The rock scene in the late 70s and early 80s in New York was interesting to say the least. Various experimental rock genres such as “no-wave” and other variants of noise-rock were born in the city during this time; some bands lasting for just a few years such as the no-wave group, Teenage Jesus and The Jerks, and others going on to make music for decades such as experimental noise-rock adjacent, Sonic Youth. Among the bands that stood the test of time is the experimental group, Swans; in fact, the band is still active today with and released a new album on 30th of May. With this new release let’s go back to the band’s origins and revisit their debut album, Filth, as it turns 43 this month.
Filth was released May 27th, 1983 and was the first studio album that the band put out. The album is a relatively short listen at just 36 minutes long with nine songs. The album starts off with the track “Stay Here” which has an almost industrial sound with its bassy, grinding, mechanical guitar tone. Really, I’d say the whole album has a sort of industrial feel to it; though, at its heart, it’s definitely a noise-rock record. Fuzz, distortion, static, feedback, and a bass-like drum beat are prioritized throughout the album.
Now, I wouldn’t say that Filth is one of the best noise-rock records considering that there are a vast number of albums that I find to have more interesting concepts and musicality, especially around the time Filth was released. However, for the noise-industrial fusion that it is, I do still think it’s really successful in its execution. While I think there are better albums, this album is still really good. Granted, that’s not really an unpopular opinion, the album is viewed as a sort of classic within the noise-rock genre. The album also has this, for lack of a better word, punk-like ethos to it, not just in style but in spirit. The album has a theme of aggression laced throughout it that I find works pretty well with its industrial-tinged music.
Overall, my return to this album was a positive one. I wouldn’t say it’s remarkable, but it’s pretty good at being what it is: an experimental noise-rock record with some industrial flare. I think it’s successful in its execution, has some interesting concepts featured, and has some really cool production on it. It’s one of those albums where you can understand why it’s been given its classic status; it’s proved to be incredibly influential. It was on Kurt Cobain’s top 50, so the album has definitely had its impact on modern rock. In short, if you’re also into this type of rock and haven’t checked out this album, I’d definitely recommend you to do so.
