Coil
Autumn Equinox

September 1998

Cover Image

BUY@THRESHOLD HOUSE

UK 7" Threshold House ESKATON 015

  1. Amethyst Deceivers [ESKATON23]
  2. Switches - [MP3] [ESKATON23]

According to World Serpent, there were 1000 amethyst and 40 light blue records, however, World Serpent was found to have been over-pressing "limited edition" vinyl and haven't truthfully disclosed the actual numbers, invalidating the official word.

Side A - NEVERTHELESS, THE PUSSYCATS OF SUMMER HAVE ALL GONE
Side B - ALL THE LEAVES ARE FALLING

UK CDEP Threshold House ESKATON 016

  1. Regel [ESKATON23]
  2. Rosa Decidua - [MP3] [ESKATON23]
  3. Switches - [MP3] [ESKATON23]
  4. The Auto-Asphyxiating Hierophant [ESKATON23]
  5. Amethyst Deceivers [ESKATON23]

John Balance
Peter Christopherson
William Breeze
Rose McDowall - vocal on "Rosa Decidua"

The CD has slightly different mixes of the songs on the 7"
All songs are collected on Moon's Milk (In Four Phases).

Amethyst Deceivers

Amethyst deceiver (repeated)

Pay your respects to the vultures
For they are your future
Our fathers and mothers
Have failed to release us
Into the welcoming arms
Of the amethyst deceivers

Amethyst deceiver (repeated)

Regel

Some words are audible between 0'40 and 1'00. Any ideas?

Rosa Decidua

Rose, I hear your voice near to me
I've put away the poisoned chalice, for now
And lie down amongst the flowerbeds

Whichever stars we walk among
We both seek out the darkest red
The wine was turned to blood again
Without this blood we'd both be dead

I've wound myself tight into the hedgerows
Let's see which way the winter wind blows

(You are my shadow)

The Auto-Asphyxiating Hierophant

Construction of disasters
Our words not properly fixed
??? fixate
Is this the threshold?
Is this the threshold?
Fixed in a thousand poisons blended and descended
Indestructible definiteness
It's only zero charges electricity
Enough ??? resistance
No action without, it seems, inaction
Making a noise to cope with this pain
I happen to be content to ??? awful
It was logical but fatal
Once more the fortress of pure numbers
Confusion with a false move
It will fall soon
It will fall soon
It will fall soon
The white magic of the moon
Is the black magic of the Earth
The ??? on my hands
To what extent have we deceived ourselves as to the damage?
Being misled, mistaken by instinct
Ice temples crackle
Like ??? in the wave
And my eyes vibrate at a catgut rate
Stagger into the streets bearing after the blood-red number
The flag banner, stutter and stammer
Nothing will ever be the same
Nothing will ever be the same
Nothing will ever be the same

The tracks are different in feel from the Summer Soltice EP. We started last year with a session of treated vocals and an ARP 2600 synthesiser. William Breeze came over and added mandolin and guitar and viola. There are Balance vocals and Louise Weasel vocals, and Galactic calls to Star Forms. Counter-point, Confessionals and Rose as an Elizabethan boy. - Coil

Overall impression: excellent. The fourth and final of the 1998 seasonal singles, "North" continues in the same vein as the previous three: "Amethyst Deceivers", "Bee Stings" and "Moon's Milk". Once again Coil create a minimal yet deep, emotive aural environment for Balance's interesting words. "A White Rainbow" is centered around John's double tracked sprawling vocals and William Breeze's electric viola. Balance's lyrics on this song seem to tie the whole equinox/solstice singles series together. The last 3 minutes or so are essentially instrumental and the song ends in a chaotic jumble of sounds (similar to "A Warning From the Sun" from "Bee Stings"). "North" is comprised of washes of sound, a hushed spoken 2 line vocal from Balance and a heavily chorused, subtle beat. "Magnetic North" is more drone-y ... flowing synth lines form the background for Balance's quietly spoken words. "Christmas.." is sung by Rose McDowall with a glorious backing of disorted snyths and viola ... only Coil can transform a traditional Catholic song into something so achingly beautiful. The artwork is similar to the previous singles, except that this time it appears energy is exploding outwards from the oval. "North" evokes the same sort of feelings in me as most other music by Coil ... a sense of otherworldliness and unsettling familiarity, and an impression of a great importance that is beyond my ability to fully comprehend. This is emotion drenched music. All good things must come to an end though, so I eagerly await the next project by Coil. - Mark Weddle, Brainwashed