Thirty Seconds to Mars (commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of brothers Jared Leto (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Shannon Leto (drums, percussion). During the course of its existence, it has undergone various line-up changes. The band's debut album, "30 Seconds to Mars" (2002), was produced by Bob Ezrin and released to positive reviews but only to limited commercial success. The band achieved worldwide fame with the release of its second album "A Beautiful Lie" (2005), which received multiple certifications all over the world.
Introduction
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Thirty Seconds to Mars | Introduction
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Thirty Seconds to Mars (commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of brothers Jared Leto (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Shannon Leto (drums, percussion). During the course of its existence, it has undergone various line-up changes. The band's debut album, "30 Seconds to Mars" (2002), was produced by Bob Ezrin and released to positive reviews but only to limited commercial success. The band achieved worldwide fame with the release of its second album "A Beautiful Lie" (2005), which received multiple certifications all over the world.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | Introduction
The band later embarked on a North American tour to support Incubus and began a club tour in August. The band released their first studio album, "30 Seconds to Mars", on August 27, 2002 in the United States through Immortal and Virgin. Jared Leto described the record as a concept album that focuses on human struggle and self-determination, in which otherworldly elements and conceptual ideas are used to illustrate a truthful personal situation. The album reached number 107 on the US "Billboard" 200 and number one on the US Top Heatseekers, selling 121,000 copies in the United States. It was preceded by the single "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)", which peaked at number 31 on the US Mainstream Rock chart.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2001–03: Debut album
Thirty Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1998, the band currently consists of Jared Leto on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Shannon Leto on drums, and Tomo Miličević on lead guitar and keyboards. The band released the debut album "30 Seconds to Mars" (2002) to limited success; it was their second album, "A Beautiful Lie" (2005), that pushed the band into the public eye. The album's success was boosted by the single "The Kill" and its subsequent music video, which received two nominations at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. The album spawned two Kerrang! Award-winning singles, "The Kill" and "From Yesterday".
List of awards and nominations received by Thirty Seconds to Mars | Introduction
In a retrospective review in 2012, Ian Winwood from "Kerrang!" deemed the record an "epic starting point" for the music that followed, and stated that it displayed Jared Leto's "vast, cinematic writing style". He considered its music "undoubtedly the most aggressive they've created" and regarded lead single "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" as the band's "most muscular moment".
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Legacy
When Thirty Seconds to Mars first started, the Leto brothers experimented to try and create a specific sound, whose process was described as "very organic". They were attempting to produce a "feeling" rather than a sound, in order to recreate the sense of community that marked their childhood. Leto also stated that the band's concerts are a direct reflection of that period of his early life.
Shannon Leto | Artistry
Thirty Seconds to Mars started in 1998 in Los Angeles, California, as a collaboration between brothers Jared Leto and Shannon Leto, who had been playing music together since their childhood. The duo later expanded to a four-piece when they added guitarist Solon Bixler and bassist Matt Wachter to the line-up. Additional guitarist Kevin Drake, who first auditioned for the position of bassist, also joined the band as a touring musician. The band played its first concerts under different names, before finally settling on the name "Thirty Seconds to Mars", which was taken from a rare manuscript titled Argus Apocraphex. Jared Leto described the name as "a reference, a rough translation from the book.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 1998–2000: Formation and first years
By 1998, Thirty Seconds to Mars was performing gigs at small American venues and clubs. When they first started, lead vocalist Jared Leto did not allow his vocation as a Hollywood actor to be used in promotion of the band. They played their first concerts under different names, before finally settling on the name "Thirty Seconds to Mars", which was taken from a rare manuscript titled Argus Apocraphex. During this period, the band recorded demo tracks such as "Valhalla" and "Revolution", or "Jupiter" and "Hero", which later appeared on the debut album as "Fallen" and "Year Zero" respectively, but also "Buddha for Mary".
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Background and recording
Leto formed the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars in 1998 in Los Angeles, California with his brother Jared. Their debut album had been in the works for a couple of years and was recorded in rural Wyoming during 2001 and early 2002. Their work led to a number of record labels being interested in signing Thirty Seconds to Mars, which eventually signed to Immortal Records. The band worked with producers Bob Ezrin and Brian Virtue on their debut album "30 Seconds to Mars", which was released on August 27, 2002 in the United States through Immortal and Virgin. It reached number 107 on the US "Billboard" 200 and number one on the US Top Heatseekers.
