Modern Thrash Unit WARBRINGER Unleashes Scorching Single “The Sword And The Cross”

Modern thrash titans WARBRINGER recently set the world ablaze with the announcement of their highly anticipated new album, Wrath And Ruin, out March 14, 2025, via Napalm Records. Today, they return to unleash the furiously charged second single “The Sword And The Cross”, alongside an official lyric video.

“The Sword And The Cross” continues the band’s righteous crusade for justice and riffs, lambasting listeners with unrelenting blasts, and unsettling, gothic guitar duels. Frontman John Kevill remains steadfast in his convictions, lyrically exploring the dismay of modern conditions through the voice of a medieval lord cruelly mocking the listener.

About the single, frontman Kevill says:
“‘The Sword and the Cross’ was the first song we wrote for Wrath and Ruin and sets the tone for the album. We have a dark, epic thrashing number where a callous lord tells the audience how and why he owns them. First, establishing himself with brute violence (the Sword). Second, legitimated himself with ideology (the Cross). The end of the song was written first, where this lord says that he is still present, and reigns in skyscrapers rather than castles, that his sons will own your sons, and he will own you long after he dies. I love this section and it feels absolutely maniacal and evil to sing. One of the chief themes on the record is “techno-feudalism.” Though our rulers may have given up their crowns and titles, they never relinquished their power. The modern lords are no less our masters than the medieval ones were.

Bend the knee, peasants, for we bring to you Wrath and Ruin. We bring the sword!”

Wrath And Ruin’s destructive opening duo of “The Sword And The Cross” and “A Better World” quickly kick the gates of cataclysm open with broodingly dark guitar work and virtuosic precision. Frontman John Kevill’s passionate proclamations are as potent as ever, mocking those who scoffed at clear harbingers of societal collapse with their misguided optimism. “Neuromancer” rides low and steady with blast master Carlos Cruz putting some serious stank on an irresistible battle vest fist-pumper. “The Jackhammer” sees the band explode into a frenzy with chaotic riffage and ear-splitting pinch dives. “Through A Glass, Darkly” indulges in deliciously gothic chord work and melodic leads embellishing Kevill’s already hellish vocal fry. “Strike From The Sky” is trademark thrash excellence quickly followed by the atmospheric, true cult epic “Cage Of Air,” with its tensely ornate dueling guitars on full display. Album closer “The Last Of My Kind” continues this dark gothic path with syncopated octave runs dancing around tightly dueling melodeath riffage. Wrath And Ruin sees WARBRINGER indulging in the darker elements of their sound, for an uncompromising and unflinching exploration of life’s most bitter pills.

Pre-Order New Album Wrath And Ruin HERE

 

Wrath And Ruin tracklisting:

CD1

1 The Sword And The Cross

2 A Better World

3 Neuromancer

4 The Jackhammer

5 Through A Glass, Darkly

6 Strike From The Sky

7 Cage Of Air

8 The Last of My Kind

CD 2

1 Firepower Kills (Live in Budapest, Hungary – April 7th, 2023)

2 The Black Hand Reaches Out (Live in Budapest, Hungary – April 7th, 2023)

3 Crushed Beneath the Tracks (Live in Nantes, France – April 20th, 2023)

4 Living Weapon (Live in Budapest, Hungary – April 7th, 2023)

5 Woe to the Vanquished (Live in Budapest, Hungary – April 7th, 2023)

6 Living in a Whirlwind (Live in Budapest, Hungary – April 7th, 2023)

7 Guitar Solo/ Outer Reaches (Live in Nantes, France – April 20th, 2023)

8 Shellfire (Live in Munich, Germany – April 5th, 2023

9 Descending Blade (Live in Krakow, Poland – April 4th, 2023)

10 Hunter-Seeker (Live in Krakow, Poland – April 4th, 2023)

11 Defiance of Fate (Live in Budapest, Hungary – April 7th, 2023)

12 Silhouettes (Live in Nantes, France – April 20th, 2023)

13 Remain Violent (Live in Budapest, Hungary – April 7th, 2023)

14 Combat Shock (Live in Budapest, Hungary – April 7th, 2023)

15 Total War (Live in Budapest, Hungary – April 7th, 2023)

 

Wrath And Ruin will be available in the following formats:

• 2CD Digisleeve
• 1-LP Gatefold Black Vinyl
• 1-LP Gatefold Marbled Vinyl w/ 12inch Booklet + Slipmat (Napalm Records mail order only – limited to 300)
• CD + Shirt Bundle (Napalm Records mail order only)
• Digital Album

  WARBRINGER also recently announced a North American co-headline tour with death metal stalwarts Allegaeon, as well as a European Tour supporting Decapitated and Cryptopsy, in addition to select festival appearances and German dates supporting Kreator.

