The band’s rise to early fame illustrates a path less taken by most groups. Known for playing extremely loud during its early days, Swans is led by founding member Michael Gira, who got the band back together earlier this year.

And it’s been a pretty good reunion, what with the group’s first studio effort in 13 years, My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky.

The tour gods have also been good to the Swans. With U.K. and U.S tours already behind them, band members embark on a Europe trip beginning later this month and just announced more North America and Euro dates for 2011 as well as shows in Australia and New Zealand.

A look at the 2011 routing shows the band in Texas at Mohawk Austin Feb. 18; Dallas at South Side Music Hall Feb. 19; Denver at Summit Music Hall Feb. 22; Vancouver at Rickshaw Theatre Feb. 25; Seattle at Neumos Feb. 26; Portland at Roseland Theater Feb. 27; San Francisco at The Regency Ballroom March 1 and Los Angeles at the El Rey Theatre March 2.

The band finds itself in New Zealand for a March 6 gig at Auckland’s Powerstation and then it’s on to Australia for shows in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney before heading halfway around the world for a show in Tel Aviv followed by more Europe dates.

Wooden Wand opens the newly added U.S. dates while Pumice supports in New Zealand, Necks in Australia and James Blackshaw in Europe. For more information, click here for the Swans’ Internet nest.