Photo by John Carluccio

Jim Ward fully committed himself back to his post-At the Drive-In post-hardcore band Sparta during the thick of the pandemic era. This might have spelled doom for some artists, but it’s made for resurgent creative ground thanks to he and trio’s sonic shape-shifting and collaborative surprises along the way across two rock solid efforts in 2020’s Trust the River and their 2022 eponymous effort. In listening to “Crater”, the first preview from the El Paso band’s sixth studio effort, Cut A Silhouette, that defiance of the unknown again separates Sparta’s earth from space.

Co-written with My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero, modern uncertainties and a desire to make an impact in this very moment surge within Sparta’s fast-moving atmosphere with no regard to what might hit them. “We made our house on this land / High desert burning sand,” Ward sings over gravity-tangling guitars on course with a terse collision from its rhythmic overdrive. “Can’t see the crater / Oh, but I feel it.” After all these years, this band is still on a mission to embrace whatever comes crashing their way.

Director: Travis Shinn

Sparta’s Cut A Silhouette will be released May 29th on Equal Vision Records / Dine Alone Records.