Swans

The apocalypse never sounded as good as when Swans play it. 30 years after they first started out, Michael Gira's crushingly intense rock group are on peak form: their epic, emotionally draining two-CD album The Seer topped more than a few Best of 2012 lists, while their live shows have been drawing some ecstatic reviews recently. Everywhere except Japan, that is: the group were originally supposed to play here in March 2011, but had to cancel their tour in the wake of the Tohoku quake and tsunami (too bad, really: they would've made for an ideal soundtrack). They'll finally be making it to Tokyo next February, and Unit is restricting attendance at the gig to just 400 people – not to make it more intimate, but so that they'll have enough space to install some extra speakers for the occasion. Tickets go on sale on December 29, and you really won't want to miss this one.