Coil – Backwards (CD Album – Cold Spring)
Genre/Influences: Experimental, industrial.
Content: Every single music genre has its heroes; the kind of legendary bands, which entered into the collective memory of numerous fans and music lovers. Coil definitely belongs to that category of genius bands. They’ll be always associated to the visionary sound of Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson and singer John Balance. In addition, many musicians and guests also contributed to Coil’s work over the years until the tragic loss of Balance (2004).
Christopherson decided to stop Coil without his long-time partner, but ‘new’ Coil releases are still seeing the daylight. “Backwards” is a particular work, which was originally conceived during the 80s and recorded in the US at the studio of Trent Reznor (NIN). The songs were never released until the album “The New Backwards” (2008).
Danny Hyde who was involved in the writing of the songs preserved the original compositions, which you’ll get here plus both original versions of favorite Coil songs “A Cold Cell” and “Fire Of The Mind”.
“Backwards” will bring us back to the enigmatic and sometimes controversial sound universe of Coil. This was a band we couldn’t completely label as any particular genre. Coil for sure deals with elements of industrial and experimental music, but it often sound like a sonic exorcism of some crazy musical ideas composed with brilliance and into avant-gardism. Coil belonged to that restricted number of visionary artists who dared to walk on unexplored paths.
“Backwards” features several ‘typical’ Coil songs, mixing pure sound experimentalism and danceable industrial-like parts. The title song remains one of the best cuts in the genre. It’s a crazy and yet intelligent piece of music revealing a danceable cadence and the vocals of John Balance dealing with weird and somewhat provocative themes. His typical timbre of voice mixes sensuality and mystery.
Another main song is “Heaven’s Blade”, which is driven by a shamanic rhythm and reveals an interesting twist between electronic bleeps and a kind of classical/traditional instruments playing a kind of Eastern-like music.
Conclusion: This work is into the usual minimalism of Coil and the great charisma of John Balance’s vocals.
Best songs: “Backwards”, “Heaven’s Blade”, “Be Careful What You Wish For”, “AYOR – It’s In My Blood”.
Rate: (DP:8)DP.
Band: http://brainwashed.com/coil
Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq
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