The Sword to Embark on Western U.S. Tour; Will Perform 'Warp Riders' Album in Full

Following their much-anticipated reunion, The Sword has announced their first slate of U.S. tour dates. The legendary Austin band heads west this summer, performing the epic Warp Riders album in its entirety to mark the record’s 15th anniversary. Tickets are on-sale this Friday at 10 a.m. local time via TheSwordOfficial.com. Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol and Pink Fuzz will support on all dates.

A special, limited-edition reissue of Warp Riders was released for Record Store Day. Remastered by J. Robbins, the “Sea of Pyres” vinyl variant features an embossed mirror board jacket and sold out within hours.

Upon its 2010 release, the 10-track Warp Riders was praised by the BBC for its “level of fantastical grandeur… on par with the bands who built the power metal subgenre,” while The Quietus called it “brilliant,” and Pitchfork dubbed it “Camaro-ready riff-rock.”

Warp Riders 15th Anniversary Tour:

August 17 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom

August 18 Albuquerque, NM Sister Bar

August 19 Denver, CO Gothic Theatre

August 20 Salt Lake City, UT Metro Music Hall

August 22 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory

August 23 Seattle, WA Neumo’s

August 24 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theater

August 25 Boise, ID Knitting Factory

August 27 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall

August 28 Pioneertown, CA Pappy & Harriet’s

August 29 San Diego, CA Belly Up Tavern

August 30 Los Angeles, CA The Bellwether

The Sword previously announced a run of European festival performances with headlining dates in the Netherlands and Sweden:

June 19 Copenhagen, DK Copenhell Festival

June 21 Netphen, DE Freak Valley Festival

June 22 Nijmegen, NL Doornroosje

June 25 Gothenburg, SE Monument

June 26 Stockholm, SE Slaktyrkan

June 28 Oslo, NO Tons of Rock Festival

The legendary Austin-based band announced their reunion earlier this year, bringing their signature blend of crushing heaviness and cosmic groove back to audiences who have long awaited their comeback. JD Cronise, in conversation with Revolver, discussed The Sword’s Levitation Festival performance as a turning point for the foursome, describing the experience as “like putting on a comfortable pair of sneakers.” Kyle Shutt added: “I can’t tell you what it means to see everyone’s positive reception. It feels so good to see people out there almost more enthusiastic about the band than ever – it’s something we’ll never take for granted.”

The Sword is JD Cronise (vocals, guitar), Bryan Richie (bass, keyboards), Kyle Shutt (guitar, vocals), and Santiago Vela (drums). Following their 2003 inception, The Sword quickly became one of the most revered names in heavy music. With a blend of crushing riffs, intricate storytelling, and a sound that bridges classic metal and modern rock, The Sword has released six albums: Age of Winters (2006), Gods of the Earth (2008), Warp Riders (2010), Apocryphon (2012), High Country (2015) and Used Future (2018).