The Sword are the purveyors of down tuned darkness and their latest offering, Apocryphon, is a just testament to that. Mastering doom is no easy feat but they do it in spades and J. D. Cronise lead singer and guitarist, leads the assault. He was gracious to give his time to Metal Exiles’ Bob Mavity for a few minutes to talk and give some insights into the new album, the change of drummers and label.
An interview with J.D. Cronise of The Sword.
By Bob Mavity
Metal Exiles: First of all, big fan, been listening to you guys for many years. So I am going to start off with a question that someone asked me outside. They asked me about the title of the new record and where that comes from?
J.D. Cronise: Well it’s a Greek word; I just thought it would be cool album title.
Metal Exiles: I agree. It worked for him as well. He told me that a professor of his turned him on to you guys because of some of the ruins on the cover of Age Of Winters. Seemed like a pretty interesting way for them to get into your music.
JDC: Yeah
Metal Exiles: I have been coming to see you guys live for a long time and you almost always seem to do a cool cover. I’ve seen you guys do KISS , Thin Lizzy, and last time you did Cheap Sunglass and of course you have the Immigrant Song on the split(The Sword/Witchcraft EP). What made you decide to put Cheap Sunglasses on the new record?
JDC: Well you know we needed a bonus track, like we always do and you know we thought it would be fun to record.
Metal Exiles: Have you ever considered releasing like an EP of covers or something like that?
JDC: We have considered it. We don’t have enough things recorded with Jimmy, our new drummer, to do that yet but maybe at some point.
Metal Exiles: Well that kind of leads me into my next question. How has Jimmy changed the way you guys work? Has it changed the feel for you guys on the older songs? Did he change a lot in the way things felt when you were recording the new record?
JDC: No, It’s not that great of a change really. You Know as far as the feel of the songs, because we really didn’t want anybody to change the feel of the old songs but as far as the studio being different everything went pretty smoothly. Jimmy was pretty happy with how everything went. He didn’t have a lot of notes or things to say at mixing time, which is different from previous recordings. Trivett was pretty anal about his drums and everything, which is understandable but Jimmy is a little bit more laid back than that. But yeah you know playing with him is great. He’s a great drummer.
Metal Exiles: About the stuff on the new record, which is what people want to know about. When you guys are writing things for it, do you come up with lyrics or licks first?
JDC: Usually the guitar riffs and the music comes first before the lyrics
Metal Exiles: I do it the same way. I’m a player too so I get that. You and Kyle play very well together and seem pretty in sync. Has it been that way since the beginning or has it taken some time for you to learn where you’re going?
JDC: Yeah probably a little bit of that. I’m sure it’s better now than it was in the beginning. But it’s not a kind of conscious thing. It’s just that we have learned to play together better. It would be hard not to.
Metal Exiles: I can see that as much as you guys are on the road.
JDC: Yeah!
Metal Exiles: you guys have a pretty hectic schedule on the road and I keep an eye on what you’re up to. I have noticed on the message boards that quit a few people were given you flack for Warp Riders.
JDC: Yeah there was a few. Defiantly, which was kind of expected I guess, although it got really good reviews for the most part. You know anytime you try something a little bit different there’s going to be people who don’t like it and want to hear a continuation of the last thing you did. But you know that’s to be expected.
Metal Exiles: The funny thing for me was I saw you not to terribly long before you went in to record Warp Riders and you were doing a Thin Lizzy cover and I heard some of that style with what you’re playing on there.
JDC: Yeah, definitely
Metal Exiles: One of the first times I saw you play you opened for another of my favorite bands, Clutch, and I am really glad to see you not being afraid to change similar to them. I have a great deal of respect for the fact that you do that.
JDC: Thanks
Metal Exiles: So I asked some buddies of mine who are big big fans of yours if there was anything that they would like me to ask you. They of course had some silly questions as well as some cool ones. I’m going start with the silly ones.
First of they wanted to know where can they get your hot sauce?
JDC: They can get it at the Tears Of Joy hot sauce shop on the web or if they are in Austin you can go to their shop there and pick some up. You can also get from us on the road.
Metal Exiles: I actually bought some last time you came through. So how did you guys end up hooked up with Anthony Bourdain?
JDC: Oh they just asked us. I mean there was a bunch of bands on that episode and they just asked us.
Metal Exiles: Was it a cool experience?
