Swans – “Eden Prison”

Michael Gira and Swans, back in the devil’s saddle after 13 years.

Michael Gira the great human hell mouth behind Young God Records and spectral drone alt-country group Angels of Light has officially reconvened his legendary horsemen of the urban apocalypse Swans after a hiatus of thirteen years. Armed with a new album due out September 27th titled My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky, Swans are ready to embark into new lands. Gira makes it perfectly clear that,”THIS IS NOT A REUNION. It’s not some dumb-ass nostalgia act. It is not repeating the past. After 5 Angels Of Light albums, I needed a way to move FORWARD, in a new direction, and it just so happens that revivifying the idea of Swans is allowing me to do that.”

Listening to the seventh track on the album, “Eden Prison” illustrates just how much has changed from from 1997. The production is wider, all encompassing and just as heavy and dark. Gira’s voice has concentrated itself from his time with Angels of Light, forgoing the razor ballistics of early Swans for the deep internal furnace of an apocryphal demagogue. The doom infused drone of the song is just as gratifyingly orchestrated as ever. Makes you wanna topple some skyscrapers.

Here’s the Tracklist:

1: “No Words/No Thoughts”
2: “Reeling the Liars In”
3: “Jim”
4: “My Birth”
5: “You Fucking People Make Me Sick”
6: “Inside Madeline”
7: “Eden Prison”
8: “Little Mouth”

Stream “Eden Prison” below and check out their upcoming European and North American tour dates. They aren’t coming to Seattle this time around but don’t worry, they’ll destroy us eventually.

9/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Theater *
9/29 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat *
9/30 – Boston, MA @ Middle East downstairs *
10/01 – Montreal, QC @ Le National (Pop Montreal Fest) *
10/02 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace *
10/04 – Detroit, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom *
10/05 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge *
10/06 – Columbus, OH @ Outland Live *
10/08 – Brooklyn, NY @ Masonic Temple *
10/09 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
10/21 – Cork, Ireland @ Cyprus Avenue ^
10/22 – Dublin, Ireland @ Button Factory ^
10/23 – TBA
10/24 – Birmingham, UK @ Supersonic Festival ^
10/25 – Glasgow, Scotland @ Arches ^
10/27 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2 ^
10/28 – London, UK @ Koko Theatre ^
10/29 – Leeds, UK @ Uni Stylus ^
10/30 – Manchester UK @ Academy ^
11/23 – Gronignen, Netherlands @ VERA ^
11/24 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ Le Guess Who Fest at Tivoli de Helling ^
11/25 – Brussels @ Belgium AB ^
11/26 – Lille, France @ Le Grande Mix ^
11/27 – Rouen, France @ 106 Club ^
11/28 – Paris, France @ BBMIX festival ^
11/30 – Toulouse, France @ Le Phare ^
12/01 – Lyon, France @ Epicerie Modern ^
12/02 – Geneva, Switzerland @ L’Usine ^
12/03 – Turin, Italy @ Musica90 c/o Sala Espace ^
12/04 – Bologna, Italy @ Locomotive Club ^
12/05 – Roma, Italy @ Piper Club ^
12/07 – Vienna, Austria @ at Arena ^
12/08 – Prague, Czech @ Akropolis ^
12/09 – Wroclaw, Poland @ Firlej ^
12/10 – Warsaw, Poland @ Palladium ^
12/12 – Hamburg, Germany @ Kampnagel ^
12/13 – Berlin, Germany @ Volksbuehne ^

* w/ Baby Dee
^ w/ James Blackshaw

Swans – ‘Eden Prison’ by theQuietus