30 SECONDS TO MARS

THE INFAMOUS ALBUM THIS IS WAR

By Adriana Rubio
Photo Credit: Courtesy of 30STM & EMI 

Thirty Seconds to Mars was formed in 1998 by brothers Jared and Shannon Leto.  Both were joined by Matt Wachter on bass guitar and keyboards followed by guitarists Solon Bixler and Kevin Drake for a while. Jared, Shannon and Matt ended up auditioning Tom "Tomo" Milicevic for the lead guitar vacant position at that time. The band became a Virgin Records (EMI) signed act and released three studio albums: “Thirty Seconds To Mars” in 2002, “A Beautiful Lie” in 2005 and “This is War” in 2009. They have won numerous awards to the present days, all kinds of mentions and nominations here and there… on Earth and in Mars too. Although Jared Leto early on said the band’s name has little to do with space… there’s no doubt they have musically touched the universe with a magic wand.

On a personal thought, the negative path the band went through the well known $30M lawsuit with Virgin Records inspired them positively to dig deeply and privately inside themselves during 18 months, giving birth to “This Is War”, a studio album that clearly shows their personal growth with a remarkable song-writing progress that cannot be compared to the band’s first album. However, songs like “Buddha for Mary”, “Capricorn”, “Fallen”, “Echelon” and Oblivion” are still masterpieces that won’t be forgotten.

30 Seconds To Mars members experienced a learning process to find the key that is astonishingly opening everyone’s eyes and minds. It’s the key of self-confidence. They trust themselves; pure and simple they know what they are doing. Studio album “This Is War” plays with a number of ingenious sound effects and unconquerable layers of vintage synths which connect their inner feelings with the audience in a peculiar way. Songs like “Hurricane”, “Kings & Queens”, “Search and Destroy”, “Night of the Hunter” and “This is War” are vivid examples of the band learning-growing experience.

 

Even though lead singer and rhythm guitarist Jared Leto doesn’t like much his famous Hollywood name to be used with the band… there are aspects – artistically talking - that make his request almost impossible to obey. It has to do with being an artist by nature. Let’s keep in mind Jared landed in Hollywood with an interest in developing a musical career. However, the acting call and film trajectory he has successfully acquired over the years were not just touches of luck but an exploration of himself as an artist. The characters he has played in movies such as “Requiem for a Dream”, “Alexander”, “Chapter 27” and “Mr. Nobody” among many others plus his passion for painting enriched even more the true artist he is in the music field: No Rock Star character for 30 Seconds To Mars lead singer Jared Leto but entirely “himself” in a band brilliantly working on the same page as a team. 

For more info on the band and tour dates:

http://thirtysecondstomars.thisisthehive.net/blog/