Band:	The Sword
Album:	Gods Of The Earth
Style:	Doom metal, Stoner metal
Release date:	January 04, 2008
Guest review by:	AndMetalForAll

01. The Sundering
02. The Frost Giant's Daughter
03. How Heavy This Axe
04. Lords
05. Fire Lances Of The Ancient Hyperzephyrians
06. To Take the Black
07. Maiden, Mother & Crone
08. Under The Boughs
09. The Black River
10. The White Sea
11. (hidden acoustic track)
12. Sea Of Spears [Japanese bonus]
13. To Take The Black [live] [Japanese bonus]
14. He's Waiting [The Sonics cover] [Japanese bonus]
15. Untitled [Australian bonus]
16. Nasty Dogs [ZZ Top cover] [Australian bonus]
17. The White Sea [live] [Australian bonus]

Gods Of The Earth is the sophomore album of this great young band of heavy/stoner metal. In my opinion The Sword is one of the fastest rising stars in the music industry. This album actually solidifies that position making it in my opinion the best album of the band.

Gods Of The Earth gave the band the commercial success they deserve and incorporates in one album all the right components of the heavy/stoner metal style. It has great songs, a more profound lyric style, and much more technically sound instrumental parts which make this album a joy to hear more than one time. Tracks like "How Heavy This Axe" and "Fire Lances Of The Ancient Hyperzephyrians" are really great examples of what I said above, definitely the most exquisite tracks, great in the studio and in live shows. Also, the intention to take the leap to new heights commercially. It seems that this album was made with the intent of making the band something bigger and something more than they were.

Something that surprised me was the maturity the band had; it's amazing to see the band compose something as great as this album, with amazing vocal performances, nice production, lyrics and of course instrumental parts. J. D. Cronise and Kyle Shutt were the best composers on this album, solid solos, great riffs and good intros put Gods Of The Earth at another level, also, to mention the good performances by Trivett Wingo and Bryan Richie.

I truly believe The Sword will be the next big thing in the rock industry, otherwise bands such as Machine Head or Metallica wouldn't help this band at the time of the release of this album, inviting them for most of the live shows. This group is so talented and so inspired, really ambitious and always trying to improve and making every album the best of the band. I feel this is a band that plays, not for the money, but because they love to play music I just hope that future success doesn't spoil this young group.