Unnatural History III was the third in a series of three compilation albums by Coil

Coil (band)

Coil were an English cross-genre, experimental music group formed in 1982 by John Balance—later credited as "Jhonn Balance"—and his partner Peter Christopherson, aka "Sleazy". The duo worked together on a series of releases before Balance chose the name Coil, which he claimed to be...

. Unlike Stolen & Contaminated Songs

Stolen & Contaminated Songs

Stolen & Contaminated Songs was the first of two albums recorded and produced by the band Coil in 1992. This CD includes outtakes and unreleased songs from Love's Secret Domain album....

and Gold Is the Metal with the Broadest Shoulders

Gold Is The Metal With The Broadest Shoulders

Gold Is the Metal with the Broadest Shoulders was the third album released by Coil in the year 1987. It is not a proper follow-up to 1986's Horse Rotorvator, but more a collection of outtakes and demos from the Scatology, Horse Rotorvator and Hellraiser soundtrack sessions...

, Unnatural History III collects songs from more than a single era of Coil's work. The album is subtitled "Joyful Participation in the Sorrows of the World".

Song origins

"First Dark Ride" was originally released on the Coil vs. The Eskaton 12″ "Nasa Arab

Nasa Arab

Nasa Arab was the only release ever to be credited to "Coil Vs. The Eskaton". "The Eskaton", however, is Coil, so the release is basically, though not officially, just by Coil. The 12" release was limited to 2500 copies....

". "Baby Food" was originally released on the compilation Chaos in Expansion. "Music for Commercials" originally appeared on the 10″ & cassette versions of The Unreleased Themes for Hellraiser

The Unreleased Themes For Hellraiser

The Unreleased Themes for Hellraiser was the fourth album that Coil released in the year 1987. The album was released on the CD, cassette and 10″ vinyl...

. According to John Balance

John Balance

John Balance , born in Mansfield, England, was the founder of the experimental music group Coil, along with his partner Peter Christopherson...

, "Panic" was mislabeled in the CD booklet as being the 'Dionysian' remix, commenting, "But then again, isn't everything Dionysian."http://brainwashed.com/common/htdocs/discog/loci12.html "Neither His nor Yours" was originally released on the compilation A Diamond Hidden in the Mouth of a Corpse

A Diamond Hidden in the Mouth of a Corpse

A Diamond Hidden in the Mouth of a Corpse is a 1985 compilation released on the Giorno Poetry Systems label.-Track listing:...

. "Feeder" was originally released on the album Core - A Conspiracy International Project by Conspiracy International, a label run by Throbbing Gristle

Throbbing Gristle

Throbbing Gristle were an English industrial, avant-garde music and visual arts group that evolved from the performance art group COUM Transmissions...

 members Chris & Cosey. "Wrong Eye" and "Scope" were originally released on the 7" single "Wrong Eye/Scope

Wrong Eye/Scope

Wrong Eye/Scope was a 7" vinyl single by Coil released by the record company Shock, with the catalogue number SX 002. This vinyl was pressed in black, with covers of four different colors . 1,000 copies included green covers. 1,000 copies included yellow covers. 974 copies included white covers. 26...

". These two songs were released along with "Meaning What Exactly?" on the compilation The Portable Altamont in 1993. "Lost Rivers of London" was originally released on the Ptolemaic Terrascope benefit compilation Succour. The song was later remade and released as "London's Lost Rivers" on the vinyl release of the Black Light District album A Thousand Lights in a Darkened Room

A Thousand Lights In A Darkened Room

A Thousand Lights In A Darkened Room is the only release by the group Black Light District. Although this is not an official Coil release, "Black Light District" was merely an alias for the group...

.

Additional information

John Balance

John Balance

John Balance , born in Mansfield, England, was the founder of the experimental music group Coil, along with his partner Peter Christopherson...

 and Peter Christopherson

Peter Christopherson

Peter Martin Christopherson, a.k.a. Sleazy was a musician, video director and designer, and former member of the influential British design agency Hipgnosis....

 are credited for participating on all tracks. Chris Carter

Chris Carter (musician)

Chris Carter was born on January 28, 1953 in London, England and educated at the Friern Barnet Grammar School. He is best known for being a synthesist and member of Throbbing Gristle and Chris & Cosey...

 and Cosey Fanni Tutti

Cosey Fanni Tutti

Cosey Fanni Tutti is best known as a performance artist and for her time in Throbbing Gristle and Chris & Cosey....

 are credited for participating on track 6. Drew McDowall

Drew McDowall

Drew McDowall is a Scottish musician, most notably as a member, collaborator and remixer for influential music groups...

 is credited for participating on tracks 1,2 and 10. Steven Thrower is credited for participating on tracks 3 through 9. J. G. Thirlwell

J. G. Thirlwell

James George Thirlwell , aka Clint Ruin, aka Frank Want, aka Foetus, is an Australian vocalist, composer and record producer...

 is credited for co-producing "Panic". Andrew Poppy

Andrew Poppy

Andrew Poppy is an English composer, pianist, and record producer.-Biography:From 1974 to 1979 he studied music at Royal Holloway College and Goldsmiths College University of London, studying piano with Susan Bradshaw and earning a B.M...

 is credited for participating on "Video Recorder". Billy McGhee is credited for participating on "Airline 1" and playing double bass on "Panic". Martyn Phillips is credited for engineering on the remix of "Panic". Nick Blinko

Nick Blinko

Nick Blinko is a British musician, lyricist, and artist best known as the lead singer, lyricist and guitar player for the British band Rudimentary Peni...

 is credited for the cover artwork.

"Music for Commercials" was remastered from the cassette version of The Unreleased Themes for Hellraiser

The Unreleased Themes For Hellraiser

The Unreleased Themes for Hellraiser was the fourth album that Coil released in the year 1987. The album was released on the CD, cassette and 10″ vinyl...

, because the masters were lost.

Track listing

1. "First Dark Ride" – 10:53
2. "Baby Food" – 12:32
3. "Music for Commercials: A) Airline 1, B) Liqueur, C) Perfume, D) Video Recorder, E) Airline 2, F) Natural Gas, G) Cosmetic 1, H) Cosmetic 2, I) Analgesic, J) Road Surface, K) Accident Insurance" – 8:45
4. "Panic (12" Version)" – 7:34
5. "Neither His nor Yours" – 2:50
6. "Feeder" – 8:41
7. "Wrong Eye" – 5:59
8. "Meaning What Exactly?" – 3:45
9. "Scope" – 6:37
10. "Lost Rivers of London" – 7:41