text: (Redirected from The Sword (band))
  1.4 2017–present: Used Future and recent events
  2003–09: Formation, early years and first releases[edit]
  After writing and recording music on his own for "a few years",[1] vocalist and guitarist John D. "J.D." Cronise formed The Sword in 2003 with guitarist Kyle Shutt and drummer Trivett Wingo.[2][3] Speaking about choosing the band's name, Cronise claims that he researched the moniker first and found it "unbelievable" that it hadn't already been used; however, two other bands did already have the name Sword, including a Canadian heavy metal band, and the frontman states he "narrowly escaped litigation hell" before The Sword was finalised.[4] The trio played their first show together on June 19, 2003 at the Beerland in Austin,[5] and released their first demo Age of Winters before the end of the year.[6] Bassist Bryan Richie completed the four-piece lineup in early 2004.[7] Prior to the formation of The Sword, Cronise and Wingo had performed together in the group Ultimate Dragons in Richmond, Virginia,[8] while Shutt and Richie had worked with multiple bands in Texas "united by a love of Led Zeppelin".[9] Cronise had also performed with a local band called Those Peabodys, but left as he felt he "needed to do something heavier".[8] After their first live performance together as a four-piece at Austin's Sound on Sound Records on March 17, 2004,[5] the band released a self-titled second demo,[6] which was followed the next year by an extended play (EP) entitled Freya.[10]
  In June 2007 the band contributed a new song, "Under the Boughs" (which was later included on their second album), to the Kemado compilation Invaders.[15] The group also released a split EP with Swedish doom metal band Witchcraft the same month, contributing new track "Sea of Spears" and a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" to the record.[3] Gods of the Earth was the band's second album, released on April 1, 2008.[3] The album, which is much more of a collaborative writing effort than its predecessor,[1] provided the band with its first Billboard 200 chart entry, reaching number 102.[16] In support of the album, the band completed the Gods of the Earth Tour supported by artists such as Machine Head, Lamb of God and Clutch;[17] the quartet also supported heavy metal veterans Metallica on their 2008 European Vacation Tour in July,[18] and returned as the opening act for a number of legs on their 2009 World Magnetic Tour.[19] A two-disc box set containing the band's first two albums Age of Winters and Gods of the Earth was released on November 25, 2008,[3][20] and the song "The Black River" from Gods of the Earth was later included on the 2009 video game Guitar Hero: Metallica.[21] The band's music was also featured in the 2009 films Jennifer's Body ("Celestial Crown")[22] and Horsemen ("Maiden, Mother & Crone"),[23] and in March 2009 The Sword won two local music awards: the High Times Doobie Award and the Austin Music Award for Best Metal Artist.[24][25]
  2009–12: Warp Riders and two drummer changes[edit]
  2012–17: Apocryphon, High Country and more[edit]
  In March 2012 it was announced that The Sword had signed a worldwide deal with record label Razor & Tie, with plans for a fourth album starting with recording in June and a projected late-2012 release.[49] In May the band released the single "Hammer of Heaven", a song originally recorded in 2003 for the Age of Winters demo and later submitted for inclusion on the soundtrack to the film The Avengers.[50] In the run-up to the recording of their next album, the group only played a few shows in 2012, most notably the Metallica-curated festival Orion Music + More in June, where the band was introduced by Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo.[51] Working with producer J. Robbins, the group recorded the follow-up to Warp Riders at Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore, Maryland between June and July 2012.[52] The resulting album, Apocryphon, was released in October 2012 and debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 albums chart,[16] selling over 16,000 copies in its first week and providing a new chart record for the band.[53] The promotional Apocryphon Tour commenced the following week in the US,[54] and continued across the world throughout the rest of 2012 and 2013.[55]
  2017–present: Used Future and recent events[edit]
  The Sword began recording its sixth studio album Used Future in October 2017, working in Portland, Oregon with producer Tucker Martine.[68] "Deadly Nightshade" was released as the lead single from the album on January 26, 2018,[69] followed by "Twilight Sunrise" the following month.[70] The album was released on March 23, 2018 and reached number 104 on the Billboard 200 – the lowest position for a studio release in the band's career since Age of Winters failed to chart.[71]
  The Sword has been categorised as doom metal and identified as an example of the 'classic metal' movement of stoner rock artists influenced by early metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Blue Cheer.[1] With the release of Warp Riders, members of the band acknowledged that fans with a more "narrow-minded" view of heavy metal may feel alienated by stylistic changes.[72] Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic described the band on Age of Winters as being "at the forefront of … the 'heritage' or 'retro metal' movement," comparing their style to that of heavy metal veterans Black Sabbath and vocalist Cronise to Ozzy Osbourne.[14] Rolling Stone has also likened the band to Sabbath.[73]
  While every member of the band contributes to the musical compositions, Cronise is the primary writer of the band's lyrics.[74] He often uses Norse mythology as a topic in his lyrics,[10] notably in the song "Freya",[75] but cites literature as his main influence, identifying such authors as George R. R. Martin, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft and Arthur C. Clarke as inspirations.[1] On Warp Riders, Cronise was again credited for writing all the lyrics, and only guitarist Kyle Shutt was added to the credits for the musical compositions.[76]
  The band has cited Black Sabbath as a major influence, in addition to doom trio Sleep, sludge band the Melvins, thrash veterans Slayer, and heavy metal icons Iron Maiden and Deep Purple, among others.[75] The band's guitarists, in discussions of their musical influences, have identified 'classic' metal guitar players such as James Hetfield of Metallica, Pantera's Dimebag Darrell and Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, and Cronise has also described Billy Gibbons (of ZZ Top) as a "huge influence."[77] In an interview with entertainment newspaper The A.V. Club, Cronise also revealed that local metal band HRM, rock musician Bob Seger and R&B singer Michael Jackson have been influences on The Sword's sound.[8]
  Trivett Wingo – drums, percussion (2003–10)
  ^ McLennan, Scott (October 5, 2006). "The Sword takes a slice at vintage heavy metal". Telegram & Gazette. New Media Investment Group. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  ^ Roper, Chris (October 9, 2006). "Guitar Hero II Final Tracklist Revealed". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 11, 2008.
  ^ Cowan, Darren (March 20, 2009). "2009 High Times Doobie Awards". Blistering.com. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
  ^ "Gods Of The Earth: The Sword". Rolling Stone. May 15, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
  ^ Owen, Rhonda (November 21, 2008). "Crediting forebears, The Sword plays old-school 'hipster metal'". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. WEHCO Media. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  ^ Warp Riders (Media notes). The Sword. Kemado Records. 2010.
  ^ DeMasi, Vincent (March 1, 2006). "The Sword". Guitar Player. NewBay Media. |access-date= requires |url= (help)