Austin five-piece The Sword resides at the intersection where stoner rock and metal converge: people who shy away from anything heavier than Led Zeppelin or Black Mountain get into these guys, but so do the diehard metalheads who can’t listen to anything lighter than Black Sabbath. It’s hard to name a metal band of the past two decades that wouldn’t name Ozzy and company as a major influence. Of these bands, the Sword is one of the best when it comes to sheer technical ability as well as songwriting, which is why the Sword gets gigs opening for Jurassic institutions like Metallica. J.D. Cronise derives his lyrics from H.P. Lovecraft novels and Norse mythology, but this year’s Warp Riders is centered around original science fiction narrative. This is metal at its essence: heavy, moody rock and roll for fantasy novel nerds. With Karma To Burn, Mount Carmel. SARA BRICKNER

Mon., Oct. 4, 7 p.m., 2010