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Swans – The Great Annihilator
Label: | Young God Records – YG59 |
---|---|
Format: | 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered |
Country: | US |
Released: | |
Genre: | Electronic, Rock |
Style: | Alternative Rock, Folk Rock, Industrial |
Tracklist
A1 | In | 2:22 | |
A2 | I Am The Sun | 3:21 | |
A3 | She Lives | 6:59 | |
A4 | Celebrity Lifestyle | 4:07 | |
B1 | Mother/Father | 4:04 | |
B2 | Blood Promise | 4:15 | |
B3 | Mind/Body/Light/Sound | 4:50 | |
B4 | My Buried Child | 2:56 | |
C1 | Warm | 4:52 | |
C2 | Alcohol The Seed | 3:27 | |
C3 | Killing For Company | 6:51 | |
C4 | Mother's Milk | 2:25 | |
D1 | Where Does A Body End? | 3:36 | |
D2 | Telepathy | 6:05 | |
D3 | The Great Annihilator | 4:54 | |
D4 | Out | 2:15 |
Companies, etc.
- Produced For – Young God Productions
- Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Young God Records
- Copyright © – Young God Records
- Lacquer Cut At – Salt Mastering
- Pressed By – Record Technology Incorporated – 27453
Credits
- Music By – Jarboe (tracks: B4, D4)
- Performer – Algis Kizys*, Clinton Steele, Jarboe, Michael Gira, Norman Westberg, Ted Parsons, Bill Rieflin*
- Producer – M. Gira*
- Words By, Music By – M. Gira*
Notes
Recorded February 1993-June 1994.
Double vinyl and poster. Includes download code for M.Gira solo effort Drainland (1995). Remastered from original mixes in 2017. Copies ordered from the Young God Records website come signed by M. Gira.
Special Webshop unsepcified sub-edition ordered from Jarboe signed with custom paintings on front & back cover.
Track B3 is listed as "Mind/Body/Light/Sound" on the jacket and "Mind/Light/Body/Sound" on the record label.
Double vinyl and poster. Includes download code for M.Gira solo effort Drainland (1995). Remastered from original mixes in 2017. Copies ordered from the Young God Records website come signed by M. Gira.
Special Webshop unsepcified sub-edition ordered from Jarboe signed with custom paintings on front & back cover.
Track B3 is listed as "Mind/Body/Light/Sound" on the jacket and "Mind/Light/Body/Sound" on the record label.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
- Rights Society: ASCAP
- Matrix / Runout (Runout Side A (Etched)): YG-59 A 27453.1(2)...
- Matrix / Runout (Runout Side B (Etched)): YG-59 B SALT 27453.2(2)...
- Matrix / Runout (Runout Side C (Etched)): YG-59 C 27453.3(2)...
- Matrix / Runout (Runout Side D (Etched)): YG-59 D SALT 27453.4(2)...
- Barcode (Sticker): 881626504611
Other Versions (5 of 20)View All
Title (Format) | Label | Cat# | Country | Year | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Recently Edited | The Great Annihilator (Cassette, Album, Promo) | Vital (2) | YG CD 009 | UK | 1994 | ||
New Submission | The Great Annihilator (CD, Album, Promo) | Invisible | INV035 | US | 1994 | ||
New Submission | The Great Annihilator (CD, Album, Promo) | Young God Records | YGCD009 | Europe | 1994 | ||
New Submission | The Great Annihilator (Cassette, Album, Promo) | Vital (2) | YG CD 009 | UK | 1994 | ||
Recently Edited | The Great Annihilator (CD, Album) | Invisible | INV 035-2 | US | 1995 |
Recommendations
Reviews

Edited one year ago
In the words of M. Gira regarding the original 1994 master:
"I have long been uneasy with the sound of the mastered version of The Great Annihilator (and it's companion, contemporaneous solo album, Drainland, included here in this new release). For whatever reason things drifted out of hand at the time, and there was never enough time or money to untangle the sonic knots created by the original unsatisfactory mastering that took place until now. It was with the utmost alacrity that I received the news recently from my friend Bill Rieflin that he had discovered the original (after much digging), unmastered mixes for both albums in his archives. We were able to proceed now with lovingly mastering both Great Annihilator and Drainland from these virgin sources, with our right hand mastering man Doug Henderson in Berlin, Germany. I have to say I'm rather pleased with the result. It's one of those instances where it's like hearing the thing for the first time again. I hope you enjoy the experience."
Regarding pressing plants, the quality standard and consistency at RTI (2017 release) is at least as good as that of MPO (1994 release).
I bought the original TGA cd upon release and thought it was absolutely stunning, and consider it their creative peak.
Though I've never heard the original MPO vinyl release, I am fairly certain it must sound very good given the reliability of MPO pressings. However, regardless of the cost for an original 1994 pressing, I immediately bought the RTI remastered reissue upon release at YGR, because:
1) it was sourced from the original unmastered source recordings and,
2) I've never come across an RTI pressing that wasn't superior in every way, and
3) compared to most other musicians, I very much trust M. Gira's integrity regarding the oversight of sound mastering and vinyl pressings for YGR.
And thankfully, to my ears, the remastered reissue sounds as spectacular as the subject matter deserves, with top-notch gatefold packaging, insert w/notes, and poster to boot, so it's very difficult to imagine a better version in vinyl format.
"I have long been uneasy with the sound of the mastered version of The Great Annihilator (and it's companion, contemporaneous solo album, Drainland, included here in this new release). For whatever reason things drifted out of hand at the time, and there was never enough time or money to untangle the sonic knots created by the original unsatisfactory mastering that took place until now. It was with the utmost alacrity that I received the news recently from my friend Bill Rieflin that he had discovered the original (after much digging), unmastered mixes for both albums in his archives. We were able to proceed now with lovingly mastering both Great Annihilator and Drainland from these virgin sources, with our right hand mastering man Doug Henderson in Berlin, Germany. I have to say I'm rather pleased with the result. It's one of those instances where it's like hearing the thing for the first time again. I hope you enjoy the experience."
Regarding pressing plants, the quality standard and consistency at RTI (2017 release) is at least as good as that of MPO (1994 release).
I bought the original TGA cd upon release and thought it was absolutely stunning, and consider it their creative peak.
Though I've never heard the original MPO vinyl release, I am fairly certain it must sound very good given the reliability of MPO pressings. However, regardless of the cost for an original 1994 pressing, I immediately bought the RTI remastered reissue upon release at YGR, because:
1) it was sourced from the original unmastered source recordings and,
2) I've never come across an RTI pressing that wasn't superior in every way, and
3) compared to most other musicians, I very much trust M. Gira's integrity regarding the oversight of sound mastering and vinyl pressings for YGR.
And thankfully, to my ears, the remastered reissue sounds as spectacular as the subject matter deserves, with top-notch gatefold packaging, insert w/notes, and poster to boot, so it's very difficult to imagine a better version in vinyl format.

Edited one year ago
Not sure if its just me, but my copy has some...errors? Not sure how to phrase that. Like, the sound will cut out for a fraction of a second in either the left or right speaker, happens on almost every song. Really fucking annoying, but sounds good otherwise. Also, i think Mind/Body/Light/Sound is a different take than the original, but maybe im just misremembering. EDIT: Got the opportunity to hear an original press, sounds significantly better.
Top pressing. A big improvement compared to the original CD. Sounds uncompressed and harmoniously balanced. Free of any noise. I am really happy to finally enjoy my favourite tracks "Blood promise" and "Mind/Body/Light/Sound" with great sound quality. All swans reissues have been carefully done and with great quality but this is the best. It has restored and highlighted to the maximum this amazing album.