30 Seconds to Mars - This Is War | A

With a daring new project, 30 Seconds To Mars returns after four years with their third studio album, This Is War. In a unique effort, the band held summits around the world where they recorded groups of their fans to be incorporated into the new album. The effect is quite surprising.

In an album whose lyrics center on war, the echo of fans in the background sounds like a battle cry, an element that blends the lines between live and studio performances. The song “A Call To Arms” opens with the hollow sound of hundreds of voices shouting, “This is a call to arms / gather soldiers / time to go to war,” reflecting the essence of 30 Seconds To Mars — gathering people together to express their voice.

The first single off of the album, “Kings and Queens,” is reminiscent of their second studio album, A Beautiful Lie, though the rest of the album is much closer to the band’s roots in their self-titled debut album. As 30 Seconds To Mars slowly reinvents their music, this endeavor is primarily something new to the alternative rock genre.

As usual, the band offers thought-provoking lyrics. In the middle of the album, the songs take a turn from the incessant demand for action to the harsh realities of the world. In “100 Suns,” a slower song that appears in the midst of many songs demanding action, the band sings, “I believe in nothing / not in peace and not in war / I believe in nothing / but the truth in who we are.” It is apparent that there are powerful issues motivating the production of this studio effort. If you are looking to gain something from music, this album is worth a listen or two.