 | Tracklist:
01. Capricorn (A Brand New Name)
02. Edge of the Earth
03. Fallen
04. Oblivion
05. Buddha for Mary
06. Echelon
07. Welcome to the Universe
08. The Mission
09. End of the Beginning
10. 93 Million Miles
11. Year Zero
(12). Hidden to Label*
*denotes hidden track, song begins at 6:02 mark on track 11
| Ranking: #173 for 2002 | |
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On 16 Lists
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| Summary: A overlooked little gem significantly better than the follow-up. |
1 of 1 thought this review was well written
Escape. Leaving behind the tedious and dull drum of the everyday, 9-5 routine and forgetting about the everyday to delight in either physical or mental diversion. Said escape is essential for a healthy mind, and as a relief of stress. There are several ways to obtain this, whether it be drugs, entertainment, or music.
30 Seconds to Mars got their name from part of an essay by a former Harvard professor about the exponential growth of technology, but if you didn’t know this, you might guess it was a description of the music. Following that assumption would be the one that they are somewhat of a gimmick band, aimed at sounding futuristic and making quite euphoric music.
In 2002, Jared Leto (star of Requiem For a Dream and Alexander, among other films) formed 30 Seconds to Mars with his brother Shannon. After the idea quickly gained momentum, Matt Wachter joined as the bassist and keyboard player. Then after various guitarists came and went, Tomo Miličević finally joined and stayed as a permanent member.
Leto and company’s debut is a very solid rock album, with very strong electronic influences. None of the members display really noteworthy instrumental talent in these 50 minutes, but 30 Seconds to Mars is an excellent example of how great music comes through the sum of its parts. The overall effect of each song is usually slightly euphoric, and gives a fairly drifting, spacey feeling to the listener – aided perfectly by Leto’s abstract, metaphorical lyrics. Each of the twelve tracks varies in both heaviness and overall sound, coming somewhere between modern Muse, old Rammstein, and the Deftones track “Hole in the Earth”.
Quite like Rammstein, much of the album here rides on the crunchy, meaty guitar parts. They are often fairly simple, focused on backing Leto’s soaring vocals, or played with the intention of electronics backing them. There are several clean and acoustic parts sprinkled throughout as well, creating an organic contradiction to the electronic elements. The rhythm section is quite similar, doing its job but never really impressing the listener or throwing you off balance. A sad fact, considering the lesser-known Leto brother could probably put the rest of his band to shame. All this is either backed or aided by the electronics. Quite audible synths often switch from leading a guitar rhythm or adding to the overall texture, usually doing a great job. Some of the tracks add a simple techno beat, most notably “Capricorn (A Brand New Name)”, where the verse consists of just a beat, synth and Jared’s vocals.
Jared pulls the usual frontman load of vocals and lyrics, doing quite well in both areas. Unlike A Beautiful Lie, he hardly ever screams or yells, instead just singing catchy hooks in an excellent voice. Each specific lyric line is usually plain by itself, but the songs as a whole require thought and analysis. This is best exemplified by Buddha For Mary:
”Mary was an acrobat
But still she couldn’t seem to breathe
Mary was becoming everything she didn’t want to be
Mary would hallucinate
And see the sky upon the wall
Mary was the type of girl
She always liked to fly”
The album’s downsides are somewhat typical of any album. Most of the tracks feature nothing especially obvious to distinguish them from each other, and the album might feel fairly repetitive upon first listen. Although I’m quite sure he doesn’t need it, Leto’s voice does sound a tiny bit Pro Tool-ed up – and that’s excluding the parts where it’s an obvious studio effect. Perhaps the biggest problem is “Year Zero”, a song that doesn’t know when to end. Its lyrics and music that would make a proper 3-minute song are stretched out 2 minutes longer, and the song ends with "We'll never fade away" being repeated into painful absurdity.
Despite its problems, 30 Seconds to Mars is a quite overlooked tiny gem of an album. It molds electronic synths and alternative rock to create a somewhat unique sound that's too industrial for rock and too rock to be industrial. Try and forget about the beautiful lie you’ve been sold – this is something quite different.
Recommended tracks:
Capricorn (A Brand New Name)
Edge of the Earth
Oblivion
Welcome to the Universe
The Mission
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 3.5
One or two more reviews to resubmit, and my internet's not quite working correctly. Forgive me.
Digging: The Fall of Troy - Doppelganger Digging: The Fall of Troy - Doppelganger | | | Album Rating: 3.5
Everywhere I go I find your reviews! Once again I agree completely.
| | | Album Rating: 4
Great review and i agree that their music does require thought to get a meaning from Jarred's lyrics
| | | Album Rating: 3
Oblivion.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
...is good?
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I might consider getting this. Good review.
| | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
End of the beginning is their best song musically in my book....the way it surges and the drums fill in...pretty awe inspiring.
oh yea kinda underated on this site...if the lead vocalist wasn't Jared Leto people would be eating this up
Digging: Death Grips - The Money Store | | | Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off
Fuck yeah life
Digging: Kate Miller-Heidke - Nightflight | | |
i remember finding this at Target and being like WTF is this and being pleasantly surprised when i went home and put into my CD player.
downloaded their latest and haven't even got to it yet :/
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
best album of 30stm, jared try to demonstrate the humanity and the influence that the existencialism has in this century, deeper lyrics and great structures in the songs. best track personally: fallen
| | | Album Rating: 5
So little comments? This is their best album bar far, and certainly in my top 10. It's really depressing to see how they changed to much for the second, then third, album. Constant decline in quality, and wasted potential.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Best album from then imo.
Digging: White Arms Of Athena - Astrodrama Digging: White Arms Of Athena - Astrodrama | | |
This really isn't that bad tbh
Digging: Hail Spirit Noir - Pneuma Digging: Hail Spirit Noir - Pneuma
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
comparing to ABL and TIW THIS ALBUM IS THEIR MASTERPIECE
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This album is f*cking good. They really should have kept this style.
Digging: Gojira - L?Enfant Sauvage Digging: Gojira - L?Enfant Sauvage
| | | Album Rating: 4
The more I listen to this album, the better I like it...at this point, it might just be love. Most rock cds (even those that I like) aren't what I would describe as "epic", but it gets so intense here that it could serve as a soundtrack to a movie - granted, an alternative alien-action B-movie, but still a movie nonetheless. I really wish they'd kept more of this style in "A Beautiful Lie"!
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