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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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coil_(band)
The Last Amethyst Deceiver
Coil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For they are your future
Our fathers and mothers have
Our fathers and mothers have
They have failed to release us
They have failed to release us
They have failed to release us
Into the welcoming arms
So pay your respects
So pay your respects
Pay your respects to the vultures
And to the crows
And to the carrion crows
And to the ravens
Those graven ravens
And to the carrion crows
And to the rooks
And to the rooks
And to the vultures
And to the vultures
And to the vultures
Pay your respects to the vultures
For they are our future
For they are your future
Our fathers and mothers have
Our fathers and mothers have
Our fathers and mothers have
They have failed to release us
Into the welcoming arms
Into the welcoming arms
Into the welcoming arms
Of the amethyst
Of the amethyst
The little mushrooms
The little mushrooms
Welcoming arms
Of the amethyst
Of the amethyst deceivers
The Last Amethyst Deceiver by Coil is a haunting, cryptic song with lyrics that suggest a dark, mysterious message. The opening lines "Pay your respects to the vultures, for they are your future" appear to reference the role of vultures in nature to consume the dead - perhaps a metaphor for the inevitability of death itself. The following lines "Our fathers and mothers have failed to release us" suggest a feeling of being trapped or held back, unable to fully embrace the unknown. The repetition of these lines emphasizes the frustration and desperation behind this predicament.
The next section of the song is a litany of birds - crows, ravens, rooks, and vultures - further emphasizing the theme of death and decay. The repetitive nature of the chorus "Pay your respects to the vultures" reinforces this theme, suggesting there is no way to escape the fate that awaits us all. The final lines, "The little mushrooms, welcoming arms of the amethyst deceivers" add to the song's enigmatic feel, leaving interpretation up to the listener. This could hint at an afterlife or some sort of mystical realm beyond death, but ultimately the lyrics remain shrouded in mystery.
Line by Line Meaning
Pay your respects to the vultures
Honor the birds of prey that feed on the dead, as they are a symbol of what's to come.
For they are your future
The aftermath of death is inevitable for everyone.
Our fathers and mothers have
The previous generations bear the responsibility for their inability to liberate us from this cycle.
They have failed to release us
The generations before us have been unsuccessful in setting us free from the curse of death.
Into the welcoming arms
To find acceptance and escape from the inevitability of mortality.
Of the amethyst deceivers
From those who hold hidden power and knowledge, offering an alternative spirituality and liberation.
And to the crows
Also show respect to scavenging birds who eat corpses, as they represent the natural order of life and death.
And to the carrion crows
Additionally, pay respect to ravens who eat dead animals, as they are a symbol of death and mystery.
Those graven ravens
The enigmatic ravens hold a heavy weight of symbolism in many cultures.
And to the rooks
Acknowledge the bird species that often flock together in huge groups and are known for their affinity towards death.
And to the vultures
Respect the birds that are most commonly associated with death and decay.
The little mushrooms
A metaphorical representation of those who accept death and decay, as mushrooms often grow on the decaying matter.
Contributed by Dominic I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@valdiskrebs566
One of the best bass lines e v e r !
@horesnhold5960
one of the best and authentic tracks e v e r.....
@subtledemisefox
The first time I heard it on vinyl I was blown away
@dotianifrancois7699
Absolutely 🎶🎼
@seanotron4559
Yesssss indeeeed.
93
@seanotron4559
@@subtledemisefox Especially/even w all the cracks & pops.
@GabrYX20
I pay my respects for the vultures.
@augustoalvarez6766
For they are your future...
@natalieobman5018
Press F to pay respect to the vultures
@chungus7244
And to the crows