Genre: Pop

A hard-rockin', gritty band from El Paso, Texas, Sparta has made a name for themselves as a band whose heavy guitar riffs are both melodious and dissonant at the same time. Their third album Threes, produced by Hollywood Records, is a long anticipated LP by the fully seasoned vets who know exactly what they want out of their sound. By layering minor power chords under the use of major scales, the contrast makes for melancholic yet harmonious rhythm. Full of anger and angst, front man Jim Ward's voice has often been compared to that of U2's Bono, and Sparta's political awareness is always prevalent whether it be "Taking Back Control", a Bush- bashing song or the limited edition DVD where drummer Tony Hajjar describes his youth in war-torn Lebanon, Sparta offers up something that not a lot of bands can say they have - themselves.