Shannon Leto | Music career
American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars has recorded material for five studio albums. The band was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1998 by brothers Jared and Shannon Leto. The duo later expanded to a four-piece when they added guitarist Solon Bixler and bassist Matt Wachter to the line-up. After signing a contract with record label Immortal Records in 1998, the band began to work with producers Bob Ezrin and Brian Virtue on their debut album, "30 Seconds to Mars", which was released in August 2002. The album produced two singles, "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" and "Edge of the Earth".
List of songs recorded by Thirty Seconds to Mars | Introduction
Drummer Shannon Leto wrote the instrumental track "L490" and played every instrument on it, including all guitars and a singing bowl. "This Is War" moved away from the band's typical sound to experiment with different musical genres; a trend which became much more pronounced on the 2013 album "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams", produced by Jared Leto with previous collaborator Steve Lillywhite. The first single released from the album was "Up in the Air", which was followed by "Do or Die" and "City of Angels".
List of songs recorded by Thirty Seconds to Mars | Introduction
American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars has released five studio albums, three extended plays, sixteen singles, four promotional singles, one video album and fifteen music videos. The band was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1998 by brothers Jared Leto and Shannon Leto, with Tomo Miličević joining the band later. The band's debut album, "30 Seconds to Mars", was released through Immortal and Virgin Records in August 2002 and peaked at number 107 on the US "Billboard" 200 and number one on the US Top Heatseekers, selling more than two million copies worldwide as of March 2011. The album produced two singles, "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" and "Edge of the Earth".
Thirty Seconds to Mars discography | Introduction
30 Seconds to Mars is the debut studio album by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars. It was first released on August 27, 2002, by Immortal Records and distributed by Virgin Records. The album was produced by Bob Ezrin, Brian Virtue, and Thirty Seconds to Mars, and was recorded in rural Wyoming during 2001 and early 2002. It had been in the works for a couple of years, with lead vocalist Jared Leto writing the majority of the songs. "30 Seconds to Mars" was described as a concept album centering on human struggle and self-determination, characterized by personal lyrics that use otherworldly elements and conceptual ideas to illustrate a truthful personal situation.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Introduction
He often remains completely in character for the duration of the shooting schedules of his films, even to the point of adversely affecting his health. He is also known to be selective about his film roles. Leto is the lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and main songwriter for Thirty Seconds to Mars, a band he formed in 1998 in Los Angeles, California, with his older brother Shannon Leto. Their debut album, "30 Seconds to Mars" (2002), was released to positive reviews, but only to limited commercial success. The band achieved worldwide fame with the release of their second album "A Beautiful Lie" (2005).
Jared Leto | Introduction
Brian Virtue, who had previously worked with Jane's Addiction, joined the band and Ezrin in producing the record. Thirty Seconds to Mars retreated to the isolation of Wyoming's countryside in 2001 to record the album, tentatively titled "Welcome to the Universe". The band and Ezrin chose an empty warehouse lot on 15,000 acres, starting an intense period of preproduction focused on fifty songs. The isolation allowed the band to work at a different pace. Jared Leto said that while recording in Wyoming, "there was an interesting dichotomy, a kind of contradiction with the technology and the organic world that we were surrounded [...] It's something that I think ended up in the music".
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Background and recording
By 1998, the group performed gigs at small American venues and clubs. Their eponymous debut album had been in the works for a couple of years, with Leto writing the majority of the songs. During this period, the band recorded demo tracks such as "Valhalla" and "Revolution", or "Jupiter" and "Hero", which later appeared on the band's debut album as "Fallen" and "Year Zero" respectively, but also "Buddha for Mary". Their work led to a number of record labels being interested in signing Thirty Seconds to Mars, which eventually signed to Immortal Records. In 1999, Virgin Records entered into the contract.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 1998–2000: Formation and first years
Leto formed the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars in 1998 in Los Angeles, California with his brother Shannon. When the group first started, Jared Leto did not allow his position of Hollywood actor to be used in promotion of the band. Their debut album had been in the works for a couple of years, with Leto writing the majority of the songs. Their work led to a number of record labels being interested in signing Thirty Seconds to Mars, which eventually signed to Immortal Records. In 1999, Leto played a gay high school teacher who attracts the attentions of Robert Downey, Jr.
