Sparta
Austere

THE REVIEW

It is true, an EP with 4 tracks is a bit scarce to definitively judge the qualities of a band born from the ashes of At The Drive In. Actually, there are only 3 real songs, while the last piece is a de-mix that is difficult to evaluate. Let's take a moment to recap the events that led to Sparta: At the peak of their success, Omar Rodriguez and Cedric Bixler left At The Drive In due to conflicts with the band, forcing the remaining 4 members to dissolve the group. After a very few months and fighting every image prejudice, the same (four) decided to try again by founding Sparta. This May marked their debut with the EP "Austere," in which they demonstrate with 3 superb tracks their stubborn desire to continue precisely where ATDI had left off. And the formula continues to please and excite. The brilliance and creativity that distinguished ATDI also characterize Sparta, there is no doubt, the basis on which to rebuild a project that collapsed dramatically was already valid before and you can certainly hear it in Sparta as well. The EP should be seen as a teaser for the first album by the Texans, still untitled and due to be released in the summer, and it still manages to raise tension and anticipation for the first complete publication by the El Paso guys. Three melodic and saturated tracks, with the unmistakable touch of ATDI's style, which personally I do not dislike at all. Jim Ward's voice is also excellent, who live at the Knaack in Berlin, despite the great performance, has not yet managed to hide the embarrassment and nervousness for the difficult vocal legacy left to him. This is a sign of humility and seriousness, then, and certainly also of realism in the face of the difficult task of realizing and maturing a project that collapsed almost by accident. A nice fusion of rock and melodic hardcore, less frantic and more solid than ATDI, with a promising future within reach. The new album's tracks, at least live, were convincing, so while we wait to hear it in a few months, we have to content ourselves with "Austere" and count the days that separate us from perhaps the most promising record of the summer. Keep going down this path so that in a few years you might make us forget ATDI completely!