THE SWORD @ Black Cat, Washington, DC - 12/5/07 Show Review by Alex Harisiadis
Hair seems to be a prominent feature in music and the world of entertainment as a whole this year. John Waters' Hairspray was remade for the silver screen, AMY WINEHOUSE's beehive is mentioned almost as often as her drug problems, and beards have become as integral to the hipster uniform as a lack of proper hygiene. So, it came as no surprise to me that three-fourths of THE SWORD's lineup was barbate last week at the Black Cat, up from about half the band when I last saw them a year prior. But, THE SWORD's music is really more likely to put hair on your chest instead of your face.
With the band having holed themselves up in a cave somewhere near Austin, TX working on new material, this tour was clearly an opportunity for the band to try out their new material. Judging by the large pit of fans and one overexuberant (and also, exceedingly rude) photographer, the new material is, by and large, a success. Though old favorites such as "Freya" and "Iron Swan" were performed, material from Age of Winters was sparsely found throughout their set. New songs performed retain the characteristic, crushing sound of THE SWORD, but also branch out into faster, almost thrashier, sounds, and more intricate harmonies and solos. It was difficult to detect any one particular moment in the new material where one would think "they bit off more than they could chew..." And for this steady, but reserved, movement forward, fans of the monster riff and its hairy proponents are thankful this holiday season.
Postscript: According to bassist Bryan Richie, the band is familiar with the new comic book series, The Sword, by The Luna Brothers. They band may be looking to organize "SwordCon" next year in Austin. Stay tuned...
