Coil
Astral Disaster

With "Astral Disaster", Coil discovered themselves as legitimate heirs of the German Cosmic Music. It is a sort of grandiose and dark electronic symphony that paid homage to mythical groups like the early Tangerine Dream and Cluster. The evolution of Coil was already evident in albums like "Musick To Play In The Dark" and "Time Machines", but in this album, they project into a metaphysical and Cosmic dimension beyond time and space. The album was initially released only on vinyl on December 31, 1999, in just 99 copies. Participating in the work, in addition to John Balance and Peter Christopherson, are also Thighpaulsandra and Drew McDowell. Fortunately, later on, the CD version was released. The beginning is entrusted to the electronic hums of "The Avatars". Then comes the turn of the long "The Mother Ship And The Fatherland", a dark journey in search of lost mystical landscapes towards alien planets: the music, like a time machine, took me back to 1971 to an epochal album like "Zeit". The atmosphere is calm, serene, and highly meditative. The following short "2nd Sun Syndrome" is instead indebted to the electronics of the early Cluster. “The Sea Priestess” is another standout track of the album: introduced by a mystical choir that reminded me of the great Popol Vuh, a truly exceptional piece that transports us in search of the lost self. The reciting voice of the legendary John Balance evokes esoteric and occult scenarios inspired by his visit to the abbey of Cefalù where Crowley stayed. We awaken from the meditation with "I Don’t Want To Be The One", featuring guest Gary Ramon of Sun Dial on guitar. The CD version also includes the long "MU-UR", an extended ambient-cosmic piece that serves as a worthy soundtrack to a hallucinatory space journey, characterized by a sidereal piano loop. "Astral Disaster" is an album of immense value and one of the best in the entire Coil discography. If you don't know it yet, make it yours. Stunning artwork by Steven Stapleton.