Jared Leto | 1998–2002: Thirty Seconds to Mars, "Requiem for a Dream", and other roles
Shannon Leto (; born March 9, 1970) is an American musician and songwriter best known as the drummer of rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars. He co-founded the group in 1998 in Los Angeles, California, with his younger brother Jared. Their debut album, "30 Seconds to Mars" (2002), was released to positive reviews but only to limited success. The band achieved worldwide fame with the release of their second album "A Beautiful Lie" (2005). Their following releases, "This Is War" (2009) and "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams" (2013), received further critical and commercial success. As of September 2014, the band has sold over 15 million albums worldwide.
Shannon Leto | Introduction
By 2003, the band consisted of Miličević, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Jared Leto, drummer Shannon Leto, and bassist Matt Wachter. The new lineup debuted on "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" in February 2003. Thirty Seconds to Mars entered the studio in March 2004 to begin working on their second album "A Beautiful Lie". The recording process saw the band traveling to four different continents to accommodate Jared Leto's acting career. "A Beautiful Lie" was released on August 30, 2005 in the United States. Fueled by the band's relentless touring and the mainstream success of the single "The Kill", the album received multiple certifications all over the world, including platinum in the United States, with a worldwide sales total of over four million.
Tomo Miličević | Career
Thirty Seconds to Mars returned to the studio in March 2004 to begin working on their second album "A Beautiful Lie", with Josh Abraham producing. During the recording process, the band traveled to four different continents to accommodate Jared Leto's acting career. "A Beautiful Lie" was notably different from the band's debut album, from both musical and lyrical aspect. "On the first record I created a world, then hid behind it," Leto said. "With "A Beautiful Lie", it was time to take a more personal and less cerebral approach. Although this record is still full of conceptual elements and thematic ideas it is ultimately much more wrapped around the heart than the head.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2004–08: "A Beautiful Lie"
To follow up "This Is War", the band began to work on their fourth studio album immediately after the conclusion of the Closer to the Edge Tour. Frontman Jared Leto wanted "an album that has ebb and flow and content and structure.", a sharp contrast to the band's previous work. Leto began writing for the album in December 2011, and by the time the band started the recording sessions for "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams" in April 2012, he had amassed a total of 50 songs. On April 23, 2012, "Rolling Stone" released an article revealing that Thirty Seconds to Mars was currently in the studio recording a fourth LP.
Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams | Background and recording
Current members Former members Current touring musicians Former touring musicians
Thirty Seconds to Mars | Band members
During 2005, Thirty Seconds to Mars went on tour with Chevelle, Audioslave and The Used. The group embarked on their first headlining tour Forever Night, Never Day in March 2006. At the same time, the band released the album's second single, "The Kill", which set a record for the longest-running hit in the history of the US Modern Rock chart when it remained on the national chart for more than 50 weeks, following its number three peak in 2006. Its music video, directed by Jared Leto under the pseudonym of Bartholomew Cubbins, received a largely positive response and numerous accolades, including an MTV Video Music Award.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2004–08: "A Beautiful Lie"
Ezrin helped the band to understand the importance of an album's structure and how to create a progression, rather than a simple series of singles. "We really wanted to create something that had depth," Leto explained. He described the process of working with Ezrin as tumultuous but also fulfilling, having its own dynamics. He also stated that Virtue was a key element in helping the band define their sound. Although bassist Matt Wachter was a band member at the time, the majority of the bass tracks were recorded by Jared Leto, with Wachter only being credited as a band member.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Background and recording
The style of the album combined progressive metal and space rock with influences and elements from new wave and electronica, utilizing programming and synthesizers. According to Jared Leto, the band wanted to create "something that had cohesiveness and kind of an atmospheric musical story to it". He identified groups that had a sense of identity and atmosphere as being influential on the album's songwriting. He cited classic stoner rock artists, to which he and his brother Shannon had listened while growing up. Eventually, they gravitated toward more conceptual work like Pink Floyd, David Bowie and The Cure. Thirty Seconds to Mars also drew influences from acts such as Björk, Rush, and Depeche Mode; according to Shannon Leto, the inspirations derived from "mostly big conceptional bands; bands that had depth; bands that were dynamic".
