"Shallow Nation", released early in 2000, sold out the first thousand copies after only two weeks in the stores, which resulted in a deal with the Norwegian record label Tatra Records. Around that time Tatra Records released the compilation "Sex, Goth & Electronics", to which IoC contributed an exclusive version of their song "Repeat It".
Before they started work on their second release IoC did programming for the "Apoptygma Berzerk" track "Starsign". Soon afterwards, they travelled to Germany, with live member Jon Holm, to support Apoptygma on their "Welcome to Earth tour 2000" at gigs in Frankfurt, Cottbus and Leipzig before going back to Norway to play together at Rockefeller in Oslo.
Audiences seemed to enjoy Icon of Coil's energetic and melodious sound fused with Andy's hypnotic voice and the band's success grew. "One Nation Under Beat" debuted in the top 20 on the DAC-chart (Deutsch Alternative Chart), stayed on the chart for eight weeks and peaked at number three.
In late spring of 2000 at a gig in Uddevalla, Sweden, Christian Lund joined the band as a live-member and went on stage with Andy and Seb for the first time. Along with being the vocalist for his "En Route" project, Christian had a background from a melodious EBM Fredrikstad-band called "Elected By Fear" where he played together with Fredrik Hansen from "Echo Image" (who also played at that gig) and Marius Johnsen from "Centravibe".
After the release of IoC's first full-length "Serenity Is The Devil" in November 2000, which reached number three on the DAC-chart, the band went to Germany together with "Beborn Beton". With nine gigs, positive feedback from the audience and very good reviews on the debut album, IoC gained a substantial following in the synth/industrial scene.
Shortly afterward, the album crossed the Atlantic and was released in North America by Metropolis Records. On March 29th, 2001, the band itself followed and boarded a plane to Chicago. They were on their own in a foreign country and on a tight budget. The band flew from city to city, slept in hotels and sometimes even in the homes of their promoters. The song "Situations Like These" from the (then) forthcoming "Seren EP" was played live for the first time to an incredibly enthusiastic and energetic American audience, which made the tour a big success. Then after playing at "Slimelight" and "Astoria II" (Electrofest) in London, the guys had a short break before they faced a festival-filled summer in Europe.
The summer kicked off with a successful show in Leipzig, Germany, at "Wave-Gothic Treffen". The following festivals included "CSD", "Zillo Festival", "Xtreaktor Festival", "Eurorock", "Infest" and ended at "M'era Luna" where the trio did a hard-hitting performance in the Hangar.
"Situations Like These" became a big club hit and the band was ready for a second tour (this time in a Nightliner touring bus) of North America with "VNV Nation". The leg began in Chicago on the 16th of November at a packed Vic Theatre, which set the standard for the rest of the 19 shows. Icon of Coil, VNV Nation and the rest of the crew continued up to Canada, down the east coast to Florida, through Texas to the West coast and Hollywood, where they did their 15th show in front of about 900 people at the Palace. The four-week tour ended in Edmonton, Canada with a great show and a huge after-party.
During their tours, the band found the time to write material for their April 2002 sophomore album, "The Soul Is In The Software", which stayed at number one on the DAC for a several weeks. IoC then performed at two more festivals: "The Dark Jubilee Festival" in London; and later as the Sunday-headliner for "Synthpop Goes The World" in Toronto, Canada, which turned out to be a very good but warm weekend and concert.
Icon of Coil came a long way in a short amount of time. For 2004 their third album, "Machines Are Us", continued the trend with pummeling beats, sympathetic vocals, anthem-like melodies, and sweeping synths. Careful not to be outdone or forgotten, Icon of Coil released "Uploaded And Remixed", which featured brand new mixes of songs from their first two records and two exclusive tracks, at the tail end of 2004.
Since then the band has been on indefinite hiatus, only performing a handful of live shows around the world, as Andy has been concentrating on his new band "Combichrist".
On a short reunion tour of Australia in November, 2011 the 3 members rekindled old friendships and the creative chemistry from the past came raging back. The single "PerfectSex" was released in August 2012, together with the announcement that the band is working on a new album.
Official MySpace page: www.myspace.com/officialiconofcoil
Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IconOfCoilOfficial
Been There
Icon of Coil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Done that, done that
I am the wayform
Been there done that
I chopped off your head and put it in a jar
So only I could see how beautiful you are
I burned your body so you can get some rest
I keep your hands with me wherever I go
After all you offered me a hand
Been there, done that
I am the wayform
Been there, done that
I am…been there…wayform…done that
Do you feel
What I feel?
Been there, done that
I keep your hands with me wherever I go
After all you offered me a hand
Do you feel what I feel?
Been there, done that.
The lyrics of Icon of Coil's "Been There" have a certain darkness to them that requires a closer examination to understand their meaning. The song seems to be sung from the perspective of someone who has committed a terrible act, such as murder, and is now living with the consequences. The line "I am the wayform" might suggest this person's sense of control over the situation, as if they are the only one who truly understands what has happened. The repeated phrase "been there, done that" further adds to this sense of nonchalance and disregard for the severity of his actions.
The next few lines of the song suggest that the singer has taken some kind of souvenir from his victim, such as their head or their hands. While this is a disturbing and gruesome act, the use of the word "beautiful" implies that he sees it as some kind of twisted tribute to the person he killed. Interestingly, the line "I burned your body so you can get some rest" seems to suggest that the singer believes he is doing his victim a favor by destroying the evidence and allowing them to finally find peace.
Overall, the lyrics of "Been There" paint a picture of someone who has committed a heinous act and is struggling to come to terms with it. He seems to be grappling with the idea that he is both a monster and a human being who feels emotions like guilt and regret. While the subject matter of the song is certainly disturbing, it is also a thought-provoking exploration of the darker aspects of human nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Been there, way far
I have been to places that are distant and far away
Done that, done that
I have experienced and accomplished many things
I am the wayform
I am the embodiment of digital signals and electronic music
Been there done that
I have experienced and accomplished many things
I chopped off your head and put it in a jar
I have preserved your beauty and memory through a grotesque act
So only I could see how beautiful you are
I hold on to my perception of your beauty and refuse to share it with others
I burned your body so you can get some rest
I have released you from the burden of a physical existence and allowed you to rest in peace
Been there, done that
I have experienced and accomplished many things
I keep your hands with me wherever I go
I hold on to the memory of the help and support you have offered me
After all you offered me a hand
You have extended your help and support to me
Do you feel what I feel?
Do you empathize and connect with the emotions and experiences that I am describing?
Been there, done that
I have experienced and accomplished many things
Contributed by Max O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.