The current scarcity of quality rock music within the mainstream during the last decade has certainly been felt. Although there are many rock-influenced fusions that produce quality music, it seems that the self proclaimed “rockstars” of this generation are cash-grabbing derivative clowns that attempt to tear a piece of cloth away from a bygone era of music. Many critics claim that the lack of sonic progression within rock music could mean the death of the genre altogether. This claim might apply to the mainstream (god willing), but the underground continues to produce some of the most intriguing rock music to date. 

Since their early days as a no-wave, noise, and post-punk band in the early 80’s, Micheal Gira’s Swans has earned a reputation as the undisputed game changer in underground and experimental rock. The band itself has gone through a number of changes since the original lineup, switching genre bases multiple times throughout the 90’s until the band’s eventual breakup in 2003. The band would later reform with a larger group supporting Gira’s talents, releasing an album teasing a new sound in 2010. But it would take two years for the band’s ambition to come to fruition. 

In 2012, The Seer was released. This was Swans’ first attempt at a more meditative, less hardcore, more progressive-based sound. The album received rave reviews from critics, celebrating the epic comeback of the underground rock scene’s beloved enigma. The excitement wouldn’t stop there though, as Swans’ most critically acclaimed album yet, To be Kind, would be released in 2014. To be Kind embodied the band’s aggressive nature perfectly, but with the same long songs, repetitive soundscapes, and odd vocals that The Seer delivered. This was far from the end, as the Swans magnum opus had yet to be released.

In 2016, Frontman Micheal Gira announced that the final album, The Glowing Man, would complete the revered trilogy of the 2010s. The first single, “When Will I Return” was a deeply depressing song, with a quiet instrumental. The song’s vocals are sung by Micheal Gira’s wife, who tells her story of being sexually assaulted. This song is (relatively) short, impactful, and heavily dismal. But doesn’t even begin to describe the sonic floodgates that would open when the full album was released. 

This progressive masterpiece begins with the contrasting songs, Cloud of Forgetting / Cloud of Unknowing. Cloud of Forgetting is a cloudy, soft piece of ambient rock, with gradual vocal passages delivered in Micheal Gira’s very somber and monotonous voice. But Cloud of Unknowing is a massive piece of prog rock and noise, with a static, noisy intro. The song then transforms into a cult-like chant of building vocals that reach a peak at the 7 minute mark of the song. 

These two songs contain vague and creepy lyrics, speaking about common themes within Swans catalog; things like God, The Sun, Death, and other vaguely esoteric concepts. This trend continues with the cinematic and creepy “The World Looks Red/The World Looks Black”. The second double track on the album is not only shorter, but noticeably darker than the first two tracks. 

The next song, “People Like Us” is a very touching reflection on humanity. Or more specifically, human insanity. Just like any other Swans song, the lyrics are unpredictable and dark, with a very emotional potency, But the instrumental on the track is what shines brightest. The perfect guitars and piano chords are very pleasing to the ear, although simple. The album ends on its peak, with the 28 minute masterpiece title track. 

The oddity of this song is almost indescribable. The constant shifts in tempo and dynamics make it impossible to pin down, as one passage leads into another so seamlessly. The song changes eight times total, but still feels cohesive. That’s the key of this album. Chaos within music is something that’s hard to control, as there is a line where it becomes too odd. Swans make a habit of always treading that line, but making enjoyable music. 

This is easily one of the best rock albums of the 2010s. Ambitious, beautiful, and the artistic trajectory is always apparent, despite the odd lyrics and musical groves. It’s certainly not an easy listen, but an INFINITELY rewarding one, as any music fan can walk away with an appreciation for oddities after hearing “The Glowing Man”.