COIL "Astral Disaster" (Prescription Edition CD)
second edition
"Coil descended into the bowels of the Sun Dial studios, surrounded by
manacles and chains under the level of the River Thames in the Ancient
Borough of Southwark, to commit what would become one of their most
possessing sides. Astral Disaster was the result: two correlating
hemispheres channelling, meditative, eastern raga drone with sage-like
poetry and electro-acoustic phantasmagorias, projecting a plasmic miasma
of pharmaceutical shimmer and surreality that’s pretty much arch Coil.
If there’s any one big reason you need it, though, that would be the
amazing B-side, The Mothership and The Fatherland, framing creaking
wooden drums and the gibber-chin shivers of swarming, translucent studio
duppies in a diaphanous soundfield of freefall ambient
atmospheres—basically the sound of ketamine in the ‘90s. Makes us want
to melt. Massive recommendation!" —Boomkat
In 1998, Coil were invited to record at Sun Dial's studios beneath the
London Bridge Hop Exchange—a studio originally know as Samurai Studios,
originally built and owned by Iron Maiden. The premises in Victorian
times was an old debtors prison which had three underground levels, and
still had the original chains, manacles and wrought iron doors from the
old prison. This caught the attention of John Balance, who was very keen
to record there. Coil spent a number of days recording at the studio
during Halloween 1998. With Gary Ramon's help, they developed a number
of tracks, some of which resulted in this LP. Ramon produced and mixed
the "Astral Disaster" recordings, as well as playing guitar and sitar on
these sessions. A version of the album was later remixed by the band
and released on their own label—but the Prescription mixes as released
in 1999 are unique.
This is the first time the album is being released in any digital
format. These rare recordings were part of the legendary
subscription-only Prescription label album series in the late 1990's,
issued in an edition of 99 signed and numbered vinyl copies, long since
sold out. (If you are wondering, originals fetch Ł700+). Taken from the
original masters, this digipack reissue includes original sleeve
artwork, eight page art booklet, and the facsimile signatures of John
Balance and Peter Christopherson that came with the LP release.
This second edition in a grey digipack is limited to 500x hand-numbered copies
•First time CD and digital reissue of possibly the rarest of all Coil recordings
•Recorded in 1998 at Sun Dial studios, in the bowels of a Victorian era debtor's prison
Tracks:
01. The Sea Priestess
02. 2nd Son Syndrome
03. I Don't Want To Be The One
04. The Avatars
05. The Mothership and the Fatherland
Catalogue number: Drug CD R82 / LION
UPC: 778578999827