Swans – The Great Annihilator

Swans are an American experimental rock band formed in 1982 by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. One of few acts to emerge from the New York City-based no wave scene and stay intact into the next decade, Swans have become recognized for an ever-changing sound, exploring genres such as noise rock, post-punk, industrial and post-rock. Initially, their music was known for its sonic brutality and misanthropic lyrics. Following the addition of singer, songwriter and keyboardist Jarboe in 1986, Swans began to incorporate melody and intricacy into their music. Jarboe remained the band’s only constant member except Gira and semi-constant guitarist Norman Westberg until their dissolution in 1997. In 2010, Gira re-formed the band without Jarboe, establishing a stable lineup of musicians which has toured worldwide and released more albums to critical acclaim. The Great Annihilator is their ninth studio album, released on January 1995. The album has been described by Gira as a companion album to his solo album Drainland (1995) which is also included in this release as a digital download. The Great Annihilator received a generally positive reception from critics, with AllMusic calling it “an epic, incredible work of art.”

2 x LP
Includes Download Code For Drainland album
Label: Young God Records
Cat. # YG59