Number 77 - Age of Winters by The Sword

 Number 77: Age of Winters by The Sword

A perfect balance of myths and riffs

Release: February 14th, 2006
Genre: Metal
Favorite Tracks: Ebethron, Iron Swan, Freya

 

Where I heard it: 

Growing up in my high school's music department, I was fortunate enough to share a creative space with some of the most talented musicians I have ever known. As a result, I made friends with plenty of musically minded people who loved to collaborate and share their work with others. I'd be introduced to a few of my closest friends the summer after my graduation, all of whom had played in a band together as far back as middle school. I was aware of their individual abilities, but I hadn't heard the trio rehearse together until a nice summer day in 2014 when I was invited to a garage session of theirs. Myself and one of the members' girlfriends sat in a couple lawn chairs as the instruments tuned up, the amplifiers hummed, and the band played through two flawless runs of Freya and Iron Swan by The Sword. The chemistry between these three guys was obvious through their synchronicity, jamming along with each other and embracing the rock star image. The two-person audience was left completely speechless, in awe of the private concert we had just experienced. It wasn't too long after this memory that I remember running home to look up the lyrics for Freya, hoping I could be a part of my friends' greatness by any means necessary. While my membership was never acquired, I'll always have this moment to thank for my love of The Sword and their debut album Age of Winters.

She sits astride mountains tall and wide
Serpent of Earth writhes between glacial tides
Holy nectar flowing from celestial teat
Lips of blood and fire gorging on the sacred feast
Bounty of the goddess offered by the avatar
White blood spills with the singing of the scimitars
~ The Horned Goddess

What to expect:

As indicated by the track names, The Sword draws heavy inspiration in its lyrics from stories of Norse mythology that recant epic tales of battle and immortal beings. Appropriately, these themes are reenforced with steady, dreary doom metal beats that aim to drag out every phrase as long as possible. Despite its intimidating name, doom metal is notably distinguishable from the technically advanced rhythms of prog metal and the fervent fretwork of thrash metal. Doom metal's strengths rely on atonal segments of slow, repetitive melodies that evolve over the course of a song's duration. In effect, this invites the listener to dramatically bang their head along with the punctuated notes, utilizing predictability in songwriting with just enough twists and turns to keep things feeling fresh and interesting. In relation to The Sword and Age of Winters, the combination of ancient fantasy and heavy metal pairs perfectly together, creating a theater of the mind that is guided by brutal riffs and impressive vocal harmonization. Age of Winters embraces simplicity through pattern-based verses that develop familiarity and engagement with the listener to ensure nothing gets lost in translation. For those new to the genre, The Sword offers a straightforward approach to the metal format that harkens back to its origins with bands like Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, providing a fantastic introduction that builds upon its predecessors.

 Bane of the demon lord
Slayer of the spider priests
Spiller of the silver blood
Fragments of bore infused with purest steel
A warrior's hand and a wizard's mind to wield
Killer of Lor, avenging those accursed
Gathering knowledge, quenching deadly thirst
~ Barael's Blade

Why it's my favorite: 

For as much music I listen to with complex time signature and complicated accompaniment, I sure do appreciate bands that can captivate your attention without excessively vying for it. Whether it be the upbeat march of Freya or the sludgy crawl of The Horned Goddess, The Sword creates discernible impact of impressive magnitude with every note delivered. The unison of distorted chords, deep bass notes, and jarring crash cymbals propel noise directly into your eardrum with palpable force. You won't find too many standout solos among the songs on Age of Winters, mainly because the band relies so much on synchronization between instruments to achieve that powerful sound However, the few solos that are sprinkled throughout the album leave chills down my spine, namely the bass solo to close Iron Swan and the drum solo that bridges the two sections of the album's finale Ebethron. The members of The Sword clearly possess massive talent, yet depend on their composition skills over their technical prowess to display their musical vision. I was fortunate enough to witness them perform in 2015, and the sheer energy of their music translates perfectly to a live setting. You've gotta respect them for capitalizing on a concept they executed so well and running with it for so long. For me, nothing compares to the one that started it all with Age of Winters.