CD Odyssey Disc 1227: The Sword

Let it snow! It is snowing hard in my part of the world, which doesn’t happen very often. I kind of like the snow, as long as it doesn’t stick around too long. After about a week I’ve pretty much had it with shoveling the sidewalk, for example.

Anyway – on with the next album review!

Disc 1227 is… Gods of the Earth

Artist: The Sword

Year of Release: 2008

What’s up with the Cover? Lo, even though their temples be smashed to rubble, the Gods of the Earth shall rise up! Lightning shall illuminate the sky over the Canyon of the Ancient Ones! Also…there shall be a sword! A shiny one!

How I Came To Know It: Youtube recommended the band to me and once I was on to them, “Gods of the Earth” came along as I drilled through their back catalogue.

How It Stacks Up:  I have four Sword albums. Of the four, I rank “Gods of the Earth” last, but even at #4 I still really like it. As this is the final Sword album in my collection, here is a full recap:

1. Warp Riders: 4 stars (reviewed at Disc 1165)
2. Apocryphon: 4 stars (reviewed at Disc 1138)
3. Age of Winters: 3 stars (reviewed at Disc 1055)
4. Gods of the Earth: 3 stars (reviewed right here)

Ratings:  3 stars

If you thought the album cover for “Gods of the Earth” was heroic, wait until you hear about the music. This is “majesty of rock” action right down to the core and while it doesn’t quite have the same standout singles as my favoured Sword albums, it rocks just as hard.

I listened to this album while walking home in a blizzard. The last time I listened to an album coming home in a blizzard it was Big Daddy Kane (Disc 1108, if you are inclined). I almost wrecked my MP3 player that day as I insisted on pulling it out in the snow and looking at each song title on the walk.

I was determined to avoid this mistake today, so I put the Walkman into my jacket’s breast pocket where it would stay both warm and dry. This, plus the Sword’s propensity to ROCK OUT at equally awesome levels throughout a record, had me losing my place on the album.

It turns out…this was kind of fun. It made the record feel even more like a cohesive whole. It also kept me firmly connected to the band’s churning crunch without giving my frontal lobes a chance to be part of the conversation. They would have just waxed poetic anyway. More on that later.

But first, another tip of my hat to the band. At the forefront of the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal – the Sword show that you can honour traditional musical forms and still sound fresh and current.

What’s more, these guys are a true ensemble. JD Cronise’s vocals have a nice throaty power, but they aren’t going to shatter any glassware. Kyle Shutt’s guitars are thick and confident, but he doesn’t shred solos often. Instead, the two of them (plus drummer Trivett Wingo and bass player Bryan Richie) play as an ensemble, creating a rich power pocket that lurches inexorably forward like a tank across a muddy field of battle.

When I got out of the blizzard, I was able to pay a bit more attention to what these songs are about. Like Iron Maiden before them, The Sword revel in tales of epic fantasy. “The Frost Giant’s Daughter” takes its title and most of its plot from an original tale of Conan the Barbarian, as a man chases a beautiful but dangerous giantess across the tundra. “To Take the Black” is straight out of George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” about the members of the Night Watch who forsake their former lives to guard a wall against the undead.

Both “The Frost Giant’s Daughter” and “To Take the Black” are filled with equal amounts of heroic derring-do, even though the first one is someone risking his life trying to get laid, and the second is about a bunch of guys risking their lives while agreeing to never get laid again. Hey, heroism is complicated.

My personal favourite title is “Fire Lances of the Ancient Hyperzephyrians.” I have no idea who the Hyperzephyrians were, but it all sounds Terribly Important:

“Our legends tell of weapons

Wielded by kings of old

Crafted by evil wizards

Unholy to behold.”

Hmmm…I hope those fire lances come with a warning on the label, like “not recommended for nobility below the level of king” or “behold at own risk”. But I digress.

I liked “Gods of the Earth” best when it delivered a mid-tempo crunch and a bit of groove, less so when it got frantic and busy and sacrificed melody for crunch. Even in full gravel-mixer mode, though I couldn’t deny the band’s energy. These guys rock out and they sing about the kind of cool-assed stuff that appeals to the fifteen year old Dungeon Master in all of us. Well, in me anyway.

Best tracks: The Frost Giant’s Daughter, How Heavy This Axe, Maiden Mother & Crone

CD Odyssey Disc 1165: The Sword

I’m in the middle of a very relaxing Saturday. This morning I went for brunch with Sheila and later I’ll be having drinks on a patio. In between I did a little CD shopping and found a Carolyn Mark album that’s been on my wish list for years.

