Thirty Seconds To Mars - This Is War
Some of you readers out there may not know this, but it's been a long road for the LA based rock trio. After their first self-titled debut slipped under the radar back in 2002, they now find themselves on this record 30 million dollars in debt by their Record Label EMI. Thirty Seconds To Mars are a band that have found themselves on a cathartic journey to claim back what is rightfully theirs. A band truly worthy of the stadium rock venues they are now selling out by the hour.
"Don't you want to make something thats phenomenal? Something thats undeniably good and that touches the core of everybody that hears it?" - Jared Leto
Some of you readers out there may not know this, but it's been a long road for the LA based rock trio. After their first self-titled debut slipped under the radar back in 2002, they now find themselves on this record 30 million dollars in debt by their Record Label EMI. Thirty Seconds To Mars are a band that have found themselves on a cathartic journey to claim back what is rightfully theirs. A band truly worthy of the stadium rock venues they are now selling out by the hour.
"Don't you want to make something thats phenomenal? Something thats undeniably good and that touches the core of everybody that hears it?" - Jared Leto
Well Jared, I think you might of just achieved that very thing. They say the best art is made when you are at your lowest and most vulnerable. I think This Is War supports that theory rather well.
The album kicks off with the colossal and snappy anthem "Escape". This introduces the first of many contributions by Thirty Seconds to Mars followers, The Echelon, who joined the band to record all their parts at various Summits around the globe. A rather ambitious task to say the least.
"The bottom line is, its time to pay, you know you've got it coming... THIS IS WAR". The opening line of the track clearly conveys a declaration of war against their label over the lawsuit they were battling at the time.
The opening track then swiftly transcends into "Night of The Hunter". A pulsating anthem, sprinkled with electronic flourishes and a vocal melody delivered by Leto which is drenched in a pool of blood and sweat. "honest to god I will break your heart. Tear you to pieces and rip you apart." It is another example that demonstrates the emotional struggle the band went through to make this record.
Other highlights include the hugely infectious "Closer To The Edge", piano ballad "Alibi" and "Hurricane" (one of my personal favourites). Hurricane is a song that could be interpreted in a number of ways. Although, to me suggests is a song essentially about lust and seduction.
This Is War is a beautifully executed rock record. Its use of dynamics is also impressive and pulls from many genres from electronica, classical orchestra to traces of latin.
If your into rock music built for stadiums, this is the album for you.
Review by Jamie Goff. 12.12.2013
