Sparta is an alternative rock band which formed in El Paso, Texas in 2001. … Read Full Bio ↴Sparta is an alternative rock band which formed in El Paso, Texas in 2001. The band originally consisted of Jim Ward (vocals), Paul Hinojos (guitar) and Tony Hajjar (drums), all former members of At the Drive-In. After a brief stint with Erick Sanger (Schatzi, theStart), the three of them recruited Matt Miller, an El Paso native and then-bassist of Belknap to become the band's permanent bassist.

Sparta got a deal with Dreamworks in 2001 and released their debut EP Austere in early 2002. They released their debut full-length album Wiretap Scars on August 13, 2002. The album is mostly influenced by their previous work with At the Drive-In, which is a contrast from The Mars Volta, formed by the other two ex-members of ATD-I, which departs entirely from post-hardcore and instead focuses on progressive rock or psychedelic rock. This album is also a lot cleaner and more accessible than At the Drive-In's experimentation.

On May 25, 2003, Ward's cousin Jeremy, the sound manipulator for The Mars Volta, died of a heroin overdose. Hinojos would leave Sparta in 2005 to join TMV as their secondary guitarist and filling in Jeremy Ward's position as sound manipulator. He was replaced by Keeley Davis (Engine Down, Denali).

Sparta's second full-length album Porcelain was released July 13, 2004 and peaked at #60 on the Billboard 200. The first single released from the album was "Breaking the Broken," for which a music video was recorded that received much airplay.

In January 2006, they announced that they had signed a deal with Hollywood Records, which will release their third album Threes on October 24, 2006. The album peaked at #83 on the Billboard 200. It's the first album with guitarist Keeley Davis and its debut single was "Taking Back Control."

In June 2008, Ward stated that Sparta is on hiatus and without a label; he would focus instead on his alternative country band, Sleepercar, which released its debut album West Texas on April 22, 2008. Three years later, on August 3, 2011, Ward stated that Sparta was back in action and would play their first show in November in El Paso. That comeback would be short, as in January 2012, At The Drive-In reunited for a series of shows, splitting up once again at the end of the year. In January 2016, At The Drive-In reunited for the second time. However, days before the tour start in March 2016, it was announced that Ward had been replaced in the band by his former Sparta bandmate Keeley Davis.

Sparta would come back for a second time in 2017, with a line-up consisting of Ward, Miller, Gabriel Gonzalez and Cully Symington (Beach Slang, Cursive). They would release their fourth album, Trust the River, on April 10, 2020 on Dine Alone Records.

There is another band ith the sane name:

2. Sparta was also a NWOBHM band from Mansfield. They formed in 1980, and released two singles, plus participated on a five way split album before they split up. Hades Records released a compilation on vinyl in 2006. This compilation contained all their previously released songs, plus a few more.

False Start
Sparta Lyrics

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The plan is intact
From the front to the back
All that's left now, is waiting for you
So do what you can
For blood and for land
And it's alright

All that's left is execution now

Widows pray in the shadows of the south
For the moment to pass
Faith moves from the heart to the soul,
Overpowers, and loses all control
We're waiting for you

Come in, it's all within reach
And it's alright
Get on with it, it's falling at your feet
Beg your conscience but it's alright

Head down, get on with this life
Hold fast, find a place in time
For the moment to pass
Lit fuse, running out of air

False start, but momentum doesn't care
We're waiting for you

Overall Meaning

The song "False Start" by Sparta is a commentary on the inevitability of a plan being executed, regardless of the moral implications or potential harm it may cause. The lyrics begin by stating that the plan is intact and ready to be put into action, with nothing left to do but wait for its completion. The focus then turns to the justification for this plan - the pursuit of blood and land - and an assertion that it's all alright, despite the potential harm it may cause.

The second verse brings in the perspective of those affected by the plan - the widows praying in the shadows of the south. The power of faith is noted, but ultimately deemed insignificant in the face of an unstoppable force. The repeated phrase "we're waiting for you" serves to both taunt and encourage the plan's executor to hurry up and complete their mission. The chorus continues with the idea that everything is within reach, the plan is falling at the executor's feet, and even a guilty conscience cannot stop the inevitability of it all.

The final verse returns to the theme of waiting and the sense of urgency to get on with life. The metaphor of a lit fuse running out of air is used to illustrate the idea that once the plan is set in motion, there is no stopping it. The repeated phrase "false start" serves as both a warning of the potential consequences and a recognition that it may be too late to turn back now.

Overall, "False Start" is a commentary on the dangers of blindly following a plan without considering its potential impact on others. It highlights the idea that once a plan is set in motion, it may be difficult or impossible to stop, and the consequences may be devastating.

Line by Line Meaning

The plan is intact
All preparations are ready and in place

From the front to the back
Every aspect of the plan has been covered

All that's left now, is waiting for you
The plan is set, now all that's needed is the person to carry it out

So do what you can
Give it your all

For blood and for land
This is a battle for survival and territory

And it's alright
Everything is under control

All that's left is execution now
The plan is ready to be carried out

Widows pray in the shadows of the south
The consequences of this are heavy and tragic

For the moment to pass
The suffering will eventually end

Faith moves from the heart to the soul,
Belief in the cause runs deep

Overpowers, and loses all control
It consumes every aspect of a person's being