THE SWORD: U.S., European, Australian Tour Dates Announced

July 29, 2010

Austin, Texas metal luminaries THE SWORD have scheduled the following tour dates:

United States:

Oct. 01 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
Oct. 02 - San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
Oct. 03 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre
Oct. 04 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
Oct. 06 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Oct. 12 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
Oct. 13 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
Oct. 14 - Roanoke, VA @ Martin's Downtown
Oct. 15 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
Oct. 16 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Oct. 17 - Boston, MA @ Royale Boston
Oct. 19 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
Oct. 20 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Oct. 21 - Huntington, WV @ V Club
Oct. 23 - Chicago, IL @ Metro

Europe:

Nov. 08 - Antwerp, Belgium @ Trix
Nov. 09 - Hamburg, Germany @ Molotov
Nov. 11 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Gote Killare
Nov. 12 - Malmo, Sweden @ KB
Nov. 13 - Oslo, Norway @ Garage
Nov. 15 - Berlin, Germany @ Magnet
Nov. 16 - Munich, Germany @ 59:1
Nov. 17 - Vienna, Austria @ Szene
Nov. 18 - Milan, Italy @ Live Club
Nov. 19 - Graz, Austria @ PPC
Nov. 21 - Zurich, Switzerland @ Dynamo
Nov. 23 - Koln, Germany @ Underground
Nov. 24 - Paris, France @ La Fleche d'or
Nov. 26 - Uden, Holland @ Uden de Pul
Nov. 27 - Kerkrade, Holland @ Rock Tempel
Nov. 29 - Portsmouth, United Kingdom @ Wedgewood Rooms
Nov. 30 - Bristol, United Kingdom @ Fleece & Firkin
Dec. 01 - Birmingham, United Kingdom @ Bar Academy
Dec. 03 - Leeds, United Kingdom @ Cockpit
Dec. 04 - Glasgow, United Kingdom @ G2
Dec. 05 - Newcastle, United Kingdom @ Academy II
Dec. 06 - Manchester, United Kingdom @ Academy III
Dec. 08 - Nottingham, United Kingdom @ Rescue Rooms
Dec. 09 - London, United Kingdom @ Islington Academy
Dec. 10 - Brighton, United Kingdom @ Audio
Dec. 11 - Dublin, Ireland @ Academy
Dec. 12 - Belfast, Ireland @ Stiff Kitten

Australia:

Feb. 26 - Brisbane, QLD @ Soundwave 2011
Feb. 27 - Sydney, NSW @ Soundwave 2011
Mar. 04 - Melbourne, VIC @ Soundwave 2011
Mar. 05 - Adelaide, SA @ Soundwave 2011
Mar. 07 - Perth, WA @ Soundwave 2011

A live EP featuring five songs that were recorded during THE SWORD's July 3, 2010 performance at the iTunes festival at London, England's Roundhouse has been released exclusively via Apple's iTunes Store.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Freya (live)
02. Arrows In The Dark (live)
03. Winter's Wolves (live)
04. To Take The Black (live)
05. The Horned Goddess (live)

"Tres Brujas", a brand new song from THE SWORD, is now available for purchase via iTunes. The track comes off the band's third full-length album, "Warp Riders", which is scheduled for release on August 24 via Kemado Records.

"Tres Brujas" audio stream:

"Warp Riders" track listing:

01. Acheron/Unearthing the Orb
02. Tres Brujas
03. Arrows in the Dark
04. The Chronomancer I: Hubris
05. Lawless Lands
06. Astraea's Dream
07. The Warp Riders
08. Night City
09. The Chronomancer II: Nemesis
10. (The Night the Sky Cried) Tears of Fire

"Tres Brujas" is the first part of a video trilogy helmed by former THE SWORD collaborators Artificial Army, which will launch in August. The second and third chapters of the saga will be for "Lawless Lands" and "Night City".

With a narrative arc that the band describes as "a psychedelic space opera that explores the temporal themes of death and rebirth," it's only fitting that the record's cover art is equally mind melting. Paying homage to authors that inspired the album's lyrics, artist Dan McPharlin created an image in the tradition of classic science fiction book covers. THE SWORD will also release a limited edition hexagon-shaped picture-disc 12-inch single for "(The Night Sky Cried) Tears of Fire".

"Warp Riders" marks the first release where the group has worked with an outside producer. Helmed by Matt Bayles (PEARL JAM, MASTODON, ISIS),the album is anchored by an epic science-fiction narrative. The storyline is a psychedelic space opera that explores temporal themes of death and rebirth. "Warp Riders" also finds THE SWORD expanding its range from pure metal to include bone-crunching hard rock at large. Rather than dampening its sound, the band actually sounds more amplified than ever, spewing out some of its most scalding riffs to date and channeling an unearthly bellow from its low end.

Opening track "Acheron/Unearthing The Orb" begins with ominous, fog-drenched atmosphere before a flurry of nimble fretwork and galloping drums storm out of the gate. The energy doesn't let up once and by the final moments of closing cut, "(The Night Sky Cried) Tears of Fire", an intensely satisfying resolution sets in. Guitarists Kyle Shutt and John "J. D." Cronise execute punishing acrobatics while injecting melody at every turn. Bryan Richie's warm bass lays down the foundation and ripples with menace. Trivett Wingo's drumming explodes with the perfect balance of both precision and dexterity.

In a recent interview with Decibel magazine, THE SWORD guitarist/vocalist John "J. D." Cronise stated about the forthcoming effort, "This is what you'd technically call a 'concept album,' though I'd describe it as more of a soundtrack to a story I came up with. All the songs are about aspects of the story, but they don't cover every detail from beginning to end. It's a science fiction story, and it deals heavily with themes of light and dark and perceptions of time. One of the main settings is a planet, which has experienced tidal locking, creating a side of perpetual day and a side of perpetual night. The reason for creating a narrative to base the songs around was essentially to provide interesting and varied lyrical subject matter with a core theme to tie it all together."

Cronise previously told AOL's Noisecreep that "Warp Riders" will have a broader hard rock sound but stressed that the band's aim isn't to broaden its appeal outside of the heavy metal market. "If more people listen that's great, but we're not doing it for that reason," he said. "We are just more interested in expanding our sound for ourselves. If we wanted to expand our audience we should just remake the second album over again, rather than challenge people with something new."

THE SWORD's last album, "Gods of the Earth", was released on April 1, 2008 via Kemado Records.

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