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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Enochian Calling
Coil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Upon the hours and times of your desire?
I have no precious time at all to spend,
Nor services to do, till you require.
Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour
Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you,
Nor think the bitterness of absence sour
When you have bid your servant once adieu;
Where you may be, or your affairs suppose,
But, like a sad slave, stay and think of nought
Save, where you are how happy you make those.
So true a fool is love that in your will,
Though you do any thing, he thinks no ill.
In Coil's song "Enochian Calling," the lyrics are actually a modernized adaptation of a sonnet by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 57. The original sonnet speaks of being at the constant beck and call of a lover, being completely subservient to them and bending to their every whim. The song explores the theme of love as a form of servitude and submission, portraying the singer as a slave to their lover's desires and needs.
The first stanza establishes the singer's role as a slave to their lover, ready and waiting to fulfill their every wish. The second stanza goes on to describe the intense longing and devotion the singer feels for their lover, willing to put up with the bitterness of absence and not questioning where they are or what they are doing. The final couplet highlights the foolishness of love, where even if the lover does anything that may not be perceived as good, the singer still thinks nothing of it, as they are so deeply embedded in the idea of being a servant to their lover.
Overall, the song delves into the idea of love as a form of servitude, where the lover's every command is followed with blind devotion and complete surrender. It is a beautifully crafted and thought-provoking piece that touches upon the human need for submission and sacrifice in the name of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Being your slave, what should I do but tend
Since I'm your slave, all I can do is fulfill your wishes.
Upon the hours and times of your desire?
I'll make sure I'm always available whenever you need me.
I have no precious time at all to spend,
My time is not valuable unless spent fulfilling your wishes.
Nor services to do, till you require.
I have no purpose or tasks to perform until you command me to do so.
Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour
I won't complain about the endless hours I must devote to you.
Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you,
I'll keep a constant watch on the clock so I can be ready to serve you at any moment.
Nor think the bitterness of absence sour
I won't be bitter when you're away from me.
When you have bid your servant once adieu;
When you've left me behind for a while.
Nor dare I question with my jealous thought
I won't let my jealousy get in the way of serving you.
Where you may be, or your affairs suppose,
I won't wonder where you are or what you're doing.
But, like a sad slave, stay and think of nought
I'll just stay here and try not to think about anything other than your happiness.
Save, where you are how happy you make those.
The only thing I'll focus on is your whereabouts and the happiness you bring to others.
So true a fool is love that in your will,
Love makes me a true fool and I will do whatever you want.
Though you do any thing, he thinks no ill.
I won't judge or think negatively of anything you do because of my love for you.
Contributed by Lauren H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
DerDrache707071
Incredibly well done.
russell banks
some people dont get this , its not for your regular joe , it takes a lifetime of listening of bullshit to find soltice in this ambient soundscape , I love it , see all my playlists here, I may be old but Im in another zone , this is music to build streetrods to, in Roswell New Mexico look up russell bradford banks on facebook,
aerozopher
I love this track
raindog951
Brilliant....Love Coil.
number7gracestreet
This recording is building a narrative with sound i find it very interesting because i like the sounds, and also because it is well put together Listen to old tyme radio drama, people!!!
Jonathan Berman
I have always loved old time radio as well as ambient meaningful and ritualistic, interesting you should mention that.
yesterdays' papers
Simply Ritualistic Magic ~ fear'not , for l am with thee
AncientGamer1
It's Coil's soundtrack for the movie "Angelic Conversations". I got a copy from Amazon
ilcylic
Heh. I have a girlfriend who is originally from Roswell, who is also a huge Coil fan... What a small world the internet makes things.
Ruben Abreu
never seen this coil album before. i want it, is it hard to find?