The Sword @ The Cathouse, 10 May

To state that the entire history of metal is essentially a footnote to Black Sabbath might be slightly overstating the point, but for those bands that remain firmly committed to blues scales, at least, an awareness of that lineage is never far away. Leeds-based hard rock quartet Gentlemans Pistols, at their best, evoke the irresistible enthusiasm and silliness of Sabbath’s more eccentric riff-medleys. Admittedly, songs like Widow Maker are edged with the kind of funk-rock rhythms and wailing vocals peddled by cringeworthy outfits like Buckcherry; but live, the riffs are so infectious that it’s impossible to argue.

Since their emergence from Austin, Texas, in 2006, The Sword have often been compared with you-know-who. J.D. Cronise’s vocals do bear more than a passing resemblance to Ozzy Osbourne, but the four-piece’s sound is generally sharper and more intricate than the comparison implies, equally evincing the influence of Metallica. The old material goes down most effectively tonight, particularly Freya, a searing stoner-metal epic that encapsulates the signature sound of the band’s first two albums.

Last year’s Warp Riders, their third LP, saw The Sword moving towards a more classic rock-oriented sound, and tracks like Tres Brujas lose some of their impact in this context, when preceded by the all-out assault of the earlier material. Nonetheless, their refusal to depend solely on metal pyrotechnics indicates the band’s justified confidence in the quality of their songwriting. Inevitably, of course, it also testifies to the continuing creative fertility of the heavy blues template that Black Sabbath created.