The Sword Announce Band Breakup
The Sword – Story by Anne Erickson, courtesy photo
Metal band The Sword has announced its breakup after 18 years
The end is here for metal band The Sword. The band’s singer-guitarist John D. Cronise announced the sad news via the group’s social media pages on Thursday (Oct. 20), explaining that “it’s time to bring The Sword’s long and storied career to a close.”
The Sword were known for their heavy blend of stoner and doom metal. During their time together, the band clocked 18 years as a band and released six studio albums. Three of their studio alums made it inside the Top 50 of the Billboard 200 chart, and four of them snagged a spot inside the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top Hard Rock Albums list.
The Sword’s most recent release include the compilations “Conquest of Kingdoms” and “Chronology: 2006–2018” in 2020. Before then, the band released a new studio album in 2018, “Used Future.”
Here’s Cronise’s full statement via the group’s Instagram page:
“Hello friends,
I find it my duty to inform you that, after much contemplation, I have reached the difficult conclusion that it’s time to bring The Sword’s long and storied career to a close. When I started the band back in 2004, I could’ve only hoped for the successes we’ve enjoyed, and I consider myself extremely lucky to have been able to do it for a living for almost two decades. In that time everything I ever wanted to say and do with The Sword creatively has been said and done, and so the time has come for me to move on to other endeavors.
Thanks to everyone who’s ever come to a show, bought our albums and merch, and supported us over the years. Thanks to everyone who’s teched, tour managed, done sound, or sold merch for us. Thanks to all the bands who’ve taken us on tour and to all the bands we’ve taken on tour. Thanks to the promotors and venues who booked us and let us play. Thanks to the producers and recording engineers who worked on our albums and to the labels that released them. Thanks to Josh our booking agent and Mark our business manager, whom we are glad to count as friends. And most of all thanks to my bandmates, Kyle, Bryan, Jimmy, and Trivett, for having faith in me and allowing me to realize my vision. You dudes are true legends.
It’s been a helluva journey. Now it’s time for the next chapter…
— John D. Cronise”
The Sword’s most recent concert happened on Sept. 18 of this year in their hometown of Austin, Texas. Their most recent tour was supporting Primus’ “A Tribute to Kings” tour in 2021.
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