Groups like Black Sabbath and Sleep loom large in the record collections of The Sword, an Austin, TX, metal band with a mighty, mid-tempo, dueling-guitar sound cherished by video-gamers, headbangers, and bong-huggers. Since 2003, singer/guitarist John Cronise has sought lyrical inspiration in science fiction, Conan the Barbarian, and Middle Earth. In recent years the band has departed from its metal template and experimented with softer types of sonic sorcery.