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Style and influences
In October 2006, the band began their Welcome to the Universe Tour, sponsored by MTV2, and were supported by Head Automatica, The Receiving End of Sirens, Cobra Starship, and several other bands including Street Drum Corps. The third single from the album, "From Yesterday", was released in November 2006 and became the band's first number one on the "Billboard"'s Modern Rock Tracks. Jared Leto directed a short film for the single, which became the first ever American music video shot in the People's Republic of China in its entirety. "A Beautiful Lie" was released in Europe in February 2007. During the year, Thirty Seconds to Mars toured extensively throughout Europe and played at several major festivals, including Roskilde, Pinkpop, Rock am Ring, and Download.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2004–08: "A Beautiful Lie"
Thirty Seconds to Mars later confirmed "America" as title of their fifth album, which was released on April 6, 2018. The album received polarizing reviews from critics and debuted at number two on the "Billboard 200", becoming the band's highest entry on the chart.
Jared Leto | 2014–present: From "Suicide Squad" to "America"
The band was also scheduled to open a spring tour for Adema but was forced to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts. After playing a series of shows supporting Our Lady Peace, Thirty Seconds to Mars opened an autumn tour for Sevendust. The band's first appearance on television was on "Last Call with Carson Daly" on November 18, which aired on November 27, 2002. It was the last performance with guitarist Solon Bixler, which left the band due to issues primarily related to touring. The band later performed on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn", which marked the first live performance with guitarist Tomo Miličević.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Touring
"Do or Die" is an electronic rock song with influences and elements from arena rock. It opens with a female voiceover introducing the song's title in the Chinese language, after which there is an electronic introduction. This is followed by the sound of guitars, drum beats and synthesizers. After the first verse, the pre-chorus follows, with Leto voicing the line, "I will never forget the moment". The full-throated chorus then follows, which features heavy use of synthesizers and drums. The song includes a contribution from the band's fans, credited as the Knights of the White Shadow, who provide additional vocals recorded at the band's studio.
Do or Die (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Recording and composition
America (stylized in uppercase) is the fifth studio album by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars, released on April 6, 2018 through Interscope Records. It is their first album in five years, after "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams" (2013)"," as well as their first release for Interscope, following the band's departure from Virgin Records in 2014. It is also the final album by the band to feature lead guitarist Tomo Miličević, who left the band two months after its release. Produced by frontman Jared Leto alongside Yellow Claw, Zedd, Robopop, and others, the album represents a drastic shift from the experimental compositions of their previous efforts, opting for an electronic and art pop influenced sound.
America (Thirty Seconds to Mars album) | Introduction
Upon its release, "30 Seconds to Mars" was met with mostly positive reviews; music critic Megan O'Toole felt that the band has "managed to carve out a unique niche for themselves in the rock realm." The album was a slow-burning success, and eventually sold two million copies worldwide as of March 2011. It took two years to record their next release "A Beautiful Lie", with the band traveling to four different continents to accommodate Jared Leto's acting career. "A Beautiful Lie" was released on August 30, 2005 in the United States. It has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has reached platinum and gold status in several countries, with a sales total of over four million.
Shannon Leto | Music career
Amber Authier from "Exclaim!" echoed this sentiment, stating that the band stretched musical borders and represented something that is "a little different", offering a "solid sound". Mitch Joel from "Blistering" commended the band's musical diversity, noting that they are "worth more than most of their peers on a song-by-song magnitude." Elizabeth Bromstein of "Now" magazine found the track-to-track variation limited, although she appreciated the range of styles. Peter Relic of "Rolling Stone" gave a mixed response, stating that the album has its finer moments but felt that it is undone by Jared Leto's "baffling, pretentious poetry" and the "sanitized quality of the heavy guitars.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Critical reception
The song earned the band an MTV Europe Music Award for Best Alternative. While collecting the award, Jared Leto made a remark at Trump's immigration policy as he stated, "We are Americans – a land of immigrants – and we just want to say that we welcome you with open arms and with open hearts, and we love you."
