Holy Money [Import] [CD-single]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
The second single off the 2002 album, 'Cruelty Without Beauty'. The title track is backed with two non-LP tracks, 'Perversity' & 'The Night' (Almighty Mix). Cooking Vinyl. 2003.

Tracks:

Half Life
Job
Why Hide
Clay Man
Your Property
Cop
Butcher
Thug
I Crawled
Raping A Slave
Young God
This Is Mine
Sealed In Skin
Fool

Tracks:

Time Is Money (Bastard)
Money Is Flesh
Another You
Blackmail
A Screw (Holy Money)
Fool #2
Stupid Child
Anything For You
Nobody
A Screw
Heaven
Coward
A Hanging
You Need Me
Greed

Amazon.com

This double-disc set compiles the complete material from three LPs and one EP released during the Swans' early years: 1984 through 1986. The band's general sound is that of a grungey electric guitar dirge, angry and sullen, not unlike a cross between a slowed down Killing Joke and Lou Reed's Street Hassle. The material is slow and methodical, somewhat spartan, with raspy semi-spoken vocals coming across like some anti-Western mantra. The first, earlier disc is the most stripped down--fuzzed guitars and bass, with a plodding beat. The second disc, although maintaining the same style, features a larger band and fuller sound, with occasional keyboards, female voices, and more complex drum patterns. The Swans' music is very unsettling, seeming at once angry and heavily medicated, as if the composer's rage is being filtered through a haze of antidepressants. It is also very good at conveying this combination of fog and emotion on a visceral level. --Michael C. Mahan

Customer Reviews:

At the Mercy of the Young God.......2007-07-14

Having been a Swans appreciator for many years, I can say this set of recordings stands as the pinnacle of the harsh and bludgening style they had cultivated in their early years, and among my personal favorites. Punishing as the music may be, here it is a finely honed and maticulously crafted monlolith of sound designed for catharsis and amidst personal suffering, given the right attitude. Perhaps only Swans devotees will truly appreciate the quality of expression on this album, but it stands as a major achievement for a highly unique & uncompromising band, as well as an important historical document of a major influence on underground music. It would be unfair to label this recording as "noise", "industrial", "post-punk" or whatever label you may be tempted to attach to it; it stands as it is. More often than not, the more difficult music makes for more rewarding listening. *Caveat Emptor: this is NOT an album to listen too if you are abjectly depressed and are considering offing yourself.

The best tracks in the set, in my opinion, are: "Half Life", "I Crawled", "Time is Money (Bastard)", "Money is Flesh", "A Screw (Holy Money" and "A Hanging".

Eldritch moods and agony in droves.......2007-02-24

Make no mistake about it, Swans are one of the most imporant bands of our time. Considering they certainly can't be pigeonholed as a mere metal, ambient, or industrial act; they somehow transcended normal classification to craft some of the most depressing and loathesome music in history. Along with this double disc, and "Filth" / "Body to Body, Job to Job", they should all be listened to in one sitting, to achieve the appropriate (hopefully desired) effect.

At a snails pace, these nightmarish soundscapes will slowly begin to sink into the subconscious realm. Gradually over time, it crawls right under your skin and festers. I'm of the opinion that these particular albums and ep's capture the true essences of dread and paranoia. The guitar "riffs" are rather disjointed and off-kilter, always keeping the listener off balance. The drums also pound and plod along in the same manner; think jazz on downers and in a really bad mood. Gira's vocals apathetically wail and shout, with an underlying sense of misanthropy. It sounds as if he just doesn't care, which is something I enjoy about his vocal style. The approach is very cynical; for these are the hatefilled and emotionless messages of a calloused soul. As for the lyrics? Minimalist and depraved. They represent all the grotesque, and oppressive thoughts and actions that are inherent in man and his societies.

I should briefly mention that I consider myself to be an enthusiast of avant-garde, and (eccentric) extreme music. I tend to listen to a lot of Doom and Dark Ambient, for it helps create the dark mood, and that sense of hopelessness, which I happen to enjoy.
Swans, however, are certainly not a metal band, yet somehow they were years ahead of their time, creating music that would scare the living daylights out of most "br00tal" death metal, and even the heaviest of doom bands.
This sort of musical expression is what naturally flowed out of Michael Gira and Co. I don't believe their approach was to be the heaviest, or a metal act; Swans simply were. Their emotions, ideas, and abilities came oozing forth from their darkest depths, and these are the end results of such pioneering musicians.

Too dissonant for the average listener, and too "artsy" and industrialized (not the pseudo, dance/pop nonsense that is passed off as such) for the staunch metal aficionado.
This is only for the most extreme and open-minded individuals, who appreciate music for it's abilitiy to create a mood, and leave a lasting impression. Personally, I could listen to this era of Swans all day long; there must be something wrong with me.

Note: A few years after Swans released these milestones, a band came along known as Godflesh. Godflesh was fronted by Justin Broadrick, who was also a member of Head of David and early Napalm Death. If you happen to listen to their debut self titled album, you'll notice a major resemblance to Cop/Young God/Greed/Holy Money; it's almost uncanny. Coincidentally, Ted Parsons is now in the band jesu with Mr. J.K. They are also worth your attention.

I'm going to recommend only one band who can contend with the audible horror of Swans; the beast known as Khanate (r.i.p.).

Astonishingly Difficult.......2006-09-21

I bought this double album in 2000, while in college and rapidly expanding my highly eclectic music collection. I sold it within the year. I simply could not handle it. Open-minded but not knowing what to expect, I was scared by this dismal noise and shockingly bleak poetry. Though I haven't heard this "music" for quite awhile now, I still distinctly remember the sound and the dull, dark pressure it caused in my chest, as I forced myself to sit through both discs in their entirety. How unfortunate for me now that this CD is difficult to find, as my tastes have expanded to include extremely challenging music. This early SWANS material is such a challenge.

Beautiful.......2006-06-08

As many others have said, this is just so intense it's ridiculous. I remember when I used to think things like Soundgarden was heavy. What a young teenage fool I was.

This is perfect essentially. It doesn't resort to melody at any point, unlike Swans later material, which I don't like as much, but I understand you can't carry on playing stuff like this forever.

The thing I love about these early records is that no one type of music fan seems to get it. Every metaller I know hates it and obviously people into pop think you're mad for listening to it. It only seems to be the most open minded of people that like swans.

I still remember the first time I heard Raping A Slave. I had never heard ANYTHING like that before. I was quite stoned. It was terrifying.

So to anyone listening to what KERRANG!!!! etc claim is heavy, buy this and learn the truth. Just don't play it to a girl in the early stages of your relationship (unless she's a fan, well done you) as she will be convinced you're a rapist.

By the way, if you can pick up the 'A Long Slow Screw' VHS anywhere, buy it and see just how truly nihilistic they were live at this point.

The most brutal and heaviest music recorded........2006-06-01

Swans are just brutal and relentless. It's just audio insanity at a monolithic pace. Like one reviewer here said, there is absolutely no middle ground when listening to Swans. You will either love it or loathe it. It demands that you play it loud.

This was music I listened to when I was an alcoholic, drinking alone at night. It has an extremely disturbing aura to it, particularly when listened to at maximum volume (as suggested on the the album covers of the original releases).

If you are a fan of the new "doom" stuff out there like Sunn O))), Khanate or Boris, you absolutely have to listen to this. This is "music" that is so heavy and devasting, words really fail to do it justice.

I still listen to these old records, even though I don't drink anymore.

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