Ever since Austin, TX band The Sword released their first album, the magnificent Age Of Winters in 2006, there’s been divided opinions on their worthiness and authenticity as a metal band. It’s not that they were all that much different from the revered High On Fire or Witchcraft. They tweaked their own style of retro metal, or NOWOTHM (New Old Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal) to include some Sabbath, of course, the twin-guitar attack of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, and some 80s thrash. The hooky immediacy of much of the first album drew a pretty large audience that went beyond metalheads, leading some to derisively label them as “hipster metal.” Perhaps Metallica taking a shine to them and bringing them on tour inspired jealousy. Despite that lucky break, they never broke through to the mainstream, but continued to power through constant tours in mostly tiny venues with the rest of the grizzled road dogs, and now have four albums under their studded belts. There is no question of The Sword’s sincerity and commitment. Apocryphon also seals their status as a great band.
Recent reviews have repeatedly mentioned their previous album, Warp Riders (2010) being a disappointment. I was unaware of that, as my impression was it was an improvement over Gods Of The Earth (2008) which in retrospect may not be as catchy as their debut, but the heavier, thrashier riffs are a blast. J.D. Cronise’s vocals remained a weak point, but they made it work. On Warp Riders, the guitar sound was slightly less crunchy, and attention was drawn to its great sci-fi space opera concept, which Apocryphon brings the focus back to the riffs and tunes, and to their favorite swords ‘n’ demons subject matter, beautifully illustrated on the sleeve art by comic artist J.H. Williams III (Batwoman, Promethea). With new drummer Santiago “Jimmy” Vela III replacing Trivett Wingo, the band has evolved some, fine-tuning their sleeker sound with a new found discipline for concise, controlled riffs on tunes like “Arcane Montane” and highlight “Dying Earth.” There’s even some synthesizer on the beginning of that track and the title track. Their cover of ZZ Top’s “Cheap Sunglasses” on the deluxe edition indicate the source of their new influence. “The Hidden Masters” finds them more bluesy than they’ve ever been, with a single bassline that eases gradually into the song to nice effect. “Hawks & Serpents” hits another peak with an unforgettable lead guitar melody, evoking the tone of underrated later era Thin Lizzy.
Diehard supporters of The Sword’s first album or two may remain unconvinced, but Apocryphon should add to the rest of the fanbase who are more than happy to come along for the ride, and might even consider this their best.
