drailskid
12/03/09, 11:42 PM
30 Seconds to Mars - This Is War
Record Label: Virgin, EMI
Release Date: December 8th, 2009 (US)
"This is war"
This is the resounding cry of the new album from 30 Seconds to Mars. From the first song "Escape", which ends in a full choir singing/screaming it, through the title track where Jared Leto warns everyone that "this is war", this is a call to arms.
With their third studio album, 30 Seconds to Mars have not labored to create a sound that is so different from their last two albums, but to create an entirely different feel. Far from the cries of "The Kill" or "Attack", they have crafted an album where the vocals are crisper, and the message is crystal clear. Musically and lyrically, this album is as straightforward as they come. There are no ambiguous lyrics about lost love, no hidden messages about how terrible the government is, and no experimental rhythms or chord progressions. This is an album about war. Rolling off their nearly devastating lawsuit with Virgin Records, Jared Leto and his band mates went into the studio with fresh fire. They "killed themselves to make this record" and you can hear it in Leto's voice.
On first listen, this album can sound boring because it's so simple and straightforward. But upon subsequent spins, it becomes clear how much the music industry is lacking in honest music. It's refreshing to hear someone's voice not tainted by studio effects and to hear lyrics not muddled by mystery and meaningless rhymes. In "Alibi", Leto repeats the mantra "I fell apart, but got back up again" over and over again, eventually nearly screaming it. It's simple, and it's straightforward. It sounds almost childish and immature, but it's true. It's honest. It's real. This is the high point of the album as a whole. It's real. 30 Seconds to Mars went "to hell and back" to make this record and they're loud and clear about it.
My biggest problem with this album is that for all its honesty there are plenty of times when it sounds over-produced. There's an inescapable droning synthesizer in the background when all you really want to hear is Jared Leto's voice, although they got it right with "100 Suns." This is the quietest song ever from 30 Seconds to Mars. There's nothing but Jared Leto and his acoustic guitar as he mourns.
Overall I like this album. It's an honest, powerful album. It's clear and concise in meaning. It's big, anthemic, and catchy. I'd recommend it.
30 Seconds to Mars; indie rock; arena rock
myspace.com/30secondstomars (http://www.myspace.com/30secondstomars)
Record Label: Virgin, EMI
Release Date: December 8th, 2009 (US)
"This is war"
This is the resounding cry of the new album from 30 Seconds to Mars. From the first song "Escape", which ends in a full choir singing/screaming it, through the title track where Jared Leto warns everyone that "this is war", this is a call to arms.
With their third studio album, 30 Seconds to Mars have not labored to create a sound that is so different from their last two albums, but to create an entirely different feel. Far from the cries of "The Kill" or "Attack", they have crafted an album where the vocals are crisper, and the message is crystal clear. Musically and lyrically, this album is as straightforward as they come. There are no ambiguous lyrics about lost love, no hidden messages about how terrible the government is, and no experimental rhythms or chord progressions. This is an album about war. Rolling off their nearly devastating lawsuit with Virgin Records, Jared Leto and his band mates went into the studio with fresh fire. They "killed themselves to make this record" and you can hear it in Leto's voice.
On first listen, this album can sound boring because it's so simple and straightforward. But upon subsequent spins, it becomes clear how much the music industry is lacking in honest music. It's refreshing to hear someone's voice not tainted by studio effects and to hear lyrics not muddled by mystery and meaningless rhymes. In "Alibi", Leto repeats the mantra "I fell apart, but got back up again" over and over again, eventually nearly screaming it. It's simple, and it's straightforward. It sounds almost childish and immature, but it's true. It's honest. It's real. This is the high point of the album as a whole. It's real. 30 Seconds to Mars went "to hell and back" to make this record and they're loud and clear about it.
My biggest problem with this album is that for all its honesty there are plenty of times when it sounds over-produced. There's an inescapable droning synthesizer in the background when all you really want to hear is Jared Leto's voice, although they got it right with "100 Suns." This is the quietest song ever from 30 Seconds to Mars. There's nothing but Jared Leto and his acoustic guitar as he mourns.
Overall I like this album. It's an honest, powerful album. It's clear and concise in meaning. It's big, anthemic, and catchy. I'd recommend it.
30 Seconds to Mars; indie rock; arena rock
myspace.com/30secondstomars (http://www.myspace.com/30secondstomars)