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.
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Cave of Roses
Coil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That millions of strange shadows on you tend?
Since every one hath, every one, one shade,
And you, but one, can every shadow lend.
Describe Adonis, and the counterfeit
Is poorly imitated after you;
On Helen's cheek all art of beauty set,
And you in Grecian tires are painted new:
The one doth shadow of your beauty show,
The other as your bounty doth appear;
And you in every blessed shape we know.
In all external grace you have some part,
But you like none, none you, for constant heart.
The lyrics of "Cave of Roses" by Coil seem to reflect upon the nature of beauty and the complexity of human existence. The opening lines, "What is your substance, whereof are you made, / That millions of strange shadows on you tend?" suggest that the singer is questioning the essence of the person they're addressing. They're curious about what makes them unique, and why there are so many different interpretations of them from others. The next line, "Since every one hath, every one, one shade, / And you, but one, can every shadow lend," seems to imply that this person possesses a kind of universal appeal or influence, which is rare.
The following lines, "Describe Adonis, and the counterfeit / Is poorly imitated after you; / On Helen's cheek, all art of beauty set, / And you in Grecian tires are painted new," suggest that the person being addressed is the epitome of beauty, to the point where even famous figures from history like Adonis and Helen are inferior imitations of them. The singer is alluding to both mythology and art history, highlighting the idea that beauty is a timeless and multifaceted concept.
The final lines, "In all external grace you have some part, / But you like none, none you, for constant heart," suggest that while this person may be beautiful and captivating in many ways, they are ultimately unique for their inner qualities. It seems that the singer admires this person for their ability to be both alluring and steadfast. Overall, the song reflects the complexity of human beauty and the ways in which it can be perceived and appreciated by different people.
Line by Line Meaning
What is your substance, whereof are you made,
What are you made of that attracts so many admirers? Every person has their own unique characteristics, but you have an inexplicable allure that draws people towards you.
That millions of strange shadows on you tend?
It seems as if countless individuals are inexplicably drawn to you, but can you point to a particular reason as to why this is the case?
Since every one hath, every one, one shade,
Every person has their own unique qualities and characteristics that define who they are as individuals.
And you, but one, can every shadow lend.
Yet you possess an intangible draw that allows people from all walks of life to associate themselves with you – something that others cannot.
Describe Adonis, and the counterfeit
Others have tried to attain a level of beauty that can compare to yours, yet none have managed to replicate your allure.
Is poorly imitated after you;
Even the most beautiful people in history fall short of your level of attraction.
On Helen's cheek all art of beauty set,
Your beauty exceeds even that of Helen of Troy – a woman so beautiful that wars were fought over her.
And you in Grecian tires are painted new:
Your beauty can be likened to that of a Greek goddess, with an air of sophistication and grace that is alluring to all.
Speak of the spring and foison of the year;
Just as spring blossoms and brings with it the abundance of new life, so too does your beauty bring with it a sense of renewal, rejuvenation, and new beginnings.
The one doth shadow of your beauty show,
The spring's beauty pales in comparison to your own, which casts a shadow over all that it encompasses.
The other as your bounty doth appear;
Likewise, the abundance of new growth that comes with each spring is akin to the richness and abundance of your character.
And you in every blessed shape we know.
Your beauty transcends any particular form or manifestation, and can be found in all things that are good and pure.
In all external grace you have some part,
Your beauty and charm are evident in everything that you do, from the way you move to the way you speak.
But you like none, none you, for constant heart.
What sets you apart, however, is not just your physical beauty, but the steadfastness of your heart and the goodness that emanates from it, which shines even brighter than your external grace.
Contributed by Ruby P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
exildoc
Brilliant, magic, thank you for uploading, Lenar! Much appreciated!