Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky

Having previously shelved his seminal post-punk band back in 1997, Young God Records founder Michael Gira has continued to write under his Angels of Light moniker whilst floating the possibility that he may one day resurrect Swans. Come 2010 and Gira has made good – returning (sans Jarboe) with the epically titled My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky.

For those who invested in 2010 solo release I am Not Insane, much of the material here will be familiar – albeit in a significantly reworked format – with You Fucking People Make Me Sick being the single previously unreleased track on show. In the context of Swans latter output, My Father… is typically challenging, with the lead-heavy opener No Words/No Thoughts treading over nine minutes of distorted abstraction; mixing imperial, instrumental ascents with Gira’s shadowed vocals. It’s a polarizing gambit, and a sure sign that Swans have returned with an uncompromising (and nihilistic) intent. [Paul Neeson]