The third album released by American rock band 30 Seconds to Mars, this disc seems to split the difference between their eponymous debut and second album, A Beautiful Lie. The debut album was basically a rock soundtrack for the ultimate sci-fi movie that’s never been made (yet). It’s really great music to daydream or make art to. The followup had a couple of standouts but was mostly just okay. This Is War is in part a return to the soundtrack-for-your-imagination feel of the debut, but it still makes a number of concessions to current pop-rock sensibilities that kind of tweak my nerves a little.
The first single is the anthemic track “Kings and Queens,” which is a good song but not really representative of the band. It took me a couple of listens to realize that the song is reminiscent of a Nickelback track (just pick one, they all sound the same anyway) in that it combines catchy hooks and power chords to great effect in a ballad-y format.
As much as I enjoy the track, it might have been nice to see something not so geared toward lowest-common-denominator tapped for the first single spot.
The vaguely Nickelback vocal style reappears on several tracks, most notably in the first minute or so of “Night of the Hunter.”
The real standout moments of this album are a result of its unorthodox recording approach: the band recorded the album in an open studio setup in front of an audience, and uses recordings of the audience participating to great effect on several tracks. The opening of “Vox Populi” features the hair-raising sound of a crowd stomping, clapping, and chanting in close time. The rest of the song is good, but is almost weak as a followup to the visceral effect of the early crowd vocals.
Taken as a whole, This Is War is a strong album, but far from perfect. It’s worth a listen, and features more auditory diversity than either of its predecessors.
The Score: A sometimes-grudging, sometimes-delighted thumbs up.