Two 19 minute epics from 2025

(Swans video unavailable, at least for me) - Rope (Away) is amazing, so I just voted for it without giving Dream Theater a listen.

^^ Here it is on bandcamp for those whose region it will not show up in from youtube and don't know it already. And I too find it amazing (that and "Birthing" were the two that stood the most for me at first, EDIT: And "The Healers" of course, whole thing I really like). https://swans.bandcamp.com/track/rope-away

One criticism of both based on these tracks might be that they are rather each repeating their same formulae rather than trying to be innovative and fresh with something new... It's not problem for me with Swans, as I love that kind of Swans.

Edited by Logan - 19 hours 38 minutes ago at 13:44

Swans has been one of the most important bands to me, especially this decade which is when I got to deeply exploring its music especially from Children of God up. I love Swans.

The love for DT is surely unrivalled on this thread…..

Saperlipopette! wrote: Logan wrote: One criticism of both based on these tracks might be that they are rather each repeating their same formulae rather than trying to be innovative and fresh with something new... It's not problem for me with Swans, as I love that kind of Swans. Yes, I noticed that kind of criticism for this latest Swans album. I think it's unfair. I think most great art of all genres and all times comes from artists who has created a universe for themselves to operate within. And Swans' music is still an ever expanding universe, but I believe all their music come from a "Swans-motherlode" - that's theirs only.    Only very few are best at being an ever-changing artistic chameleon, and I don't really look for that quality in art.

I agree with you. It's unmistakably Swans (unless someone ripped them off very well). It's part of a universe of its own creation. And if the next album is something of a throwback to the folkier side of Gira like Angels of Light, My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky, White Light From the Mouth of Infinity, and leaving meaning. music, I won't complain.

Logan wrote: ^^ Here it is on bandcamp for those whose region it will not show up in from youtube and don't know it already. And I too find it amazing (that and "Birthing" were the two that stood the most for me at first, EDIT: And "The Healers" of course, whole thing I really like). https://swans.bandcamp.com/track/rope-away One criticism of both based on these tracks might be that they are rather each repeating their same formulae rather than trying to be innovative and fresh with something new... It's not problem for me with Swans, as I love that kind of Swans.

Yes, but only in terms of style. And I think that's really fine! Both bands have established a recognizable and quite unique style for themselves. Putting out a new record in that signature style is awesome. But they also need to have an important message to communicate. I think that DT kind of hopped over that part when they got together and wrote the album in a hurry. I really think it had the potential of putting them back on the map as the kings of prog metal, had they given it some more thought instead of just going "through the motions".

MikeEnRegalia wrote: Logan wrote: One criticism of both based on these tracks might be that they are rather each repeating their same formulae rather than trying to be innovative and fresh with something new... It's not problem for me with Swans, as I love that kind of Swans. Yes, but only in terms of style. And I think that's really fine! Both bands have established a recognizable and quite unique style for themselves. Putting out a new record in that signature style is awesome. But they also need to have an important message to communicate. I think that DT kind of hopped over that part when they got together and wrote the album in a hurry. I really think it had the potential of putting them back on the map as the kings of prog metal, had they given it some more thought instead of just going "through the motions".

Agreed on style. I have no problem with it. Both releases are very significant ones in heir own ways, and I might have expected Dream Theater to try to be a bit more mind-blowing, I guess, with the return of Portnoy, but seems fine to me. And Gira said that for Swans it is supposed to be the last of the big-sound albums, which makes it something the end of an era. I'd be very happy to see an eclectic album from Swans that has one epic track that leads to one of those big crashing crescendos, some much smaller sounding tracks (with or without a crescendo diminuto, perhaps also known as the little orgasm to some), and a variety of "medium-sound" music (maybe with a "medius crescendo"). ;) I'd like to see the return of Jarboe for one more Swans album. Not only has she had a significant stylistic influence on Gira/Swans, but it brought some wonderful contrast to Swans.

Edited by Logan - 15 hours 52 minutes ago at 17:30

Another Swans vote. I got the Swans album but don't have a proper listen yet, though (Rope) Away was one I liked and remembered from the show I saw last year. For me, style-wise, Swans is going to win over DT. But I did listen to the first 5 minutes of the DT song.