Zos Kia/Coil — Transparent
The sound found here is freeform analog sludge, not unlike the live performances of Throbbing Gristle or Psychic TV. Infinite delays are applied to simplistic, vaguely metallic percussive pulses. Raw wails of twice distorted signals entwine around the phasing repetitions, emitting from blown amplifiers. It is thoroughly of its time, one of countless meandering impromptu noise sessions from the 80's. Various industrial cliches are present, such as the use of long dialogue samples, particularly morbid stories (a rape scene, in this case) and the same lengthy Charles Manson monologue that contains the phrase "now is the only thing that's real" (as used in Skinny Puppy's "Worlock").
It doesn't have any particular charisma or focus to it, to my ears. It would have disappeared amidst thousands of similar improv sessions had its creators not gone on to do something significantly more memorable. A voice that could be John Balance occassionally screams short, nondescript phrases such as "I want it out!", but never really presents any overt personality. There is a female vocalist as well (Min Kent), producing a similar effect to Cosey's spoken vocals on "Heathen Earth" much of the time. She screams bloody murder in incredibly shrill fashion for "Poisons", which is surely intended to be alarming, but ends up mostly grating. The album's supposed darkness is not convincing.
I have often told people this album was worthless, and not worth investigation. This is because I listened to it hoping for something of what I loved about Coil, and didn't find it. Coil is notable for minimalism, attention to detail, their enlightened sense of focus and unique psychedelic persona. On "Transparent", these things had yet to emerge from the sea of undirected experimentalism that existed in 1983. In my opinion, Coil wouldn't really hit their stride until the 90's, beginning with "The Angelic Conversation" and "Love's Secret Domain".
There is no point in hoping that re-issues of this material will correct its problems; being a live recording, not much clean up is possible. It remains heavy on the treble and dynamically unbalanced. There isn't much musical substance to unearth, anyway. It is clearly the work of unskilled and inexperienced individuals.
This re-issue does include two tracks never heard before, under the artist name "AKE", tagged as 'pre-Zos Kia'. "Rape Live @ Equinox", is a retread of Min Kent's shrill screaming, and should have been left off. "No Mas" is pure harsh noise modulation, a mutilation of radio signals that brings me back to the experience of listening to the Merzbox, and Akita's early work. It is notable mostly for the particular color of its indistinct vintage fidelity.
Indeed, if there is any strength to this album, it is that there is some good noise to found on it, and has a general intensity of spirit. From the detuned doom metal guitar tone of "Sicktone" to the phasing sirens of "Baptism of Fire", there is a satisfying crunch that should gratify those with a taste for the particular timbres created by vintage noisemakers.
Ultimately, I would say this album only holds interest if you are a die hard fan of improvised early 80's industrial, in all of its shrill, sloppily recorded, confrontational anti-musicality. If you enjoy Coil for their luminous, carefully crafted sound design, you will likely turn this album off quickly after it begins. It isn't the worst industrial jam I've heard, but it never rises above mediocre, either.