Sparta is an American rock band hailing from El Paso, Texas, and was established in 2001. The current lineup features Jim Ward (vocals, guitar) and Matt Miller (bass), with a rotating cast of session drummers accompanying them on tour. The band originated when Ward, Paul Hinojos, and Tony Hajjar, previously members of the post-hardcore band At the Drive-In, decided to form Sparta after At the Drive-In's breakup. Sparta went on hiatus in 2008 to allow Ward to pursue solo projects, but they reunited from 2011 to 2013 for a series of performances and made a permanent comeback in 2017. They have released five studio albums, with their fourth, Trust the River, coming out in 2020 after a 14-year gap between albums. Pitchfork has characterized Sparta's music as "anxious, epic guitar rock," while SPIN Magazine has noted its "reliably cathartic and emotionally charged presence."
