Swans – Cop

I will never forget the moment I played the record for very the first time, back in early 90s as teenager. Only had read about the band, "dangerous emotions", never heard still. Half Life ..FUCK... what is this...that dark, brutal, hypnotic and mystic in some way, slow as blood,. I was into punk and hardcore, Sonic Youth, Neubauten,,yes, but this annihilates everything, like Thurston said, in a battle Swans will be the only survivor. Dense and minimalistic, each instrument sound like the best ever heard, those explosive drums, that reverb on snare, bass, guitar, Michael Gira singing about alienation and submission in hallucinated mantras. I only a similar experience of first , same room same era, with a Spanish band called 713avo Amor, later became friends and we shared the ion for Swans. Get this first era records on vinyl, the sound experience is more important here. Go to see them. Sadly they don't play old songs anymore, but in first reunion tours I saw "I Crawl" and "Coward".

This is a record I've loved for so long, and even after all that time, after all the saturation of fucked up dark music I've listened to, after all the grim shit I've subjected myself to in horror cinema, this record makes all that shit seem tame. Simply the greatest record by one of the greatest bands ever. A repress is sorely needed!!!

Bought this on release and it came with the inner-sleeve from Coil' 'Scatology' also on K.422 (which I also had bought). The opposite is noted for the Coil album release notes as a factory mistake.Is this a similiar known detail? Incidentally, stunning work; took 'Rock' to one of its farthest reaches and did do largely alone. This is in a era when everyone was trying to be 'fast' (Hardcore Punk, Speed/Thrash Metal). Swans glided past them all...slowly...in a more mature, cerebral, and graceful way, albeit somewhat terrifying.

This thing is crying for a reissue. Swans are one of the best bands ever so it is hard to rank their discography, but Cop rips harder than anything they ever did with the possible exception of parts of To Be Kind and The Glowing Man.

We need a repress , please please please please please please

sounds incredible, slow grueling violence. i believe their best work.

Got it and it’s absolutely amazing HEAVY AS HELL AND LOUD definitely worth the prices If you dig this album

I personally like how this sounds much better than the CD remaster, specifically the drums and bass sound way better. Obviously, the guitar is a lot more...clear? on the remaster, though I'd say this is a better listening experience.

This needs repress!