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Every culture has
its own set of
cryptic texts.
They‘re the forbidden
tomes of wisdom
which governing
powers will deny
knowledge of and
ban. They‘re usually
thought-provoking.
They‘re typically
dangerous. They‘re
often revolutionary.
It might seem impossible to keep
anything private in the modern age of
Facebook and Twitter where everyone‘s
dirty laundry is up for a comment.
Nevertheless, the most impactful art
remains the most mysterious.
»Apocryphon«, which literally translates
to „secret writing“, is the perfect
moniker for THE SWORD‘s fourth fulllength
album and first for Razor & Tie*.
Wrapping poetic and poignant imagery
in a haze of crushing riffs and ethereal
melodies, the Austin, TX quartet delivers
haunting, hypnotic, and heavy rock. The
group—John D. Cronise [Vocals, Guitar],
Kyle Shutt [Guitar], Bryan Richie [Bass],
and Santiago “Jimmy” Vela III [Drums]—
is about to let the world in on a little
secret…
Coming off 2010‘s acclaimed concept
album »Warp Riders«, THE SWORD
approached their latest offering from a
new perspective. Instead of recording in
Austin, they holed up in Baltimore with
producer J. Robbins [Clutch, Jawbox] for
five weeks to craft »Apocryphon« in the
summer of 2012.
“It felt like a fresh start,“ affirms
Shutt. „We always made our
records in Austin. This is the first
time we left the city to
live somewhere and
make music. It was
good to shake things
up. Jimmy had just
joined the band.
We had new
management,
and we had just
signed to Razor & Tie.
There was a strange energy
in Baltimore, and it fit with
our attitude.“
Cronise elaborates, “The music is also
lyrically different. There‘s not as much
storytelling as on previous albums. There
are songs about real life subjects. Warp
Riders was a big undertaking. I wrote a sci-fi
story, and we made a record about it. This
was more stream-of-consciousness. In a way, I
realized music as a vehicle for expressing my
own views and thoughts. I shied away from
that before in favor of entertaining people
with colorful narratives. This is where I‘m
at.“
Cronise actually turned to various texts while
Forbidden Tomes of Wisdom
penning lyrics this time around. With an eerie synth,
captivating refrain, and pummeling guitars, the title
track references his deep and calculated research.
“The word ‚Apocryphon‘ came up while I was
researching Gnosticism, early Christianity,
theosophy, and other esoteric subjects,“ he goes on.
“They‘re books that were either banned or removed
from the biblical canon. The early church fathers felt
that these teachings were either too advanced or
dangerous for the masses to be exposed to because
they encouraged thought that was antithetical
to the church’s system of control, so they were
considered heretical and dubbed apocrypha.
You‘ve got to look beyond what you‘re told to the
totality of knowledge available to approach any
sort of true understanding.“
At the same time, he‘d also immersed himself in a
healthy dose of science fiction such as Phillip K. Dick‘s
VALIS and the work of Michael Moorcock. One song
‘Dying Earth‘ nods directly to Jack Vance‘s science fiction
series of the same name with an apocalyptic buildup
and distorted crash. Meanwhile, the first single ‘Veil of
Isis‘ careens from a propulsive beat and kinetic riff into
an impressive groove. It illuminates another side of
»Apocryphon«.
“That‘s one of the more metaphysical tracks
on the record,“ continues Cronise. “Some of it
is about Isis and the concept of the mother
deity. It gets into Egyptian cosmology and talks
about cycles of nature, which is a theme that
recurs in various places throughout the album.“
“It‘s the next logical step for THE SWORD,“ adds
Shutt. “It‘s got a big-ass riff and chorus. There‘s a
solid and memorable groove.“
Sonically, Robbins encouraged THE SWORD to tap into
something raw. As a result, the album echoes with
insurmountable intensity. “We loved what he did
with Clutch, and they highly recommended him,“
recalls Shutt. “He really helped us capture the dirty,
grittiness in the songs. It was there, but he knew
what we wanted, what we were going for, and how
to communicate it.“
That vision even comes across in the ornate cover
art by famed artist and writer J.H. Williams III. Cronise
sought out the Eisner and Harvey-award winning artist
behind Promethia, Batwoman, and Detective Comics for
artwork, and Williams excitedly obliged.
“I really wanted him for the cover,“ smiles Cronise.
“I‘ve been a fan for a long time, and what he came
up with is mind-blowing. It‘s more intricate and
involved than our previous album artwork. There‘s
so much to it. It gives the people who buy the CD,
LP, or cassette—yes, I said cassette—a beautiful
artifact to look at.“
THE SWORD consistently give their audience a fully
realized experience, though. They began turning heads
with Age of Winters in 2006 and its 2008 follow-up God
of the Earth. Metallica hand-picked them for a worldwide
tour, and they‘ve shared the stage with everyone from
MOTORHEAD to OzzY OSBOURNE. Their music has
been prominently utilized in films such as Jennifer‘s Body
and Jonas Åkerlund’s Horsemen as well as the bestselling
video game Guitar Hero: METALLICA.
Meanwhile, in 2010, Warp Riders reached #42
on the Billboard Top 200. They‘ve also received
widespread critical acclaim from the likes of
Rolling Stone, Outburn, The Washington Post,
and more. 2012 saw them ink
their deal with Razor & Tie*, and
a whole new chapter has begun.
Ultimately, THE SWORD will
continue to reveal what
other artists won‘t. “To some
degree, it‘s always been about
escapism,“ concludes Cronise. “Music
is supposed to transport people
somewhere away from their
daily lives. For »Apocryphon«, the
idea was to do that in a more
introspective and philosophical manner. I‘d like
it if listeners think a little bit more about life, their
existence, and their place in the universe while
taking this trip.“
That‘s one secret truly worth sharing.
*»Apocryphon« is released by Napalm Records/Spinning Goblin in
Europe