Disc 1165 is… Warp Riders

Artist: The Sword

Year of Release: 2010

What’s up with the Cover? A space ship pilots its way through an asteroid field, or maybe some kind of gassy nebula.

This cover reminded me of a book I had as a kid “Space Wars” by Steven Eisler. It was a big coffee-table book filled with science fiction art and a loose story that was basically there to justify all the art.

I got it from my orthodontist, Dr. Carmichael. As a kid I used to have to go the Campbell River to see him, which was quite a trip from my home town. We were dirt poor (my Mom was divorced and my Dad’s health care plan paid for the braces but not much else). Even getting to the appointments was a bit of an exercise in budgeting. One day out of the blue Dr. Carmichael just gave me “Space Wars.” I remember he and my mom had to tag-team me just to get me to accept it; it just seemed too generous of a thing to do for another person without reason.

I cherished the shit out of this book, reading it over and over again, often inventing my own stories based on the pictures. So here’s a shout out to Dr. Carmichael, who went the extra mile to make a difference for some kid who was a little down on his luck.

But I digress…

How I Came To Know It: This was just me drilling through the band’s collection, after I had discovered their first album “Age of Winters” (reviewed back at Disc 1055) via a Youtube recommendation.

How It Stacks Up:  The Sword have six albums, and I have the first four (they kinda lost me when they went to a more stoner metal sound more recently). Of the four I have, “Warp Riders” and “Apocryphon” (reviewed back at Disc 1138) are in a statistical tie for best. However, since I’m not one to equivocate, I’ll put “Warp Riders”…first.

Ratings: 4 stars

Imagine if Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden had a baby. I’m not much for babies, but that would be one attractive baby. Best of all instead of all that crying and fussing, it would sound like The Sword.

On “Warp Riders” the band has perfected their blend of crunchy blues-inspired riffs, soaring melodies and nerdy concept-driven lyrics.

The album immediately preceding this one, “Gods of the Earth” is brimming with power, but light on melody. On “Warp Riders” the creative minds of vocalist/guitarist JD Cronise and guitarist Kyle Shutt achieve the perfect blend of visceral power and compelling song structures. You can groove or mosh to this stuff in equal measure depending on your preference. I like a bit of both.

While this album has strong melodies, it also puts its boot on your throat early and doesn’t let up. This album is wave after wave of sound, but never becomes oppressive. Instead it feels like being some kind of heavy metal surfer, riding atop a churning sea that is fast, furious and brimming with controlled power.

Within all this crunch and bombast there is still plenty of range. “The Chronomancer” (parts I and II) are a massive attack of pounding drum and guitar riff, but “Lawless Lands” and “Night City” have an up tempo swing reminiscent of late seventies Thin Lizzy, only on steroids.

This being The Sword, a little nerdy concept activity is to be expected. In this case, we have a loosely connected science fiction story full of enough space/time continuum references to please any Star Trek nerd. On the title track we have our interstellar adventurers up to all manner of FTL-shenanigans:

“To make a fold in space and slip between the curves

Sacrifice of the sisterhood to do for those they serve

To cross a universe in hyper-spatial flight

We ride the warp of space into the womb of night.”

With its churning beat and lyrics like this it is a great driving song, whether you’re in a car or a spaceship.

We also get the adventures of the Chronomancer who – as noted earlier – is sufficiently important to have his adventures told in two parts. Both are great, but I like the growl and crunch of “Part 1: Hubris” slightly more. Plus I’m a sucker for it’s over-the-top lyrics, including:

“Feigned exultations in the court of the autarch

Proclaiming heresies sublime

Sought by his enemies with lethal fascination

Self-styled traveler in time.”

I don’t know exactly what’s happening here, but it sounds like something that would make a great miniseries on Space TV. Given that last line I’m not sure if the Chronomancer is a bullshit artist, or if he dumbs down what he does to “time travel” for us rubes who can only think in three dimensions. I hope it’s the latter.

For its entire 48 minutes of playing time, “Warp Riders” never lets you up for air, but it is so loaded with momentum you never have time to feel worn down. Instead, when it’s over you feel so energized you’re ready to go back to Track 1 and start over again. I did this for four days straight, but all good things must end. I now reluctantly move on to whatever the CD Odyssey next has in store for me.

Best tracks: Tres Brujas, The Chronomancer Part 1: Hubris, Lawless Lands, The Warp Riders,

CD Odyssey Disc 1138: The Sword

It’s been a long day which has tossed me hither and yon but I am determined to deliver a music review before my pumpkin bursts.

