30 Seconds To Mars – This Is War

Rating:

Back in the ‘90s, Jared Leto was the dim-witted heartthrob on My So-Called Life, playing opposite a virtually unknown Claire Danes. Although he’s continued to act, Leto is probably best known these days for making the successful transition from actor to rock star, fronting 30 Seconds to Mars. This is War begs the question, “Why is Jared Leto so angry, anyway?” Turns out, it was the 30 Seconds boys against Virgin Records, embroiled in a dispute over an alleged breach of contract. With the suit safely settled, and 30 Seconds re-signed to EMI (the parent company of Virgin), This is War is consumer-ready – and the war is over.

This is War is the band’s third full length offering since forming in 1998, and it’s thick with influences from other bands, most notably Nine Inch Nails and Pink Floyd. From the album opener, This is War is synthesizer-driven, lending the entire endeavor a quasi-futuristic vibe. This is War starts with “Escape” (the album’s best track), which escalates from moody, electronic introspection to choir-driven anthem in the space of two minutes. Listen closely to the vocals, and you’ll almost believe Trent Reznor is in the band, right up to the point where the kids from The Wall start singing, “This. Is. War.”

The Heinlein-titled “Stranger in a Strange Land” is an odd little track that, again, is coated in Reznor’s influence. A recurrent theme on This is War (illustrated beautifully in “Stranger”) is sex wrapped up in violence wrapped up in rebellion. Leto is in no rush; his vocals are typically slow and drawn out, regardless of the song’s pace. The acoustic “100 Suns” is a sweet surprise; it starts off sounding like a bitter diatribe, repeating, “I believe in nothing” at the start of each verse, but ends as a love song, accompanied by the here-again-gone-again choir.

Other tracks are not so exciting; most notably, the Kanye West collaboration, “Hurricane,” featuring the horrendous lyrics, “Heartbeat. Heartbeat. I need a…heartbeat.” OK, Don Johnson. It’s really hard to be successfully angsty when your lyrics are channeling vintage Miami Vice; the track becomes unintentionally hilarious (although, I’m guessing that 30 Seconds to Mars’s core audience is not old enough to remember Miami Vice or Don Johnson). “Kings and Queens” is a soaring anthem that sounds about six years late to the party; there’s something indefinably stale about the melody, like it should be playing over the end credits of a straight-to-DVD post apocalypse movie circa 2004.

This is War is a pretty good little album, nothing spectacular. Leto’s dramatic vision is cohesive, and each track comes together to tell a sweeping story of rebellion and fight. What exactly we’re supposed to be rebelling against…well, that’s a whole different deal. It lacks the clear narrative of The Wall and has none of the over-the-top drama that has driven Trent Reznor to the top of the angst industry. But Leto is a talented song writer and a better singer, and his band is more than just competent. Here’s to hoping that, with the war over, they can still find some inspiration for their fourth album.

[Editors note: Due to legal issues the track entitled "Hurricane" does not feature Kayne West on the retail album, but according to the band may become available in a second printing or special edition.]

30 Seconds To Mars – This Is War