America (Thirty Seconds to Mars album) | Background
In early 2003, Bixler left the band due to issues primarily related to touring. He was later replaced by Tomo Miličević, who successfully auditioned for the part of guitarist. The band later went on tour with Chevelle, Trust Company, and Pacifier, and took a slot on the 2003 Lollapalooza tour.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2001–03: Debut album
Thirty Seconds to Mars released their fourth studio album "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams" in May 2013. The album, produced by frontman Jared Leto and previous collaborator Steve Lillywhite, marked a shift in the band's musical direction from an alternative rock sound, recognized with "A Beautiful Lie" (2005) and "This Is War" (2009), to a more experimental and electronic-influenced sound. The band parted ways with Virgin Records in 2014 after tumultuous years with the label, and later signed with Interscope. The group began preparations for new music in November 2015, with Leto expressing his desire to experiment and explore new musical grounds.
America (Thirty Seconds to Mars album) | Background
In a mixed review, John Watt from Drowned in Sound called the song "half-baked synth-rock." Markos Papadatos from Digital Journal rated it an A and wrote that "the band soars as whole on this tune", calling Leto's vocals "raw, powerful and captivating."
Do or Die (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Critical reception
Thirty Seconds to Mars took a break from touring in 2012 and spent most of the year recording their fourth album, entitled "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams". The album was produced by Jared Leto with previous collaborator Steve Lillywhite. Leto said that the band took a new direction with "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams". He explained that the album "is more than an evolution, it's a brand new beginning. Creatively, we've gone to an entirely new place, which is exciting, unexpected, and incredibly inspiring." In September 2012, "Artifact", a documentary about the band's legal battle against the record label EMI and the making of "This Is War", premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the People's Choice Documentary Award.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2012–15: "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams"
"30 Seconds to Mars" is a concept album focusing on human struggle and self-determination. It deals with characters who battle with social alienation, emotional isolation, and political malaise. The title itself "30 Seconds to Mars" indicates the accelerated human society and suggests a potential escapism from it. The album's lyrics describe the personal human experience through the use of metaphors and moments of fantasy. Jared Leto regarded it as a "very personal album that sometimes uses otherworldly elements and conceptual ideas to illustrate a truthful personal situation". He cited the human struggle as the most inspiring source for the band and explained that the record features "a definite desire for change, for renewal, for a new beginning and ultimately, for escape".
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Lyrics and themes
The style of the band's first studio album combined progressive metal and space rock with influences and elements from electronica, utilizing programming and synthesizers. Ryan Rayhill from "Blender" described the album as a "high-minded space opera of epic scope befitting prog-rock prototypes Rush," and wrote that Thirty Seconds to Mars "emerged with an eponymous debut that sounds like Tool on "The Dark Side of the Moon"," referring to the 1973 album by Pink Floyd. Whereas the eponymous concept album's lyrics focus on human struggle and self-determination, "A Beautiful Lie"'s lyrics are more personal and the music introduces screaming vocals. The transformation that resonates throughout the album reflects the personal and artistic changes experienced by the band members before and during the creation of the record.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | Musical style
From May to September 2017, Thirty Seconds to Mars embarked on a North American tour with Muse and PVRIS. In August 2017, "Walk on Water" was announced as the lead single from the band's fifth album. Thirty Seconds to Mars then performed the song at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards featuring special guest Travis Scott. During the ceremony, Jared Leto received media attention for his tribute to musicians Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell, who both died earlier that year. In February 2018, the band officially announced the Monolith Tour with Walk the Moon, Misterwives, K. Flay, Joywave, and Welshly Arms.
Jared Leto | 2014–present: From "Suicide Squad" to "America"
On November 3, 2015, it was announced that Thirty Seconds to Mars are working on their fifth studio album. In August 2016, the band revealed to have signed to Interscope Records. The group later unveiled that they would embark on a North American tour with Muse and PVRIS, which took take place from May to September 2017. In August 2017, "Walk on Water" was announced as the lead single from the band's fifth album. Thirty Seconds to Mars then performed the song at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards featuring special guest Travis Scott. During the ceremony, Jared Leto received media attention for his tribute to musicians Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell, who both died earlier that year.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2015–present: "America" and the departure of Miličević
The band released their fifth studio album, "America", in April 2018, preceded by the single "Walk on Water".
