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The Sword

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article The Sword, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 30 November 202517 sources
The Sword
Company typePrivate
IndustryMusic
Founded2003
Headquarters
Austin
,
United States
ProductsHeavy metal music

The Sword is a heavy metal ensemble originating from Austin, Texas, established in 2003. The group comprises vocalist and guitarist John D. Cronise, guitarist Kyle Shutt, bassist Bryan Richie, and drummer Santiago "Jimmy" Vela III. Initially under contract with Kemado Records, their first album Age of Winters was released in 2006, predominantly composed and produced by Cronise prior to the band's official formation. Their sophomore effort, Gods of the Earth (2008), also produced by Cronise, achieved a peak position of number 102 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

In 2010, they unveiled Warp Riders, a concept album based on a sci-fi storyline crafted by Cronise, marking their inaugural collaboration with external producer Matt Bayles. That same year saw the departure of original drummer Trivett Wingo, who was briefly succeeded by Kevin Fender before Santiago Vela joined in late 2011. After signing with Razor & Tie in 2012, The Sword released their fourth studio album Apocryphon, which was supported by an international tour named the Apocryphon Tour. Later releases include High Country (2015) and Used Future (2018). Although The Sword disbanded in October 2022, they have since reunited and resumed live performances.

Initially identified as a doom metal group influenced by bands such as Black Sabbath and Sleep, their musical direction gradually shifted toward hard rock and stoner rock. Throughout their career, The Sword has toured extensively alongside prominent rock and metal bands including Metallica, Lamb of God, and Clutch, while also leading their own headline tours.

2003–09: Formation, early years and initial releases

Following several years of solo musical endeavors, vocalist and guitarist John D. "J.D." Cronise established The Sword in 2003 together with guitarist Kyle Shutt and drummer Trivett Wingo.[1][2] Despite initial uncertainties regarding the availability of the band name, they ultimately secured the name The Sword.[3] Their inaugural performance took place on June 19, 2003, in Austin,[4] followed by the release of their demo Age of Winters later that year.[5] Bassist Bryan Richie joined early in 2004,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name completing the lineup. Prior to forming The Sword, Cronise and Wingo had played together in Ultimate Dragons, while Shutt and Richie had collaborated in Texas-based groups influenced by Led Zeppelin.[6] Cronise departed from his former band Those Peabodys to focus on heavier music.[7] The quartet made their live debut in March 2004,[4] issued a self-titled second demo,[5] and followed up with the EP Freya in 2005.[8]

After performing at South by Southwest in 2005, The Sword signed with New York’s Kemado Records,[1] upon recommendation from Lamb of God’s Mark Morton.[3] Their debut album Age of Winters was released in February 2006 and included material mostly written by Cronise before the band officially formed.[9][3] Throughout 2006–07, they toured extensively alongside Lacuna Coil, Trivium, Nebula, Clutch, and Lamb of God.[10] Their rendition of "Freya" was featured as a playable track on Guitar Hero II in November 2006,[11] and later issued as their first single in September 2007.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Although Age of Winters did not enter the charts, it garnered strong critical praise,[12]

In June 2007, The Sword contributed the song "Under the Boughs" to Kemado's compilation InvadersCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name and released a split EP with Swedish doom metal band Witchcraft that included the new track "Sea of Spears" along with a Led Zeppelin cover.[2] Their second studio album, Gods of the Earth, arrived on April 1, 2008,[2] showcasing a more collaborative songwriting process[9] and becoming their first release to chart on the Billboard 200 at number 102.[13] To support this album, they embarked on the Gods of the Earth Tour alongside Machine Head, Lamb of God, and Clutch,[14] as well as opening for Metallica during parts of their 2008 European Vacation Tour and multiple legs of their 2009 World Magnetic Tour.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name A two-disc box set compiling their first two albums was issued in November 2008,[2]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name while "The Black River" from Gods of the Earth was featured in the video game Guitar Hero: Metallica released in 2009.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

The Sword's music has also been featured in films such as Jennifer's Body ("Celestial Crown")Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name and Horsemen ("Maiden, Mother & Crone").Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name In March 2009, they received both the High Times Doobie Award and Austin Music Award for Best Metal Artist.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

2009–12: Warp Riders and Drummer Transitions

Throughout 2009, The Sword focused on composing their third studio album, a concept work inspired by an original science fiction storyline and featuring a more pronounced hard rock influence compared to earlier records. The band introduced new material during the 2009 Fun Fun Fun Fest and a brief regional tour in January. Recording sessions commenced in February 2010 with producer Matt Bayles, marking their initial collaboration with an outside producer; the process wrapped up by April.

In May, The Sword participated in a split release by covering Thin Lizzy's "Cold Sweat" for Volcom Entertainment. July brought the digital launch of Warp Riders’ lead single "Tres Brujas" alongside the live EP iTunes Festival: London 2010. The full album, released in August, surpassed the commercial performance of Gods of the Earth, debuting at number 47 on the Billboard 200 and selling close to 9,000 units in its first week. That September, the band supported Metallica on tour across Australia, New Zealand, and Japan before embarking on their own Warp Riders Tour.

After five shows into the North American leg of the Warp Riders Tour, founding drummer Trivett Wingo departed due to physical and emotional challenges associated with touring. While expressing regret over his exit, the band committed to moving forward. Kevin Fender, a drummer based in Austin, was brought on as a temporary live member. November featured a limited edition picture disc release of "(The Night the Sky Cried) Tears of Fire" backed with unreleased B-side "Farstar", along with the online premiere of the "Lawless Lands" video—part two of the Warp Riders trilogy. European tour dates were postponed until May 2011, and the final video in the Warp Riders series, "Night City," debuted in March. That summer, The Sword toured alongside Kyuss Lives! and MonstrO.

