The Swords

Originating in Portland, Oregon, during 1999, the Swords Project arose when members of the Icebreak and Slower Than began sharing stages, performing original material and improvising together. The participants initially called the collective the Swords, glossed as “hired assassins of rock,” before adopting the longer name the Swords Project. One month after forming, the group recorded and issued a four-song self-titled EP on Absolutely Kosher. Two West Coast tours followed, along with an appearance at the South by Southwest music festival and several shows alongside Stephen Malkmus. The sextet—Corey Ficken (vocals, bass), Joey Ficken (drums), Jeff Gardner (guitar), Evan Railton (electronics, drums, keyboards), Liza Reitz (violin, accordion, keyboards), and Ryan Stowe (guitar)—delivered its first full-length album, Entertainment Is Over If You Want It, through Arena Rock in July 2003. The band subsequently shortened its name to Swords and issued the album Metropolis in 2005.