Sword

In a town known more for singer-songwriters, the rise of Austin’s the Sword seems like an anomaly. It wasn't a scarcity of heavy metal that fostered their growth, however—it was volume. Stripping down to a chassis of Black Sabbath before upholstering his albums with harmonized dual-guitar riffs, stoner metal drone and complex, orchestral movements, lead guitarist and vocalist J.D. Cronise wears his influences on his sleeves. The surging rhythms and Norse-inspired lyrics of the Sword's first release, Age of Winters, earned the band spots on several Austin top10 lists in 2006, as well as a large local following.

Featuring the titanic riffs of Kyle Shutt and Bryan Richie, as well as the heavy cymbal work of Trivett Wingo, their single “Freya” surged in popularity after it was featured in the video game Guitar Hero II. Honing the literary and narrative structure of their songs, the band released their second album, Gods of the Earth, in 2008. Integrating acoustic guitar and exploring with longer track lengths, Gods cemented the band’s place in America's growing retro-metal scene. It enjoyed minor chart success and earned the Sword a spot with Metallica on a much-publicized European tour, as well as shows alongside speed-metal greats Motörhead during this year’s South By Southwest music festival. Their third full-length album, Warp Riders, is due in August. More at: http://www.swordofdoom.com