The Sword Announce Western U.S. Tour; Perform Warp Riders Front to Back for 15th Anniversary

The Sword
Photo credit: Dave Creaney

April 30, 2025, AUSTIN – 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.

“This is probably the only chance people will have to see us perform the entire album, so don’t miss out!” says JD Cronise.

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).

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