Filth

Recorded at Vangard Studios N.Y.C. April 1983.

First proper album by Swans - originally released on vinyl only by Neutral Records in the US and licensed to Zensor for German/European release. This recording has later been reissued in a bewildering variety of formats and versions.

The early 1990's saw it reissued in “re-equalized” form by Young God Records as “Filth L.P. # 1 1983” on vinyl, as well as part of the Filth (L.P.#1, E.P.#1) 1982/83 compilation on CD and cassette tape. It was also reissued at about that time in its original form by Neutral Records in a limited edition of 500 copies, with individually hand painted covers, numbered and initialed by Michael Gira.

In 2000 the album was included in Young God Records series of 2CD compilations, this time pairing it with a 1991 compilation of unreleased studio and live tracks and released as Filth / Body To Body, Job To Job. This version does not contain the Swans EP included on the original CD reissue but instead a live recording from the time of the album.

Filth was officially reissued on vinyl again in 2014 in a newly remastered form, by Young God Records in the US and as a collaboration with Mute Records in the UK/Europe - this time under its original name. In 2015 this was followed by a remastered 3CD deluxe reissue combining all the material from the previous versions – thus containing both the original album and Body To Body Job To Job in their entirety, as well as the the Swans EP and additional live recordings from the period.

A bootlegged version mimicking the original Neutral Records version also exists.