In October 2011, Santiago "Jimmy" Vela III became the permanent drummer, replacing Fender and concluding a turbulent period for the band’s lineup. Guitarist Kyle Shutt later described this phase as disruptive but necessary following Wingo's departure. The Sword continued touring across the United States through late 2011.

2012–17: Apocryphon, High Country, and Expanded Ventures

In March 2012, The Sword inked a global contract with Razor & Tie, announcing plans for their fourth album with recording slated for June and release later that year. In May, they unveiled "Hammer of Heaven", a track originally recorded in 2003 for their Age of Winters demo and submitted for inclusion on the soundtrack of The Avengers. Their live appearances were limited during 2012 but included Metallica’s Orion Music + More festival, where bassist Robert Trujillo introduced them. Collaborating with producer J. Robbins, they recorded their follow-up to Warp Riders at Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore between June and July 2012. The resulting album, Apocryphon, was released in October 2012 and debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 16,000 copies during its first week—setting a new highest chart position for the band. The supporting Apocryphon Tour launched immediately in the US and extended internationally throughout 2013.

Between 2012 and 2013, The Sword expanded into branded merchandise, introducing their own hot sauce called Tears of Fire, crafted with ghost pepper and featured on the Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. This was followed by two beer collaborations: Winter's Wolves Beer, brewed by Baltimore’s Oliver Ales, and Texas-based Real Ale Brewing Co.’s Iron Swan Ale, promoted via release shows in Texas. In 2014, they issued vinyl singles "The Hidden Masters" and "Arcane Montane," which included electronic remixes by Dylan C. Later that year, they partnered with BMX company Subrosa Brand to launch a BMX model named "The Stormwitch," adorned with artwork by Apocryphon illustrator J. H. Williams III.

Songwriting for their fifth album began toward the end of 2014, with recording taking place from March to April 2015 at Church House Studio in Austin, Texas; production was handled by former Grupo Fantasma guitarist Adrian Quesada. Prior to entering the studio, The Sword completed a brief tour in March across Louisiana, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. Released on August 21, 2015, High Country coincided with a European tour kickoff and marked their first chart appearances outside both the US and UK—reaching number 74 on the Australian Albums Chart and number 91 on Germany’s Albums Chart. It peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard 200 chart. In April 2016, they released a cover version of Son House's "John the Revelator" for Record Store Day. September saw an acoustic reinterpretation titled Low Country. Their inaugural live album, Greetings From..., recorded during late-2016 touring alongside Opeth, was released in May 2017.

2017–2024: Used Future, break and comeback

In October 2017, The Sword entered the studio in Portland, Oregon to work on their sixth album, Used Future, with producer Tucker Martine. The first single, "Deadly Nightshade," debuted on January 26, 2018, followed by the release of "Twilight Sunrise" in February. The full album was made available on March 23, 2018, peaking at number 104 on the Billboard 200 chart—representing their lowest ranking since their initial release, Age of Winters, which did not chart. On September 6, 2018, the group declared a hiatus and withdrew from a planned Australian tour.

In February 2020, the funk metal outfit Primus announced a Rush tribute tour featuring The Sword as one of the supporting acts alongside Wolfmother and Battles.

On October 20, 2022, frontman John D. Cronise revealed that the band would be dissolving after nearly two decades together.

On June 27, 2024, The Sword disclosed plans for a singular reunion show set for November 3 at the Levitation Festival. Shortly thereafter, on November 13, they released a cover of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath". Two weeks following that release, they announced a New Year’s Eve performance in Austin, Texas.

Musical style, influences and lyrical themes

The Sword is primarily identified with doom metal and is considered part of the 'classic metal' stoner rock scene, drawing heavily from early heavy metal pioneers such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Blue Cheer. With their album Warp Riders, the band acknowledged that evolving their sound might not resonate with all traditional heavy metal enthusiasts.[15] Eduardo Rivadavia from AllMusic characterized Age of Winters as spearheading the 'heritage' or 'retro metal' trend, likening their sound to Black Sabbath and comparing vocalist Cronise to Ozzy Osbourne.Rolling Stone has also drawn parallels between the band and Sabbath.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Although all members contribute musically, Cronise serves as the chief lyricist,[16] frequently incorporating themes from Norse mythology, especially evident in the track "Freya". His literary inspirations include authors such as George R. R. Martin, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and Arthur C. Clarke.[9] For Warp Riders, Cronise penned all lyrics while guitarist Kyle Shutt contributed to the musical arrangements.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

The band acknowledges Black Sabbath as a pivotal influence alongside doom metal group Sleep, sludge pioneers the Melvins, thrash legends Slayer, and iconic acts like Iron Maiden and Deep Purple.[17] The guitarists cite classic metal figures such as James Hetfield (Metallica), Dimebag Darrell (Pantera), and Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) as inspirations. Cronise has also highlighted Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) as an important influence.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Moreover, local metal act HRM, rock artist Bob Seger, and R&B icon Michael Jackson have contributed to shaping their musical identity.[7]

Band members

Current members

  • John D. Cronise – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Kyle Shutt – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Bryan Richie – bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Santiago "Jimmy" Vela III – drums

Former members

  • Trivett Wingo – drums

Former touring musicians

  • Kevin Fender – drums

Discography

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named allmusicbio
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named kemado
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named mtvwinterswolves
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pastshowsearly
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named craftsmanship
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named chronicle
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named avclub
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named archives
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named interview
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pastshows
  11. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ign
  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ageofwinters
  13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named charts
  14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named showarchive
  15. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named alienate
  16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named arkansas
  17. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named suntimes
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