Coil - "Live Two"

Live Two, recorded September 15, 2001 focuses on Coil's more challenging, dissonant, and aggressive material they were producing at the time on albums such as Constant Shallowness Leads to Evil and the "Restitution of Decayed Intelligence" EP. Coil are at this point John Balance, Peter Christopherson, Thighpaulsandra, and Tom Edwards. Balance takes the spotlight as vocalist this time, appearing on all tracks. This is as opposed to Live One, where vocals were almost non-existent. The set features only one otherwise-unreleased track, the brutal electronic workout "What Kind of Animal Are You?." Balance rants and raves through this, at one point proclaiming himself a salamander, at others a dog. Make of it what you will, but it is compelling stuff. Coil resurrect "Blood From the Air," which dates back to Horse Rotorvator, in a new, almost lounge version. The set closes with the incredibly intense power electronics of "Constant Shallowness Leads to Evil," sixteen minutes of circulating drone and tortured vocals. This is unforgiving music, not for the timid, but rewarding for Coil fans and fans of experimental music.

3.5 stars