When No Echo last checked in with Spear in 2024, the Dutch hardcore band had just dropped their demo and laid out a simple goal: “to play as many shows as possible, including outside of the Netherlands.” Since then, they’ve followed through in a big way.
“We’ve had an incredible time as a band,” guitarist Marijn Miller tells No Echo. “I’m proud to report that we managed to achieve that goal.” That run has included a weekender with Cold Grip, a show with Bane in the summer of 2025, and a stretch of dates with the UK’s Without Love earlier this year. Still, Miller is quick to point out that every show matters. “Putting it like that might make it come across as if the other shows we played were somehow less important or less cool, which obviously isn’t the case at all.”
With that groundwork laid, Spear now turns the page with All I Left Behind, a release that captures both their growth and their intent. The material wasn’t written in isolation either—these are songs the band had already been putting to the test onstage. “All songs on All I Left Behind were songs that we were already playing live,” Miller explains. “In fact, ‘Clarity’… was the first song I ever wrote for Spear.”
Rather than reinventing themselves, the EP serves as a statement. “It’s a collection of tracks that we just wanted to put out there to confirm our sound,” he says. Compared to their 2024 demo, the band took clear steps forward. “The writing is a bit more complex, the lyrical theme of the EP is more cohesive, and the influences are broader.”
That attention to detail extended into the recording process. “We did have a very detailed recording process again… where we spent a lot of time on building a sound that represented us as best as we could manage,” Miller says. “We’re ecstatic about the end result.”
Stylistically, Spear continues to wear their influences proudly. “Bands like Strife and Trial were major influences,” he notes, alongside newer names like Magnitude, Envision, One Step Closer, Wreckage, Mil-Spec, Broken Vow, and Force of Denial. At the same time, Miller points to less obvious inspirations creeping into the mix. “There’s some classic rock influences there—Iron Maiden and Van Halen both influenced me when I was writing riffs.” It's no surprise that some of the guitar riffs in "Absolution" sound like something Jake E. Lee would have written in 1983.
Lyrically, All I Left Behind came together in a way that even surprised the band. Miller and vocalist Coen wrote their respective songs separately, but when they regrouped, the themes aligned. “It just so happened that thematically, we were sort of telling the same story,” he says.
That story unfolds across the EP as a reflection on past experiences and personal growth. “'Regression' is about walking away from past mistakes… Hindsight is your moment of reflection,” Miller explains. From there, the narrative moves toward resolution. “‘Clarity’ is more or less about the conclusion you draw… and ‘Absolution’ is about the moment of acceptance and forgiving yourself.” While each track stands on its own, “the EP as a whole tells a coherent story.”
Behind the scenes, Spear’s rise has been closely tied to World’s Appreciated Kitsch, run by Apostolis, a key figure in the Dutch hardcore scene. “He’s basically had our back since day one,” Miller says. “He’s been a tremendous help for our band… It’s safe to say we would not have the launch that we had in the past two years without him.” Beyond the logistics of releases and shows, the relationship runs deeper. “Aside from all that, he’s just personally a great guy as well. I can’t praise him enough.”
With All I Left Behind now out, Spear aren’t slowing down. “We’re looking ahead and working on the future, including more new tracks and more shows,” Miller says. “Things are looking up.”
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All I Left Behind is available on cassette via World's Appreciated Kitsch.
Spear on social media: Instagram
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