  See below for a complete list of dates.

   

  WABRINGER

  “The Vortex Of Violence” North American Co-Headline Tour w/ Allegaeon

  Support from Skeletal Remains & Summoning The Lich

   

  03/18/25: San Diego, CA @ Brick by Brick

  03/19/25: Phoenix, AZ @ Last Exit Live

  03/20/25: Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad

  03/21/25: Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street Collective

  03/22/25: Haltom City, TX @ Haltom Theater

  03/23/25: Austin, TX @ Come and Take it Live

  03/24/25: Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock

  12/30/99: Conduit, @ Orlando

  03/26/25: Orlando, FL @ Conduit

  03/27/25: Jacksonville, NC @ Hooligan’s

  03/28/25: Bensalem, PA @ Broken Goblet

  03/29/25: Brooklyn, NY @ Woodshop

  03/30/25: Montreal, QC @ Foufounes Electriques

  03/31/25: Toronto, ON @ The Garrison

  04/01/25: Detroit, MI @ The Sanctuary

  04/02/25: Chicago, IL @ Reggies

  04/03/25: Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck

  04/04/25: Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theater

  04/05/25: Denver, CO @ HQ

  04/06/25: Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall

  04/08/25: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

  04/09/25: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre

  04/10/25: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater

  04/11/25: San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge

  04/12/25: Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom

   

  WARBRINGER

  “Infernal Bleeding Over Europe 2025”

  Supporting Decapitated w/ Cryptopsy & Carnation

   

  03.05.25 UK – London / Incineration Fest

  04.05.25 UK – Exeter / Phoenix

  05.05.25 UK – Cardiff / The Globe

  06.05.25 UK – Newcastle / Anarchy Brewery

  07.05.25 UK – Glasgow / Slay

  08.05.25 UK – Manchester / Academy 2

  09.05.25 UK – Birmingham / XOYO

  10.05.25 UK – Nottingham / Rescue Rooms

  11.05.25 UK – Norwich / The Waterfront

  13.05.25 FR – Lille / The Black Lab

  14.05.25 NL – Enschede / Metropool

  15.05.25 DE – Munich / Backstage

  16.05.25 CH – Aarau / KiFF

  17.05.25 DE – Lindau / Vaudeville

  18.05.25 AT – Vienna / Szene

  19.05.25 HU – Budapest / Dürer Kert

  20.05.25 CZ – Prague / Fuchs2

  21.05.25 DE – Schweinfurt / Stattbahnhof

  22.05.25 DE – Dresden / Blauer Salon

  23.05.25 PL – Kraków / Hype Park

  24.05.25 PL – Warsaw / Proxima

  26.05.25 DE – Berlin / Hole44

  27.05.25 DK – Aarhus / Voxhall

  28.05.25 DE – Hamburg / Logo

  29.05.25 DE – Vechta / Gulfhaus

  30.05.25 DE – Dortmund / Junkyard

  31.05.25 BE – Sint-Niklaas / Casino

  01.06.25 FR – Paris / La Machine

  03.06.25 DE – Frankfurt / Das Bett

  04.06.25 DE – Karlsruhe / Substage

  05.06.25 IT – Milan / Legend Club

  06.06.25 IT – Bologna / Locomotiv

  07.06.25 FR – Lyon / Lions Metal Fest

   

  WARBRINGER

  Select EU Dates & Festival Appearances
  20.07.25 DE – Heidelberg / Halle02 w/ Kreator & Rotting Christ

  21.07.25 DE – Obdertraublin / Airport-Eventhall w/ Kreator & Rotting Christ

  22.07.25 DE – Memmingen / Kaminwerk w/ Kreator & Rotting Christ

  23.07.25 SK – Tolmin / Tolminator Festival

  31.07.25 RO – Rasnov / Rockstadt Festival

  02.08.25 PO – Vagos / Vagos Metal Fest

  06.08.25 CZ – Jaromer / Brutal Assault Festival

  07.08.25 BE – Kortijk / Alcatraz Fest

  09.08.25 UK – Derbyshire / Bloodstock Festival

  15.08.25 DE – Dinkelsbuhl / Summer Breeze Festival

  16.08.25 CH – Kudrefin / Rock The Lakes Festival

  WARBRINGER online:
  FACEBOOK

  INSTAGRAM

  TWITTER

  NAPALM RECORDS