JDC: Yeah it was cool
Metal Exiles: I know you guys hail from Austin Texas. Are there any bands there that helped influence what you guys are doing?
JDC: From Austin specifically? Well there are a lot of good bands there but I wouldn’t be the first person to point out that there is not really much of a hard rock or heavy metal scene there. So as far as bands that would have been a influence on The Sword there is not really a lot from Austin that I could count in that category. Not to say that there is not many, many very talented artists and bands From Austin. It is just not a hard rock oriented town.
Metal Exiles: You’re a Gibson man right?
JDC: Yeah
Metal Exiles: How did you become a Gibson man?
JDC: They are Gibson’s you know. That’s what Billy Gibbons plays, that’s what Jimmy Page Plays, there is a reason those dudes play those guitars and it’s the same reason I do.
Metal Exiles: You left the record company you were with originally and went to Razor and Tie which has a very wide variety of artists there. What made you go with Razor and Tie and how’s it been going since you joined that label?
JDC: It’s good and they are very proactive. They are very much into advertising and press you know and getting our name out there and actually trying to sell records which is what record companies are supposed to do. We basically went with them because they are an independent label but they are not a metal label or a indie rock label or whatever. They don’t specialize in any one genre of music and they have a pretty wide reach. We didn’t want to sign to a major and as far as other independent labels; they all seem to be a little more niche oriented…
Metal Exiles: Specialized.
JDC: Yeah like your Relapses and ones like that. Not that there is anything wrong with those labels but their very like, if you’re in that scene then you know about every release that comes out on those labels. And that’s great but we feel like our music has a broader appeal than just the people that only listen to Stoner Doom or whatever.
Metal Exiles: I have never really liked to see you guys categorized in that genre. I feel there is a lot more to what you do. You have a lot of melody in there and thought that goes into it.
JDC: I would say there is probably a pretty small group of bands that wants actively to be labeled stoner rock or stoner metal. Most bands that get that title thrown at them are just trying to play rock n roll you know and that’s just the way they do it and people call it that. There is always your Bongzilla’s and whatever out there that are fully embracing of that kind of label. That’s cool but to us all rock is stoner rock.
The Sword have released their definitive masterstroke with Apocryphon. It will turn heads and make you a believer in all things heavy once again
The Sword Official Site
BUY Apocryphon!
BUY Apocryphon on Vinyl!
An interview with J.D. Cronise of The Sword.
By Bob Mavity
Metal Exiles: First of all, big fan, been listening to you guys for many years. So I am going to start off with a question that someone asked me outside. They asked me about the title of the new record and where that comes from?
J.D. Cronise: Well it’s a Greek word; I just thought it would be cool album title.
Metal Exiles: I agree. It worked for him as well. He told me that a professor of his turned him on to you guys because of some of the ruins on the cover of Age Of Winters. Seemed like a pretty interesting way for them to get into your music.
JDC: Yeah
Metal Exiles: I have been coming to see you guys live for a long time and you almost always seem to do a cool cover. I’ve seen you guys do KISS , Thin Lizzy, and last time you did Cheap Sunglass and of course you have the Immigrant Song on the split(The Sword/Witchcraft EP). What made you decide to put Cheap Sunglasses on the new record?
JDC: Well you know we needed a bonus track, like we always do and you know we thought it would be fun to record.
Metal Exiles: Have you ever considered releasing like an EP of covers or something like that?
JDC: We have considered it. We don’t have enough things recorded with Jimmy, our new drummer, to do that yet but maybe at some point.
Metal Exiles: Well that kind of leads me into my next question. How has Jimmy changed the way you guys work? Has it changed the feel for you guys on the older songs? Did he change a lot in the way things felt when you were recording the new record?
JDC: No, It’s not that great of a change really. You Know as far as the feel of the songs, because we really didn’t want anybody to change the feel of the old songs but as far as the studio being different everything went pretty smoothly. Jimmy was pretty happy with how everything went. He didn’t have a lot of notes or things to say at mixing time, which is different from previous recordings. Trivett was pretty anal about his drums and everything, which is understandable but Jimmy is a little bit more laid back than that. But yeah you know playing with him is great. He’s a great drummer.
Metal Exiles: About the stuff on the new record, which is what people want to know about. When you guys are writing things for it, do you come up with lyrics or licks first?