Thirty Seconds to Mars discography | Introduction
"Attack" had been around for a while and the band was unconvinced of its worth. The song proved to be somewhat problematic, and was nearly excluded from the album. During an interview in 2005, Jared Leto said "'Attack' was a song that wasn't scheduled to be recorded at all. I'd been playing it – I'd play it in the desert in Morocco, I was playing it in Thailand – I was playing it everywhere." When Jared tried performing the song with the rest of the band, something was wrong. "On acoustic it was great; but when we played it as a band, it just fell flat on its face." "As soon as the bass got in there…" Matt Wachter continued.
Attack (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Background and recording
Brent Faulkner from PopMatters felt that the song "reveals" the total picture of the album, noticing the "dirty guitars that rock from the onset". He stated that "Leto never fights the production for vocal clarity, even when things grow gargantuan on the anthemic chorus." Chris Maguire, writing for AltSounds, was impressed with the song, calling it a "solid rock track", while Ian Winwood from "Kerrang!" found it "rousing". Adam Silverstein of Digital Spy named it a stand-out track from the album and felt that songs like "Conquistador" "power up the vibe". James Montgomery from MTV praised its "massive guitars, stabbing strings and thundering drums".
Conquistador (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Reception
The band heavily toured in support of the album and played at several major festivals, including Roskilde, Pinkpop, Rock am Ring, and Download. In August 2008, during the recording process of the band's third studio album, Thirty Seconds to Mars attempted to sign with a new label, prompting EMI (the parent label of Virgin), to file a $30 million breach of contract lawsuit. After nearly a year of legal battles, the band announced on April 28, 2009, that the suit had been settled following a defence based on the De Havilland Law. Thirty Seconds to Mars then signed a new contract with EMI and released their third album "This Is War" in December 2009 to critical acclaim.
Shannon Leto | Music career
And it became the first song on the record and the first single off our album. So he did a great job on encouraging us to do that song. And now I really love it." Jared told Josh Abraham that night "This song deserves to be a hit just so we can tell this story."
Attack (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Background and recording
The song was written by Jared Leto, with him playing lead guitar, Tomo Milicevic playing the bass guitar, and Shannon Leto on drums. Jared Leto said the following to MTV News: Lead guitarist Tomo Milicevic said the following about the song to Music Radar:
Night of the Hunter (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Background and recording
The track "Revolution", excluded from the final track listing, was considered by some critics as having an anti-American tone. Leto rejected the claim and explained that it can be taken "many different ways" and if taken literally or politically, it could be misinterpreted. He said that the band "didn't want a song like that to overshadow what we are about" and especially after the September 11 attacks, they felt it did not fit thematically with the rest of the album, stating that "it took on new dimensions". The album features elements inspired by the science fiction novel "Dune" by Frank Herbert, which influenced the album's songwriting for its themes regarding the interactions of politics, religion, technology, and human emotion.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Lyrics and themes
Thirty Seconds to Mars retreated to the isolation of Wyoming's countryside in 2001 to record their debut album, working with Bob Ezrin and Brian Virtue. They contacted Ezrin because they grew up listening to his work with Pink Floyd, Kiss and Alice Cooper and they felt he was the only one who could help them capture the size and scope of what they wanted to accomplish on their debut recording. The band chose an empty warehouse lot on 15,000 acres, striving for the precise location that would enhance their sound. Even before the album was released, Puddle of Mudd invited Thirty Seconds to Mars to open a six-week tour for them in the spring of 2002.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2001–03: Debut album
Jared Leto expressed his gratitude to the band's fans, termed as the Echelon, emphasizing their strong collaboration. During rehearsals, musicians from the Vitamin String Quartet were also involved, with Leto stating that they were "really open and collaborative, [...] fluid and in the moment and improvisational." Thirty Seconds to Mars explained the scrupulous process of deciding which songs to cover, considering tracks by artists as varied as Cyndi Lauper, Gheorghe Zamfir, Eminem, and Fleetwood Mac. The band stated that they also considered a song by Dolly Parton, before they decided on "Where the Streets Have No Name" by U2, which is reputed a special song for Jared and Shannon Leto.
