The Sword Sharply Outshines Clutch

Clutch may have seniority as alt-metal funk-ups dating back to the pre-Korn '90s when Primus was pushing its bass-slapping pork soda to MTV youth, but it's retro-metal neophytes The Sword who make this Cannery bill one worth catching. After cracking the glass ceiling of critical respect for doom metal soothsayers with their 2006 debut Age of Winters, this Austin, Texas, foursome easily surpass Clutch, despite all those years under their belts. Cloaked in a thick gloss of power-chord thrusts and psychedelic mystique, The Sword conjure up ancient goddesses and black magic lore without resorting to campy artificiality. Now forged anew with this year's follow-up, Gods of the Earth, The Sword may not have maintained their initial momentum as well as they would have liked, but are still well equipped to barrel through eight-movement instrumentals and steely numbers with remarkable dexterity.
Wed., Oct. 1, 9 p.m., 2008