Disc 1133 is… Apocryphon

Artist: The Sword

Year of Release: 2012

What’s up with the Cover? All kinds of awesome. We’ve got the classic “Sword” logo, arched over a mysterious sorceress. She’s conjured a couple of floating runes and a triangle of fire out of the ruins of a collapsed statue or temple. Also, she appears to be asking us to keep it down. Maybe the Sword are her neighbours and she’s tired of them jamming at all hours of the night.

How I Came To Know It: I discovered the band through their “Age of Winters” album (reviewed back at Disc 1055) and this was just me drilling through their collection.

How It Stacks Up:  I have four albums by The Sword and I rank “Apocryphon” second overall.

Ratings: 4 stars

Heft: there’s nothing like it. Like a tidal wave, or a load of bricks, or the 440 V8 in a 1968 Dodge Charger, you can’t resist it. The Sword’s fourth album “Apocryphon” has heft. It digs in, thick and visceral and unleashes a torrent of chugging heavy metal riffs that are awesome and inexorable.

The Sword is part of the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal or NWOTHM (yeah, they could use a better acronym). This music has its feet planted firmly in the birth of metal, channeling the early sludge of Black Sabbath, the grind of Motorhead and the fantastical bombast of Iron Maiden. Don’t expect to be surprised by creative new melodic structures – these guys know what makes traditional metal great and they stay within it. Thudding drums, power-chord fuelled guitars and churning energy that feels like the earth’s gravitational pull; diffuse yet irresistible.

Unlike some metal bands, “Apocryphon” is not a bunch of prima donna virtuosos playing their instruments. Instead, the focus is on all four band members coming together to create a singular crunch.

Jimmy Vela’s drums have the dull thud of early Bill Ward and guitarist Kyle Shutt eschews fast-fingered solos in favour of a groove that fits right in with Vela’s boom-sticks. Thickening up them both is Bryan Richie on bass. Lead singer JD Cronise doesn’t have Bruce Dickinson operatic chops, but he has an echoing quality that is the perfect match for his band-mates. Cronise channels early Ozzy but it isn’t derivative so much as it is the next step in the slow furling of blues and metal into a single organism.

As for lyrics, “Apocryphon” keeps up the fine Sword tradition of fantasy and horror fueled excess. Cronise sits in the pocket and fills all that crazy with import and urgency, like you’ve been invited to some Mithraic right. It is either going to end in shots of Jack Daniels or the bloody sacrifice of a bull and both seem equally likely. Okay, more likely the bull.

It isn’t easy to make this stuff work, but Cronise (aided by the crunch of the band) sells lines like:

“She wore a cloak of feathers

And rode a mare of purest white

A silver chalice in her hand

A look of sadness in her eyes”

And:

“So strikes the Queen of the Air

Like a blow from a titan’s hammer”

…with ease.

What are all these songs about? As with Dio songs (another clear influence) it isn’t clear, but it seems Super Important. Mostly it feels like you are witnessing the human race stagger into terrible eldritch secrets we were never meant to know but that we can’t help pursue; the riffs are just too cool to resist.

Sometimes with metal I find myself drawn into the music, and other times the lyrics catch my attention, but with “Apocryphon” I feel tugged equally in both directions. The mix is nice and steady and Cronise sings with clarity and purpose. Any one of these songs could be the beginning of some fantasy novel I would have read as a kid, and I bet if I’d heard these guys when I was 10 they’d be my favourite. OK, maybe not my favourite (Blue Oyster Cult, you will always have my heart) but you get the idea.

My only quibble is with the record packaging. The cover art is cool, but it is on one of those cardboard covers that slide over the jewel case and has no song listing. When you slide that off, the songs are only listed in clever puzzles where the initials in the song’s title are drawn together so they appear to be runes of some kind. Like “The Hidden Masters” is the “T”, “H” and M” all pulled together so it looks like an ancient Norse character. Sheila deciphered it with ease so kudos to her top-notch puzzle-solving skills, but shame on the band for being deliberately obtuse. Next time put your clever rune riddles beside the track listing, not instead of it.

Otherwise, there isn’t much not to like on “Apocryphon”. I’ve had a draining few days but every time I’ve had the time to get “Apocryphon” between my ears I’ve been renewed and invigorated. This is music for raising your fist and sounding your barbaric yawp. Bust out the silver chalices and toast the return of metal, molten and primordial.

