Acclaimed metal act The Sword have broken up. The group’s singer-guitarist John D. Cronise made the announcement via the band’s social media pages on Thursday (October 20th), stating that “it’s time to bring The Sword’s long and storied career to a close.”
The Sword earned a strong following and critical praise during their nearly two decades as a band, combining elements of stoner and doom metal into their six studio albums. Three of their studio LPs cracked the Top 50 of the Billboard 200 chart upon their respective releases, and four them landed in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top Hard Rock Albums tally.
Following the band’s most recent album, 2018’s Used Future, The Sword released the compilations Conquest of Kingdoms and Chronology: 2006–2018 in 2020. It now appears as if those collections put a cap on the group’s recording career.
Cronise’s full statement on the band’s Instagram page reads as follows:
“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”
As it now stands, The Sword’s final show took place last month on September 18th, fittingly in their hometown of Austin, Texas. Last year, the band had the honor of supporting Primus’ “A Tribute to Kings” tour, which paid homage to RUSH.
Best of luck to John D. Cronise and the other Sword members on their future endeavors. In the meantime, relive the band’s live show with a full concert performance from 2018 posted below.