This split 12-inch from SPARES and Treasure Pains sees both bands draw on shared inspirations, before taking their emotionally charged post-hardcore in distinctive directions.

‘A change is gonna come, That’s what they all say, White light’ll burst on through, On the darkest day, Don’t think I believe it’ (New Indignities)

Hailing from Portland, SPARES released their self-titled debut 12-inch in early 2025 and closed the year with this split.  On these two tracks, the band continue to draw on influences from 1990s’ San Diego post-hardcore that they imbue with their own darkly reflective atmosphere as the deeply clean sung vocals contemplate the weight of a world designed to stifle hope and smother decency.  The broodingly expansive Joke fuses chiming motif melodies with a lurking muscularity and limber rhythms to build to its euphorically layered climax, while New Indignities shapes those same elements into an altogether more urgent expression.

‘Who broke my energy? Who shook the way I live? Took my autonomy, Got nothing left to give’ (Left To Give)

The same angst at this stripping of our humanity similarly fuels the two contributions from Treasure Pains on this, their debut release.  While they call upon elements of the same shared San Diego angularity, the North Carolina band favour a more agitated, tightly crafted interpretation.  Both Left To Give and Strike are high octane eruptions that bristle with a desperate frustration yet also, in equal measure, an undeniably infectious melodic melancholy.  It would take a particularly deadened heart to not join in the rousing ‘Ooh’ fuelled finale to Strike.