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By Fire & Sword is a heavy/power metal band from Boise, Idaho, an area of the United States known far and wide for not producing a lot of metal bands. The debut album for No Remorse Records, Glory, is an interesting collection of contradictions that somehow work well together. Musically, they have both slow, epic anthems ("The Flood") and double-kick speedsters ("Glory, Love, and Light") with vocals that are high but not air raid siren high where you might expect deeper, booming singing or something only dogs can hear. Lyrically, they sing about the age-old battle of good vs. evil with a mostly biblical feel to the storytelling, yet the singer, who goes by the name of The Reverend, also throws in some modern-sounding evangelical "preaching," like Sonata Arctica's "X Marks the Spot." Apparently, the lyrics are not to be taken too seriously and are meant somewhat tongue in cheek. What does all this mean? Simply put, Glory is a fun, upbeat and satisfying metal album despite some things that might not seem to fit on first blush. The Reverend and Brother Jeffery, who handles the guitars and programming, may not take themselves too seriously but are more than competent musicians who can write a catchy tune or ten. My personal favorite is the album closer, "Dear Reverend (Please Take My Hand)" which is pure, double-kick, power metal ear candy. Is Glory for everyone? Probably not, but if you dig bands like Sonata Arctica and Dark Forest, and wondered what it would be like if they joined forces, By Fire & Sword should be right up your alley. Or maybe your aisle if you are reading this on a Sunday.