As we previously reported with great excitement and much wailing and gnashing of teeth, the mighty Swans are set to release their new album The Seer on August 27th, featuring a dizzying array of guest names: Ben Frost, Akron/Family, former Swans vocalist Jarboe, Karen O and Low, among others. You can read the full details about the album here.

But, as Luke Turner pointed out in his review of Michael Gira and co's recent live LP We Rose From Your Bed With The Sun In Our Head, where the band really shine is in the live arena. So we're happy to report that they've announced a massive series of dates (see below) that runs through North America, the UK and Europe from October to December, calling in London, Glasgow and Manchester along the way.

Expect an experience that's "in one moment transcendental, masochistic, liberating and an act of feeling subjugated to brute force expressed through the bloodying lashes of sound. They are a 'with us or against' us kind of band, Old Testament in their offering and demanding of zeal and commitment. This is, of course, a very good thing."

The tour dates run as follows:

OCTOBER
10th - New York, Bowery Ballroom
11th - Boston, MA, Paradise Rock Club
12th - Washington DC, Black Cat Mainstage
13th - Philadelphia, Union Transfer
14th - Raleigh, NC, Lincoln Theatre
16th - Orlando, FL, The Social
17th - West Palm Beach, FL
18th - Tallahassee, FL, Club Downunder
19th - Atlanta, GA, Terminal West
23rd - St Louis, MO, Firebird
24th - Chicago, IL, Cabaret Metro
25th - Toronto, ON, Lee’s Palace
26th - Montreal, QC, La Tulipe

NOVEMBER
1st - Reykjavik, Iceland Airwaves
15th - London, Koko
16th - Glasgow, The Arches
17th - Manchester, Sound Control
19th - Paris, Le Trabendo
20th - Nijmegen, Doornroosje
21st - Haarlem, Patronaat
22nd - Hamburg, Kampnagel
23rd - Copenhagen, Det Kgl. Danske Konservatories Koncertsal
24th - Oslo, Parkeatret
27th - Prague, Lucenra Music Bar
28th - Vienna, Arena Big Hall
30th - Bologna, Locomotiv

DECEMBER
2nd - Kortrijk, De Kreun- Sunns curator festival
3rd - Bern, Reitschule Gross Halle
4th - Lausanne, Les Docks