Line-up

Venue

Mercury Ballroom

611 4th Street, 40202, Louisville, KY, US

Capacity: 1,000

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Additional details

Doors open: 20:00

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Find out more about Metal.

The Sword biography

The Sword (formed in 2003) is an American heavy metal and doom metal band, hailing from Austin, Texas, in the U.S.

Prior to forming the Sword in 2003, vocalist and guitarist J.D. Cronise had written and recorded as a solo artist, before enlisting the help guitarist Kyle Shutt and drummer Trivett Wingo. With the later addition of bassist Bryan Richie in early 2004, the band made their performing debut at Austin’s Sound in March that year and recorded the EP entitled “Freya”. Following a well-received appearance at the South by Southwest in 2005, the Sword signed with Kemado Records, who issued the band’s debut album “Age of Winters” in February 2006. Comprised of mainly Cronise’s early material , the album earned the group a significant fan base and led to touring with Lacina Coil, Trivium, Nebula and Lamb of God.

The Sword subsequently released a split EP with the Swedish doom metal band Witchcraft, which included a Led Zeppelin cover, and released their sophomore album “Gods of the Earth” in April 2008. Like its predecessor, the album was well-received by critics and fans, and was their first charting album reaching No. 102 on the Billboard 200. In support of the album The Sword embarked on their ‘Gods of the Earth Tour’ with support provided by Machine Head, Lamb of God and Clutch.

Taking their musical inspiration from a more science fiction base, the Sword’s third full-length album “Warp Rider” was a concept album with a hard rock focus. The album debuted at No. 47 on the Billboard 200 and the band supported Metallica, for the third time, on a number of their Australian and Asian tour dates. In 2010 drummer Trivett Wingo departed the group and was replaced by Kevin Fender on tour and later by Santiago “Jimmy” Vela III. The band combined fantasy and metaphysics on their fourth studio album “Apocryphon” in 2012, which peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200.

Live reviews

The flow of highly charged energy at a concert by The Sword is nearly unstoppable. Loud distorted guitar riffs are blared through stacks of massive guitar amps and the drums are beating with a brashness that resonates through your skull. The Sword is fierce when they take the stage. The dueling Guitarists, John Cronise and Kyle Shutt, perform in a way reminiscent of Judas Priest’s fast paced guitar solos and duets. The band is also known to play in slower tempos, and retain a sludgy sound of deep distorted guitars, and low, bellowing drumming, somewhat in the stoner metal style of Black Sabbath and Sleep. The Sword’s lyrics are also very interesting drawing inspiration from Norse mythology. John Cronise’s vocals are also presented in a yearning way, which is very similar to Ozzy Osbourne.
The Sword’s stage theatrics usually consist of fog covering every inch of the stage and dim lights of dark colors shining down upon them. The band is enthusiastic during their performance, head banging to each song. Their audience seems to be loving it as well, riotously rocking out to each song, crowd surfing, and signaling the devil horns with their hands as a rock and roll salute.
The Sword keeps things interesting with their retro sound of the golden age of metal, but still manages to keep their music fresh and youthful. The Sword is sure to meet high expectations of blasting their audience away with their heavy brand of doom metal.

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