The Mars Universe

30 Seconds To Mars released their third album, This is War in December and their singles have climbed Billboard and iTunes charts..Each song has a classic rock sound with a splash of the electronic synth – all perfected by lead singer, Jared Leto. This is War is a 30 Seconds to Mars mind explosion, so sit back and hold on tight.

The first track opens with a monk chant followed by an ascending drum beat, preparing the audience for the war-ridden world 30 Seconds To Mars (30STM) has created. Leto softly breaks the chant with his emotionally distinct voice. This is also the first time we hear the children’s choir, a fantastic addition. The choir appears often, but not to the point of annoyance.

“Night of the Hunter” follows “Escape,” with a stronger rock-base aided by a synthesizer. The background vocals are reminiscent of Chad Kroeger (Nickelback front man), which can be a negative for those who aren’t Nickelback fans.

The next two tracks, “Kings and Queens” and “This is War,” were the singles released for This is War. They both take on a whole new level of rock when heard within the album. “Kings and Queens” was featured in the trailer for video game Dragon Age: Origins, but listening to it via CD is a much better experience.

The fifth track, “Hurricane,” is slower than the others, but extremely intense and emotional. They swapped the guitar shredding with a melodic piano on this track, resulting in a superb build by the end. It’s a bit of a downer that the Kanye West version didn’t make it onto the album, but it doesn’t hinder the song quality in the least.

“Closer to the Edge,” follows with electronic drums accompanied by synthesizer, yet somehow Leto’s vocals create a rock feel. Breaking the war anthem tone, this song is upbeat with a sweet guita solo.

The translation of the next track is “voice of the people,” which defines the song in more ways than one. Between the heavy battle drums and choir with “Vox Populi,” one begins mentally preparing for battle when suddenly the music drops and people are heard. This nicely blends the modern context of a war on society. A rising chorus from both Leto and the choir sings: “This is a battle song, brothers and sisters. Time to go to war.”

The most pop-like song on this album is “Search and Destroy,” although it’s a stretch to associate it with that genre. It is a fun song and the “Woah-oh-oh’s” make it great to sing along to.

As the album nears its end, “Alibi” appears the quietest of the album, with a piano carrying throughout the song. Of course, no 30 Seconds to Mars song is complete without Leto using his power-house vocals which is heard at the end.

Almost seven minutes long, “Stranger in a Strange Land” is filled with a dark symphony of drum beats, organ notes and echoing background vocals that pull you into the most somber song on the album.

The final track is “L 490.” With an instrumental three minutes led by another Tibetan monk chant which finishes the song and album, it’s a very dark ending to an exciting and war-crazed beginning. Needless to say, this finale was not coincidental.

This album proves that rock music isnt dead; 30 Seconds to Mars is keeping it alive, one “war” at a time.

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