JDC: Usually the guitar riffs and the music comes first before the lyrics
Metal Exiles: I do it the same way. I’m a player too so I get that. You and Kyle play very well together and seem pretty in sync. Has it been that way since the beginning or has it taken some time for you to learn where you’re going?
JDC: Yeah probably a little bit of that. I’m sure it’s better now than it was in the beginning. But it’s not a kind of conscious thing. It’s just that we have learned to play together better. It would be hard not to.
Metal Exiles: I can see that as much as you guys are on the road.
JDC: Yeah!
Metal Exiles: you guys have a pretty hectic schedule on the road and I keep an eye on what you’re up to. I have noticed on the message boards that quit a few people were given you flack for Warp Riders.
JDC: Yeah there was a few. Defiantly, which was kind of expected I guess, although it got really good reviews for the most part. You know anytime you try something a little bit different there’s going to be people who don’t like it and want to hear a continuation of the last thing you did. But you know that’s to be expected.
Metal Exiles: The funny thing for me was I saw you not to terribly long before you went in to record Warp Riders and you were doing a Thin Lizzy cover and I heard some of that style with what you’re playing on there.
JDC: Yeah, definitely
Metal Exiles: One of the first times I saw you play you opened for another of my favorite bands, Clutch, and I am really glad to see you not being afraid to change similar to them. I have a great deal of respect for the fact that you do that.
JDC: Thanks
Metal Exiles: So I asked some buddies of mine who are big big fans of yours if there was anything that they would like me to ask you. They of course had some silly questions as well as some cool ones. I’m going start with the silly ones.
First of they wanted to know where can they get your hot sauce?
JDC: They can get it at the Tears Of Joy hot sauce shop on the web or if they are in Austin you can go to their shop there and pick some up. You can also get from us on the road.
Metal Exiles: I actually bought some last time you came through. So how did you guys end up hooked up with Anthony Bourdain?
JDC: Oh they just asked us. I mean there was a bunch of bands on that episode and they just asked us.
Metal Exiles: Was it a cool experience?
JDC: Yeah it was cool
Metal Exiles: I know you guys hail from Austin Texas. Are there any bands there that helped influence what you guys are doing?
JDC: From Austin specifically? Well there are a lot of good bands there but I wouldn’t be the first person to point out that there is not really much of a hard rock or heavy metal scene there. So as far as bands that would have been a influence on The Sword there is not really a lot from Austin that I could count in that category. Not to say that there is not many, many very talented artists and bands From Austin. It is just not a hard rock oriented town.
Metal Exiles: You’re a Gibson man right?
JDC: Yeah
Metal Exiles: How did you become a Gibson man?
JDC: They are Gibson’s you know. That’s what Billy Gibbons plays, that’s what Jimmy Page Plays, there is a reason those dudes play those guitars and it’s the same reason I do.
Metal Exiles: You left the record company you were with originally and went to Razor and Tie which has a very wide variety of artists there. What made you go with Razor and Tie and how’s it been going since you joined that label?
JDC: It’s good and they are very proactive. They are very much into advertising and press you know and getting our name out there and actually trying to sell records which is what record companies are supposed to do. We basically went with them because they are an independent label but they are not a metal label or a indie rock label or whatever. They don’t specialize in any one genre of music and they have a pretty wide reach. We didn’t want to sign to a major and as far as other independent labels; they all seem to be a little more niche oriented…
Metal Exiles: Specialized.
JDC: Yeah like your Relapses and ones like that. Not that there is anything wrong with those labels but their very like, if you’re in that scene then you know about every release that comes out on those labels. And that’s great but we feel like our music has a broader appeal than just the people that only listen to Stoner Doom or whatever.
Metal Exiles: I have never really liked to see you guys categorized in that genre. I feel there is a lot more to what you do. You have a lot of melody in there and thought that goes into it.
JDC: I would say there is probably a pretty small group of bands that wants actively to be labeled stoner rock or stoner metal. Most bands that get that title thrown at them are just trying to play rock n roll you know and that’s just the way they do it and people call it that. There is always your Bongzilla’s and whatever out there that are fully embracing of that kind of label. That’s cool but to us all rock is stoner rock.
The Sword have released their definitive masterstroke with Apocryphon. It will turn heads and make you a believer in all things heavy once again
The Sword Official Site
BUY Apocryphon!
BUY Apocryphon on Vinyl!
