The Sword - Warp Riders

Hello and good day to you. For today's edition of TBoP, I bring you my very first proper review (not like the ones I left over on rateyourmusic.com)! My subject for dissection is the latest release from Texan heavy metallers The Sword, called Warp Riders. A distinct (and wise) change of pace for J.D. Cronise and his jaded cronies (hehe), this album finds them abandoning the well-worn fantasy/battle themes of their first two records in favour of a good old-fashioned sci-fi concept album, complete with oh-so-retro cover artwork, and the division of the tracks into Side A and Side B, a la vinyl. Jake, of Metalreviews fame, notes in his own review that each 'side' is structured essentially the same way, beginning with an instrumental, and steadily progressing towards an epic to finish. While this may seem somewhat uninspired at first glance, it does in fact serve the music well, and helps to organise the mostly chaotic story, such as it is. It appears that The Sword remain committed to championing the cause of 70s hard rock and heavy metal, and they have certainly pulled out all the stops with this release.

The music is undeniably The Sword, but at the same time it's...different. There is still the trusty old Sabbath-meets-Metallica vibe that permeated Age of Winters and Gods of the Earth, but there has been a shift in focus from the doominess of those records, to be much more stoner-influenced this time around. Cronise et al seem totally comfortable and at ease with their sound, each song flowing effortlessly into the next; even the lengthy two-part 'Chronomancer' never seems to drag, some feat given the relative simplicity of the music itself. But that is the key right there – The Sword have perfected that precarious balancing act between simple catchiness, and keeping things interesting. This may be referred to as 'streamlining' their sound – sometimes a dirty word, implying the abandoning of anything interesting the band may previously have offered in favour of a simplified approach in an attempt to increase sales (there are obvious examples of this – a certain couple of thrash bands come to mind). In this case, however, it looks to have allowed the band more freedom within their self-defined boundaries; I believe it will prove a necessary step for The Sword to move forward, and continue to create relevant, exciting music, which they have most definitely achieved here.

There is an undeniable energy to these songs, and above all a sense that they are really enjoying themselves. Nowhere is this more evident than 'Night City', which just might be the catchiest thing this band has written thus far; I've had it stuck in my head for days on end, in any case. More than this, though, the band seems positively inspired on tracks such as 'Lawless Lands', with its heavy Kyuss influence, and the title track, which will have sci-fi fans in fits of nerdy ecstasy ('To cross the Universe in hyper-spatial flight / We ride the warp of space into the womb of night'). The instrumentals found at the beginning of each 'side' are both excellent, never getting boring, and like the rest of the album, have awesome riffs coming out the wazoo. Admittedly, Bryan Richie's bass is mostly inaudible, but this was always going to be a guitarists' album, and it is certainly no letdown on that front. The awesomely-named Trivett Wingo's drumming is simply first-rate, providing emphatic drive behind every track, consistently innovative with his grooves and fills, but never overplaying – a truly professional performance. His recent departure from the band, citing personal reasons (check their official website for more), is a real loss to The Sword and metal in general, and I personally regret not being able to see him live (although I do still get to see the rest of the band with their new drummer in a couple of months). I wish Mr Wingo well with any future endeavours, and hope he sees fits to rejoin the metal fraternity at some point in the future.

Now, the main reason I'm not giving this a higher rating is not due to any particular flaws with the album itself, but more that I feel that this band are destined for yet greater heights; as good as this is, there is still room for improvement. Also, the story is difficult to follow – a minor personal peeve of mine (I am a notorious lover of concept albums) that may not bother other listeners. Nevertheless, The Sword don't seem the types to coast on their success, to rest on their laurels – their record of an album every two years (so far) and a relentless touring schedule are testament to this. Therefore, I fully expect Cronise, (second guitarist Kyle) Shutt, Richie and (new drummer) to delve deep into their bag of tricks, draw deep on the communal peace pipe, and blow us all away with their next effort – but that's then, this is now, and this is four stars. Nice work guys.

RATING: The Sword – Official site | MySpace

And to you, the reader, thanks for...er, reading – I will be returning shortly with my first Classic review to begin my (soon to be) ever growing list!

UP NEXT: Anthrax – Among the Living review!