Best tracks: Cloak of Feathers, The Hidden Masters, Execrator, Hawks & Serpents, Eye of the Stormwitch, Apocryphon

CD Odyssey Disc 1055: The Sword

It’s been a good week for music. On Wednesday I took in a New Pornographers concert which was pretty good. It didn’t blow me away, but they played well and it was a fun time. The opening act was Born Ruffians who were also solid. The crowd seemed to appreciate both, with many fans singing along every word, which was cool. It is always great when you see someone enjoying their favourite band.

New Pornographers aren’t my favourite band, but I like them. I’ve got two of their albums and their new one is solid and will soon grace my collection as well.

On to the next review as I continue to renew my love of heavy metal.

Disc 1055 is…Age of Winters

Artist: The Sword

Year of Release: 2006

What’s up with the Cover? An Art Nouveau-style painting of a beautiful blonde woman reclining, sword and shield nearby. Perhaps this is a Valkyrie on a coffee break? If so I hope she puts on some leather boots before she heads back out to collect the souls of those fallen in battle, because battlefields can be littered with all kinds of sharp objects.

How I Came To Know It: About ten months ago I was looking something up on Youtube (I don’t remember what, but some metal album) and “Age of Winters” popped up as “recommended for you”. I gave it a chance and loved what I heard.

How It Stacks Up:  The Sword have five albums, and I own four of them (yeah, I fell for them pretty hard). Of those four I put “Age of Winters” third; Solid, but two others are that much better.

Ratings: 3 stars

Ever wonder what had happened to good old straight forward heavy metal? Well about a year ago, I did. Sure there are other kinds of metal that was birthed out of those early years. Doom metal, thrash metal, speed metal and death metal to name just a few. Lots of good stuff in there, but I was looking for that pure stuff – like what if eighties metal hadn’t died, but had just grown louder?

“Age of Winters” is the trunk of that metal tree, still alive and kicking. Called by some “the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal,” this is music that takes eighties metal riffs and makes them thicker and crunchier than ever before. No one does it better than the Sword, and “Age of Winters” is the album that got them started.

Musically, this stuff is three chords and a cloud of dust. Drums shake the earth, and guitars pound out basic riffs and assault your ear drums. When you think you’ve had your fill of riffs, the Sword shoves a few more down your throat. Eat it! Like it! If that sounds aggressive, that’s the point. This is music to mosh to. Plant your feet and sweat through your t-shirt while you let it soak into your spine and organs until it becomes part of you.

Care for a guitar solo? Well, there aren’t many of those on “Age of Winters,” just a series of competing riffs playing back and forth off each other. The boys play so tight, though, that you don’t miss any of the usual digital wizardry of other metal bands. Instead they focus on deep blues riffs, electrified and infused with iron ore and blood.

Care for some vocal gymnastics? Not much of that either. Writer and lead singer J.D. Cronise doesn’t have the operatic vocal range of a Rob Halford or Bruce Dickenson. However, he does know how to write a song that suits his more rhythm driven style. The influence of Ozzy-era Black Sabbath is obvious in Cronise’s delivery, but he adds a doom metal grimness that makes it all his own.

The whole thing is gloriously heavy, chugging along without ever descending into the stew that is Doom Metal, never furiously noodling its way into Thrash Metal but finds a nice common ground with both. Slow and heavy wins the race, my friends.

Lyrically, “Age of Winters” is all about fantasy, sorcery and – yes – swords, all of which painted with ridiculously majestic language. Here is some good stuff from the opening of “Lament for the Aurochs”:

“Laboring in the liquid light of leviathan
Spectres swarm around the sunken cities of the saurians
Rising from the void through the blackness of eternal night
Colossus of the deep comes crashing down with cosmic might.”

I’m not sure what’s going on here, but it sounds really fucking important, and more than a little Lovecraftian. Even the instrumental “March of the Lor” has eight movements. These are:

1. Through the Breach
2. Iron Ships on Seas of Blood
3. Invocation of Halora
4. The Black Web is Spun
5. Misery of the Plague-Born
6. The Spiders’ Descent
7. Conquest of Kingdoms
8. Age of Winters

This list of themes could cover a whole prog album for an hour but “Age of Winters” sorts it all out in a single instrumental in less than five minutes.

Despite the rather ambitious mythology the Sword is trying to create, there isn’t a lot of complicated arrangements going on with “Age of Winters.” This is straight ahead punch-you-in-the-nose metal, thick and heavy like metal should be. While later albums by The Sword would be more musically interesting, there is a lot to be said for “Age of Winters” pure and furious energy. I liked it a lot and if you enjoy metal, so will you.

Best tracks: Freya, Winter’s Wolves, Lament for the Aurochs, Ebethron