Swans Announce Final Album With Current Lineup, Preview Searing ‘The Glowing Man’

In 2010, Swans returned with My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky after a 13-year breakup. Now, the band has announced their final album, The Glowing Man, with their current lineup and, in the future, frontman Michael Gira plans to release new music with a “revolving cast of collaborators.”

"In 2009 when I made the decision to restart my musical group, Swans, I had no idea where it would lead," Gira said in a press release. "After much thought about how to make this an adventure that would instead lead the music forward into unexpected terrain, I chose the five people with whom to work that I believed would most ably provide a sense of surprise, and even uncertainty, while simultaneously embodying the strength and confidence to ride the river of intention that flows from the heart of the sound wherever it would lead us -- and what's the intention? LOVE!"

The Glowing Man is due out June 17 via Gira’s own Young God label. Ahead of that day, Swans have shared a two-minute, instrumental excerpt of the penultimate title track. Take a listen up above. Gira had the following to say about the new song:

The song ‘The Glowing Man’ contains a section of the song ‘Bring the Sun’ from our previous album, ‘To Be Kind.’ The section is, of course, newly performed and orchestrated to work within its current setting. ‘The Glowing Man’ itself grew organically forward and out of improvisations that took place live during the performance of 'Bring The Sun', so it seemed essential to include that relevant section here. Since over the long and tortured course of the current song's genesis, it had always been such an integral cornerstone I believe we'd have been paralyzed and unable to perform the entire piece at all without it.

The Glowing Man will be issued on double-CD and triple-LP. One CD bundle includes a DVD documenting the band’s 2015 live show. You can place pre-orders right here.

Swans have also unveiled new North American tour dates slated for this summer. Those launch on July 6 in Philadelphia and run through a Sept. 16 show in Phoenix. Then, the band will head to Europe. Find the complete run of dates, along with The Glowing Man’s cover art and track list, at the bottom of the page.

The Glowing Man Track List
1. "Cloud of Forgetting"
2. "Cloud of Unknowing"
3. "The World Looks Red / The World Looks Black"
4. "People Like Us"
5. "Frankie M."
6. "When Will I Return?"
7. "The Glowing Man"
8. "Finally, Peace."

Swans Tour
July 6: Philadelphia PA, Union Transfer *
July 7: Boston MA, Royale Nightclub *
July 8: Providence RI, Fete *
July 9: Quebec QC, Le Cercle *
July 10: Toronto ON, Danforth Music Hall *
July 12: Detroit MI, St Andrews Hall *
July 13: Milwaukee WI, Shank Hall *
July 14: Minneapolis MN, Fine Line Music Cafe *
July 15: Chicago IL, Lincoln Hall *
July 16: Chicago IL, Lincoln Hall *
July 18: Cleveland OH, Beachland Ballroom *
July 19: Cincinnati OH, Woodward Theater *
July 21: Louisville KY, Headliner's Music Hall *
July 22: Atlanta GA, Terminal West *
July 23: Asheville NC, Orange Peel *
July 24: Nashville TN, Exit / In *
July 26: Carrboro NC, Cats Cradle *
July 27: Richmond VA The Broadberry *
July 28: Washington DC, 9:30 CLUB *
July 29: New York NY, Bowery Ballroom *
July 30: Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg *
Sept. 1: Tucson AZ, Rialto Theater ^
Sept. 2: Los Angeles CA, Fonda Theater ^
Sept. 3: San Francisco CA, The Regency Grand Ballroom ^
Sept. 4: Portland OR, Wonder Ballroom ^
Sept. 6: Vancouver BC, Venue ^
Sept. 7: Seattle WA, The Showbox ^
Sept. 9: Salt Lake City UT, Urban Lounge ^
Sept. 10: Denver CO, Gothic Theater ^
Sept. 12: Dallas TX, Trees ^
Sept. 13: Austin TX, Mohawk Austin ^
Sept. 14: San Antonio TX, Paper Tiger ^
Sept. 15: Albuquerque NM, Sunshine Theater ^
Sept. 16: Phoenix AZ, Crescent Ballroom ^
* w/ Okkyung Lee
^ w/ Baby Dee