Album Review: The Sword - Warp Riders

The Sword - Warp Riders

Release Date August 24, 2010

Kermado

The third album from Austin, TX throwback metal group The Sword entitled Warp Riders has nothing throwback about it, for the band at least. This is The Sword's first shot at a concept album about, guess what, space.  Warp Riders, as stated by the band is a "concept album centered around an original science fiction narrative." In a genre where this imagery is somewhat of the norm, how does Warp Riders stack up?

Vocalist and guitar player J. D. Cronise took a back seat on production duties for this album and the band hired Matt Bayles. Bayles is best known for his work with Soundgarden, Isis, and Pearl Jam, he even produced engineered, and mixed the last two Mastodon albums, so the guy knows how to make a heavy album and it seems the band knows how to write some heavy riffs. 

Warp Riders is a devil-sign swinging head bobber, nothing new to The Sword, however the grittier, dirtier tones that were prevalent in the previous two albums, Age of Winters and Gods of the Earth have been cleaned up, taking away from The Sword's "doomier" edge, but not by much. This has been replaced with some seriously awesome riffs and better songwriting. 

The album is split into two parts, Part I: The Archer & the Orb and Part II: The Android & The Sword both 5 tracks each. Part I kicks off with Aceron/Unearthing the Orb which is an instrumental hot lick fest which leads into the album's first single Tres Brujas, a story about an exiled Archer who unearthed the orb (that can communicate with the holder) and runs into three witches that will help guide him in whatever he has to do. 

I don't know, I'd be pretty freaked if this magic orb started talking to me and telling me I'd meet prophetic witches. Maybe there's a line in the song that starts to explain what's going on... Inhaling deeply of the sacred smoke / Slipping in between the worlds, Ahh, makes sense now.

The story continues throughout the rest of this "side" of the album through the songs Arrows in the Dark, The Chronomancer I: Hubris, and Lawless Land. Our hero goes into a not-so-nice part of town, learns of his true mission to jettison across aether, and meets an angel all while accompanied by driving rhythm and guitar solos.

Part II: The Android & The Sword begins the same as Part I, heavy guitar instrumental. The protagonist then meets The Warp Riders, an ageless space traveling group of elders who ride into the "womb of night".  This brings us to the track Night City, the second single on the album. With a great riff and melody, this is my favorite track on Warp Riders, it's also about the seedy side of space.

I don't want to spoil the ending of the narrative so all I'm going to say is that you find out what the orb is all about, if you're interested.

If you liked the film Heavy Metal you'll enjoy the story of Warp Riders. If you need a new soundtrack to your D&D games, this is right up your alley. Sure to be a favorite among The Sword fans, Warp Riders delivers on what is expected from this retro metal band who has been gaining a lot of steam. The Sword has been featured on Guitar Hero, Megan Fox's horror masterpiece Jennifer's Body , and they were also the recipient of the High Times "Doobie Award" for Best Metal Band.

So if you like The Sword, science fiction, and weed, you'll probably like Warp Riders. On a scale from "Loves It" to "Not so Much" I give it a "It's pretty good".

Part I: The Archer & The Orb
1. Acheron/Unearthing the Orb (3:43)
2. Tres Brujas (4:09)
3. Arrows In the Dark (4:30)
4. The Chronomancer, Pt.1: Hubris (7:34)
5. Lawless Lands (5:09)

Part II: The Android & The Sword
6. Astraea's Dream (3:23)
7. The Warp Riders (3:57)
8. Night City (3:50)
9. The Chronomancer, Pt. 2: Nemesis (5:49)
10. (the Night the Sky Cried) Tears of Fire (6:11)

Length - 48:16

http://www.swordofdoom.com/