The Seer is the 12th studio album from Swans. Formed in 1982 by Michael Gira, the New York City-based band has contributed to the development of genres like noise rock, post-punk, industrial, and post-rock, and its experimental approach to writing music has continued through its long, illustrious career. Originally released in 2012, this record is grand and cathartic, an intense sonic journey full of ambient noise, folk textures, and harrowing melodies. According to Gira, the album took "30 years to make," as "it's the culmination of every previous Swans album as well as any other music I've ever made, been involved in or imagined." As such, listeners will need to take some time to really process the dense, hypnotic 11-tracker. Highlights include "Mother of the World," "Lunacy," "93 Ave. Blues," and "A Piece of the Sky," but this record should be enjoyed from beginning to end.

• 3-panel gatefold cover
• music label: Young God Records 2012

reviewed by rei kwondo 08/18