The first single off The Sword’s new album, Warp Riders, is for “Tres Brujas”.

Unfortunately wordpress.com doesn’t let me embed myspace videos, so you just have to click here. Just do it. It’s a pretty cool video.

And it looks like “Lawless Lands” will be the next video/single.

OH… if you want to hear this before you buy, the band’s MySpace page has the entire album available in streaming format. If you dig rock and heavier music (esp. Black Sabbath, “stoner rock”, and that vein of stuff), you need to check it out. Been listening to the album non-stop since I bought it off the iTunes Music Store. It gets better with each listen.

I have no connection with the band other than being a fan and we’re all Austin-based.

Austin band, The Sword, have released their third full-length album, Warp Riders.

The album marks a departure for the band, both in terms of theme and sound. The theme moves to a sci-fi concept, and the sound is a little more “rock” than “metal”. There’s no question, the sound and the themes are still The Sword, but you can tell there’s a different sound.

For instance, songs like “Night City” and “Tres Brujas” have a bit more 70’s rock sound to them. I could see these songs, especially “Night City” being played on rock radio stations. There’s a good groove to things, a hook, memorable choruses that you’d find yourself singing or humming later on.

But fret not. Heaviness still abounds on tracks like “Arrows In the Dark”, “Astraea’s Dream” (one of two instrumentals). Still epic sounds like “The Chronomancer I: Hubris” (clocking in a 7 minutes and 35 seconds).

Why the change in themes and song structures? Could it be an attempt to gain a larger audience? If so, nothing wrong with that (perhaps all that time on tour with Metallica rubbed off?). I think the band is still true to who they are, but I would say if you want to hear what “The Sword” is about, you have to check out the first album, “Age of Winters”.

But I think the change is good, especially for this third album. If they did the same thing on this album, then I think the band would have forever been pigeonholed into being this “stoner rock” “Dungeons & Dragons” sort of band and they’d have a hard time breaking out of that mold. Taking the approach they did on this album shows the band can paint with a wider brush, yet remain true to themselves.

I’m digging the album so far. I just wish their only Austin appearance wasn’t at the Austin City Limits festival… need to see them in a local club next time they return to their hometown.

Iron Maiden’s new album “The Final Frontier” out today in the US.

Not shilling, well at least I’m getting nothing for it. 🙂  Just a happy fan.

Here’s the lead video:

(Yes I know, not embedable, but it looks prettier that way).

the new Eddie in the video looks cool… evolution of Eddie. 🙂

Also, they made an online video game. I like the comic book-like story telling. Pretty cool.

Up the irons!

Monster Magnet are one of my favorite bands.

Their website has long languished. But it seems that the old monstermagnet.net that Serge ran is gone and replaced with a new website at zodiaclung.com (old website redirects).

And a new album, “Mastermind” comes out in October.

Awesome.

I hope there’s a US tour to go with it. They’ve been spending most of their time in Europe and not-US.

Check this. “Nod Scene” (from the “Spine of God” album). No idea what the cartoon is, but it seems to go with the music just fine.