30 Seconds To Mars – This Is War (From Daily Echo)

30 Seconds To Mars – This Is War

12:40pm Friday 11th December 2009 in

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For many bands life must seem like a continual struggle. Yet many will think their careers pretty peachy when comparing them to this Los Angeles three-piece.

Spearheaded by Hollywood heart-throb Jared Leto the band has always fought to be taken seriously rather than the side project of a bored actor.

They have even refused to play at venues before that have used his name to promote the gig.

After a critically acclaimed debut self-titled album the band won various awards in a stellar 2007 but further struggles were on the horizon.

Virgin Records claimed the band had failed to live up to their promise of three albums and launched a $30m lawsuit; hence recording began on the aptly named This Is War.

The album emits the band’s frustration from every orifice. Each beat personifies aggression and it’s as if the band locked themselves in a studio and performed one great musical hissy fit.

But the album’s highlight is Stranger In A Strange Land, which personifies all the frustration and anger mentioned above. An electro masterpiece of force and fury.

LEIGH SANDERS Rating: 3/5