30 Seconds to Mars – This is War
Following numerous release dates, a lawsuit and counter-suit with EMI Records for failure to comply with contractual obligations, and a name change, This is War has finally hit shelves and digital retailers. You may remember 30 Seconds to Mars as the band that do the epic music videos based on movies. “From Yesterday” was the first video filmed entirely in the People’s Republic of China, and was based on the movie, The Last Emporer. But of course, if you were alive and breathing in 2005, you saw the video for “The Kill” based on Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Four years later, 30 Seconds to Mars’ third album is upon us, described as a concept album, a filthy-naughty word in the world of rock.
This is War is a sweeping epic album that starts with the opening “Escape” that clocks in at two minutes and twenty-four seconds. That and the fifth track, “100 Suns,” are the only two songs on the album that are less than four and a half minutes long. Eight of the twelve tracks are more than five minutes long, with three of the eight being longer than six minutes, so to properly experience this masterpiece, clear your schedule. And that is what this album indeed is, a masterpiece. I’m not one for production heavy music, and This is War is saturated with strings, drum tracks, choral refrains, orchestrated backing, and everything else you could possibly think of with the exception of the dreaded auto-tune. However, I couldn’t possibly think of listening to this album any other way.
The album cover features 2,000 different faces of fans from around the world, most notably Gabe Saporta of Cobra Starship, Bam Margera, Kat Von D, members of Chevelle and Street Drum Corps, as well as late night personality Conan O’Brien and whoever else sent in a picture during the production of the album. If you buy the album through a digital retailer, the artwork is that of a snarling tiger. The cover is an in your face statement for an in your face and infecting your ears piece of music. There are throwaway tracks on the album, such as the introducing “Escape” and the intermission of “100 Suns,” or the droning druid chant of “L490.” However, it all fits and without them the album is entirely different and less than the sum of This is War’s parts.
Lead singer, Jared Leto channels Freddie Mercury, belting out notes in a vast range when he isn’t being a puppy-eyed Top 40 boy toy in songs like, “100 Suns.” “Hurricane” had an earlier version that included Brandon Flowers of The Killers and Kanye West on the track, but by the time tracking was being done, a different version of the album was selected. A wise choice, because from start to finish, this album is 30 Seconds to Mars, and each song creates a single album running on a single thread, rather than a collection of random songs that were kind of cool to listen to. In short, This is War is the album U2 wish they could make anymore.
What’s troubling about this album is actually the grand achievement of its completion. What could they possibly do from here on out that would be better? This is War is by far, the bands best work, and I’ll say it now, the best album of the year. But to think that they might be able to top this is not only troubling, but a near impossibility. There is nothing more beautiful than songs like “Alibi” or “This is War.” There is nothing more epic than the lead single, “Kings and Queens” or “Vox Populi.” And there is nothing like listening to this album through headphones at volumes just beyond levels you can stand.
Release Date: December 8, 2009
Order: HERE
Official Website: HERE
Official MySpace Page: HERE
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