Porcelain
Sparta · 2004
60 min · 15 tracks · alternative rock
Melodic alternative rock intertwines expansive soundscapes with introspective lyrics, creating a haunting emotional resonance throughout the album.
Top tracks — play these first
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Guns of Memorial Park — This opening track sets an atmospheric tone with its layered instrumentation and poignant themes of loss and reflection, encapsulating the album's emotional core.
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Death in the Family — The song combines haunting melodies with powerful lyrical imagery reflecting personal struggle, making it a standout moment that showcases the band's artistic growth.
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From Now to Never — As one of the longest tracks on the album, this song explores complex emotions through dynamic shifts in tempo and intensity, representing Sparta's unique sound evolution.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends melodic rock with introspective lyrics but lacks strong cohesion and distinctiveness.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features a consistent mid-tempo pace, while the second half introduces more varied dynamics and tempo shifts.
- Several tracks utilize layered guitar textures that create a rich, expansive soundscape, particularly in 'Lines in Sand' and 'Death in the Family'.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic emotional journeys
- long, immersive listening sessions
- reflective and contemplative moods
- wave-like pacing and builds
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2004, Porcelain was Sparta's second studio album, following their debut Wiretap Scars from 2002. At this point, the band was solidifying their identity after the breakup of At The Drive-In, striving to carve out their own niche in the post-hardcore landscape.
- Stylistic neighbors
- At the Drive-In· The Mars Volta· Quicksand
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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While Oceana Sleeps
A shift occurs as the narrative voice confronts unresolved memories tied to a past relationship, revealing layers of vulnerability and regret.
The transition from reflective nostalgia to direct confrontation introduces a tension that propels the listener deeper into the emotional landscape of the album.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Guns of Memorial Park 3:49
- 2 Hiss the Villain 3:27
- 3 While Oceana Sleeps 4:24
- 4 La Cerca 3:43
- 5 Breaking the Broken 3:47
- 6 Lines in Sand 6:02
- 7 End Moraine 4:26
- 8 Death in the Family 3:37
- 9 Syncope 1:19
- 10 Tensioning 5:59
- 11 Travel by Bloodline 3:06
- 12 P.O.M.E. 0:47
- 13 From Now to Never 8:39
- 14 Splinters 4:23
- 15 Farewell Ruins 3:16
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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