with Love’s Secret Domain, their music reflected the strong influence of the acid house culture. Another long layoff brought on by financial difficulties ended in 1995, when the group - now consisting of Sleazy, Balance, and Drew McDowell - signed to Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor’s Nothing Records to release Backwards, an album which was never officially released, although it is available in a number of bootleg versions. Additionally, they recorded the LP Worship the Glitch, issued under the name ELpH, and in 1996 cut A Thousand Lights in a Darkened Room as Black Light District.
1998 marked a significant stylistic shift for Coil, as the group moved away from the industrial dance sound they pioneered in the first half of their career towards what Balance referred to as "Moon Musick". This began with the release of four seasonal EPs throughout that year, coinciding with the equinoxes and solstices; this marked the group making further forays into ambient and neoclassical styles. Lyrically, there was a push towards naturalistic, pagan imagery, and an emphasis on free form, improvisatory chants. All four of these releases were later collected and released as Moons Milk (in Four Phases) in 2002. Coil also put out a purely drone based project, Time Machines, under that alias the same year.
In 1999 Coil started to work with Thighpaulsandra, and with him released the chilling Musick to Play in the Dark, a dark, meditative work featuring mostly intoned vocals from Balance, and exploring deeper electronic textures and pitches. A second volume followed in 2000. After years of refusal to do so, Coil started to perform live again in 1999. They released a number of albums containing the various shows they did in the period 2000 - 2004. Coil have released a lot of material in very limited editions, and have distributed certain records only at concerts. In 2003 they started a project to re-issue these tracks. Amidst their sporadic touring, and growing internal tensions within the group, Black Antlers was released in 2004, consisting of many of the songs played in concert at the time. This would prove to be the last studio recording put out in Balance's lifetime.
Jhonn Balance’s long-time struggle with alcoholism led to his death on 13th November, 2004. He fell from the second floor window at his home, while drunk, and died a short time after. Coil’s last live performance took place at Dublin’s City Hall on 23 October 2004 and is expected to appear on the forthcoming DVD box set “Colour Sound Oblivion”. A number of songs that were (as good as) ready were released in autumn 2005 as a last farewell to Jhonn.
Peter Christopherson passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 25, 2010. Instead of sending flowers in memory of Peter Christopherson, people were asked to donate money to help children affected by AIDS in Thailand, the country he loved and died in.
http://www.thresholdhouse.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coil_(band)
A Cold Cell
Coil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
convicts' prayer.
O Lord, save my sinful soul
From local punishment
From the far-away zone
From being frisked
From the tall fence
From the Devil or from the devil owner
From small rations
From dirty water
From steel handcuffs
From hidden obligations
A cold cell
And short haircuts
Save us from the death penalty
Amen
Amen
Amen
At its core, “A Cold Cell” by Coil is a grim and poignant song that seems to echo the desperate pleas of a prisoner condemned to suffer under harsh and inhospitable circumstances. The song is a purported interpretation of a prayer written by Russian convicts, with its opening lines beseeching the Lord to spare the sinful soul from various forms of punishments, including those that may be meted out in the local community, as well as the faraway zone. The lyrics paint a rather bleak portrait of prison life, as they go on to reference a litany of tribulations that may befall a prisoner, including searches, tall fences, and being cleared by prosecutors.
In the later verses, the singer makes an impassioned plea to be saved from “cold cells” and “short haircuts,” which are likely metaphors for the adverse impact that a prolonged sojourn in prison may have on the human spirit. The singer prays to be spared from the death penalty, closing the song with a powerful Amen that leaves the listener feeling quite moved.
Line by Line Meaning
O Lord, save my sinful soul
Asking for divine mercy and protection for their sinful soul
From local punishment
Seeking to be saved from being punished in the immediate area
From the far-away zone
Asking to be saved from being sent to a distant penal colony
From being frisked
Expressing the desire to avoid being searched aggressively
From the tall fence
Asking to be saved from being imprisoned behind high barriers
From the severe prosecutor
Asking for protection from a stern and ruthless prosecutor
From the Devil or from the devil owner
Asking for divine help to avoid the influence of evil forces or evil prison owners
From small rations
Asking to be saved from being given insufficient food
From dirty water
Asking to be saved from being given unclean or contaminated water
From steel handcuffs
Seeking to be saved from being bound with strong metal restraints
From hidden obligations
Asking to be saved from secret and unknown duties or responsibilities
A cold cell
Expressing discontent with the harsh environment and uncomfortable living conditions of their cell
And short haircuts
Expressing disdain for the forced haircut that is a symbol of their loss of freedom
Save us from the death penalty
Asking to be saved from being executed for their crimes
Amen
A declaration of agreement or affirmation, expressing belief and hope for divine salvation
Amen
A declaration of agreement or affirmation, expressing belief and hope for divine salvation
Amen
A declaration of agreement or affirmation, expressing belief and hope for divine salvation
Contributed by Jacob C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sunrara7133
O Lord, save my sinful soul
From local punishment
From the far-away zone
From being frisked
From the tall fence
From the severe prosecutor
From the Devil or from the devil owner
From small rations
From dirty water
From steel handcuffs
From hidden obligations
A cold cell
And short haircuts
Save us from the death penalty
Amen
Amen
Amen
@DannyMannhoff
О, Господи!
Спаси мою душу грешную
За порядки здешние,
От этапа дальнего,
От шмона капитального,
От забора высокого,
От прокурора жестокого,
От хозяина-беса,
От пайки малого веса,
От тюремных ключников,
От стальных наручников,
От лесоповала,
От холодного подвала,
От короткой стрижки
И защити от вышки.
Аминь.
@trblnordicagency6365
Love and respect on John Balance from little me. May his memory live on and on and on and on, and continue to inspire generations.
@kevinhinds8578
I'm here, I'm listening...life wasn't worth while until I found Coil.
@user-ob9zo9cr4c
almost 2022 and we still here
real life cold cell
@sunrara7133
O Lord, save my sinful soul
From local punishment
From the far-away zone
From being frisked
From the tall fence
From the severe prosecutor
From the Devil or from the devil owner
From small rations
From dirty water
From steel handcuffs
From hidden obligations
A cold cell
And short haircuts
Save us from the death penalty
Amen
Amen
Amen
@DannyMannhoff
О, Господи!
Спаси мою душу грешную
За порядки здешние,
От этапа дальнего,
От шмона капитального,
От забора высокого,
От прокурора жестокого,
От хозяина-беса,
От пайки малого веса,
От тюремных ключников,
От стальных наручников,
От лесоповала,
От холодного подвала,
От короткой стрижки
И защити от вышки.
Аминь.
@SatEight
>>From the Devil or from the devil owner
Incorrect translation. This refers to the prison governor, who is called "хозяин" in Russian slang. The word can indeed be translated as owner, but in this context it is used as "master". In this line, the prisoner asks to be protected from the cruel "master", who is compared to a devil.
@NC-ql4ek
Deserves to be amongst any list of "Best Horror" films. Far more horrifying to me than any kinda standard horror no matter how far they push the boundaries.
So COLD.
@user-ob9zo9cr4c
you wasn't go much deeper into net, it's nothing.
@xmmTokarev
anywhere it’s still available with english subtitles?
@thedistortedpoet1
A powerful song. An extremely sad film. Thank you for creating this video.