(08.09.06) Just over a year after the tragic death of Jhonn Balance, Coil released their last ever studio album. Compiled from tracks recorded in the last few days before his death and from the Coil archive, The Ape of Naples consists of both new tracks and radical reworking of older tracks by Coil co-founder Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson himself. The cover includes a foldout insert with striking images and glossy artwork by Ian Johnstone – Balance’s partner at the time of his death – and the lyrics to the tracks included on the album.
The Ape of Naples covers a range of stylistically different tracks originating from different eras of Coil’s development, some already familiar (in different forms) to followers of their work. The album opens with “Fire of the Mind”, a traditional folk type song with a death theme, as Balance’s musings often do. “The Last Amethyst Deceiver” is another version of the already widely available “Amethyst Deceivers”. This version has a more orchestral quality than previous versions but is not one of the strongest versions of this song, that honour falls to the electronic version regularly played live in recent years and available on the Live One thru Four series of CDs. “Tattooed Man” was released in its original form on the Selvaggina: Get Back In The Woods CD and was performed live at their last few shows. The track itself has a continental feel to it and features the ‘I love him, I hate him’ lyrics that Balance delivered with such passion live.
The original version of “Triple Sun” was released on the …And the Ambulance Died his Arms live album and has an undeniable beauty, the introduction providing a tense of air of expectation that opened some of their final shows. “It’s In My Blood” and “Heaven’s Blade” are reworked tracks from the unreleased Backwards album sessions at Trent Reznor’s Nothing studios. The former is a nightmarish trip with a pounding mechanical throb and Balance wailing demonically while, of all the tracks on the album, “Heaven’s Blade” seems more polished both musically and vocally, with an almost serene quality to the dark subject matter. “I Don’t Get It” is one of the four completely new tracks and has a tense cinematic quality with Balance’s electronically warped vocals inviting us further into the darkness. In contrast, there are intimate little glimpses of Balance the man, once asking Christopherson “Is that enough Sleaze?” and once in fits of laughter. Although each segment lasts only seconds they provide some comfort during a listening experience which draws closure on Balance’s visionary qualities.
“Cold Cell” is another track that has been performed live a number of times with a harrowing video backdrop and was only previously released on 2000’s The Wire Tapper 6 Special Edition compilation. This rework is musically atmospheric, vocally gentle and hymn-like, making “Cold Cell” both touching and evocative. “Teenage Lightning 2005” has also seen the light of day quite recently on 2004’s Black Antlers studio CD and Selvaggina: Get Back In The Woods album. The original version dates back to 1991’s Love’s Secret Domain album and appears here in a completely reworked form. Maintaining a very tense building electronic atmosphere, “Teenage Lightning 2005” encourages the listener not to be afraid as “it’s only lightning”. As Balance’s last full vocal track on The Ape of Naples, “Amber Rain” is a sombre yet strangely gentle journey accompanied by Balance’s further musings on death and destiny.
“Going Up”, the last song on the album, is sung by Francois Testory and features the words of the theme tune to classic British sitcom Are You Being Served? that was sung at Balance’s funeral service. While this may seem an odd choice, “Going Up” is a truly beautiful and moving close to the final studio album of a legendary and visionary band known as Coil. The final words are softly spoken by Balance himself – “It just is.”
The Ape of Naples is out now on Threshold House. Buy it at Amazon.com.
Related posts ::
Coil :: …And The Ambulance Died In His Arms (Threshold House, CD)
Kode9 + The Space Ape :: Memories Of The Future (Hyperdub, CD)
Coil/Time Machines :: Queens of the Circulating Library
Coil :: Musick To Play In the Dark Volume 2 (World Serpent/Brainwashed)
Coil :: Constant Shallowness Leads To Evil (World Serpent)
