"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
Fiction
Icon of Coil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of Icon of Coil's "Fiction" convey a sense of despair and resignation, as the singer contemplates the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. The candle losing its breath and the flame fading out symbolize the extinguishing of life, which leads the singer to wonder why he had to die and why he cannot resist it. He resolves to try to erase the struggles and pictures in his mind, to consider and accept the impermanence of existence.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "we cannot follow this path no more", which suggests that the singer has come to accept his fate and is ready to move on, leaving behind his former self and the burdens that weighed him down. The line "pure enjoyment, fill it up with lust" can be interpreted as a last attempt to experience pleasure before departing from this world, while the plea to "make it tomorrow is better" implies a desire for hope and renewal, even if the singer will not be around to witness it.
Line by Line Meaning
suffocation, the candle lost its breath
Feeling of suffocation and loss of vitality, comparable to a dying candle.
like my soul, the flame fades out to death
The hopelessness of one's soul is represented in the dying of a candle flame.
never to consist of anything at all
The fear of becoming nothing and leaving no mark in the world.
penetration the fiction says goodbye
Breaking away from illusions and fantasies that have been holding one back.
my former self, why I had to die
The need to leave behind the old versions of oneself in order to grow and change.
never to resist from anything at all
The fear of losing control and giving in to temptations.
diet of nothing keeps me out of time
Lack of motivation and engagement in life resulting in a feeling of stagnation in time.
but in the meantime I will try do consider, erase the pictures in my mind
The struggle to let go of past memories and experiences that are hindering personal growth.
expect nothing, make it clean, everlasting, like it's never been
The desire for a fresh start and a new beginning without the burden of past mistakes and regrets.
erase the struggle in my mind
The need to overcome inner turmoil and conflicts in order to move forward.
we cannot follow this path no more
The realization that a previous way of life or thought process is no longer sustainable.
you'll be the first to know I'm gone
The acceptance that others will witness the changes and growth that one undergoes.
...and now I'm gone.
The finality of leaving behind the past and moving forward to a better future.
pure enjoyment, fill it up with lust, splintered doors fades out to dust
Finding pleasure and desire in life, leading to the dissolution of old barriers and constraints.
can you hear me? are you around?
The search for connection and understanding with others.
we don't need to live for ever, let's make it tomorrow is better
The acceptance that life is temporary and the need to focus on making each day better than the last.
do you even understand?
The need for validation and comprehension from others.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: OLE ANDERS OLSEN, SEBASTIAN R. KOMOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
zzwave
Best song by Icon of Coil and one of my most favorite songs at all. This may be a great soundtrack for action movie about a maniac killing his enemies :)))
Viktoria ViTech
Best song <3
Michael F9KChromethousand
Belongs in a Blade movie for sure!
Andrew Wade
Where does that "I'm a police officer..." sample at the start come from?
Felix Coto
2019 listening
Fadi Alawieh
Ace
Dirk
NERF MOON