MTV Unplugged (Thirty Seconds to Mars EP) | Recording
Upon its release, "30 Seconds to Mars" was met with mostly positive reviews; music critic Megan O'Toole felt that the band has "managed to carve out a unique niche for themselves in the rock realm." The album was a slow-burning success, and eventually sold two million copies worldwide as of March 2011. In October 2002, the band toured with I Mother Earth and Billy Talent on MTV Campus Invasion. The following month, Thirty Seconds to Mars made their first appearance on television on "Last Call with Carson Daly" and opened concerts for Our Lady Peace and Sevendust. Released in 2003, "Edge of the Earth" became the second single from the album.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2001–03: Debut album
We did everything from percussive expression to whispering to things that were a little bit more familiar, like inviting the 1,000 people that were there to sing the chorus of a song. And those people who were a part of it all will be a part of the next Thirty Seconds to Mars album. ... It was quite simply one of the best things we've done as a band." Further on in this interview, Jared revealed that album's style will be leaning more towards that of their self-titled debut than that of "A Beautiful Lie", saying that,
This Is War | Writing and recording
All songs written by Jared Leto.
Attack (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Track listing
In an interview with PureVolume, Leto explained that the song is "about standing up and living out your dreams", but also features an ironic connotation. Markos Papadatos, in his review for Digital Journal, called it an "upbeat" song which "deals with one taking their own stance on their beliefs, and living life to the fullest". In a preview of the record, Jeff Benjamin from Fuse described the song by saying that the band goes "the synthy dance route on the track's intro before fire-alarm guitars and pummeling drums roar in and smash the Korg keyboards to bits".
Do or Die (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Recording and composition
CB7 started with the meeting of Becks and Shannon Leto, drummer of the popular American band Thirty Seconds to Mars. They met at a party in Miami at the end of 2009. In spring 2010, Shannon mentioned CB7 for the first time in an interview: Together with his cousin and drummer Matt Becks, bass player Noah Luger and guitarist Adam White, who was also a member of Second Sun, the band released four demo-tracks and toured as the opening band for Thirty Seconds to Mars in the North American leg of their "Closer to the Edge" tour. In January 2011, Becks announced that the current group members were his cousin Matt and himself.
Antoine Becks | CB7
Thirty Seconds to Mars returned to the studio in August 2008 to begin work on their third album "This Is War" (2009), with Flood and Steve Lillywhite producing. "Kings and Queens", the album's lead single, was written by Jared Leto across the United States and South Africa. "This Is War" became the band's third number one single on the US Alternative Songs. "Closer to the Edge" was released as the album's third single. Thirty Seconds to Mars collaborated with rapper Kanye West on the song "Hurricane", which was released on the deluxe edition of "This Is War" and became the album's fourth single in some territories.
List of songs recorded by Thirty Seconds to Mars | Introduction
"This Is War" is a song by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars, featured on their third studio album "of the same name". Written by lead vocalist Jared Leto, the song was released as the second single from the album to American radio on March 8, 2010, and the physical single was released on March 26, 2010.
This Is War (song) | Introduction
He felt that the group's "loosening of their stylistic confines" results in their "boldest, brightest, most imaginative record". Andy Ritchie of "Rock Sound" complimented Jared Leto's vocal performance and the group's musicianship, praising the "massive choruses" and "titanic climaxes," and stated that the album reaffirms that Thirty Seconds to Mars is in a class of its own. In a four-and-a-half star review, Ryan Jones of Alternative Addiction commended the album's lyrical content and musical style, calling the new sounds "deep and plush", and wrote that the "entire record feels like an amazing journey". Ian Winwood, writing for "Kerrang!", found the album "lavish but not cloying, expansive yet often economical, approachable without being familiar", calling it a "release that defies genre" and deeming it as a "grand achievement befitting this most grandiose of bands".
Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams | Critical reception
"Night of the Hunter" is a song by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars, featured on their third studio album "This Is War". Written by lead vocalist Jared Leto, the song was released as the fifth and final single from the album in 2011. The track was produced by Flood, Steve Lillywhite and 30 Seconds to Mars, and was inspired by Jared and his brother Shannon's youth in Louisiana.
Night of the Hunter (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Introduction
In 2003, the band went on tour with Chevelle, Trust Company, and Shihad, and played thirteen shows for Lollapalooza.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Touring
In August 2008, during the recording process of their third studio album, Thirty Seconds to Mars attempted to sign with a new label, prompting EMI (the parent label of Virgin), to file a $30 million breach of contract lawsuit. After nearly a year of legal battles, the band announced on April 28, 2009, that the suit had been settled following a defence based on the De Havilland Law. Thirty Seconds to Mars then signed a new contract with EMI and released their third album "This Is War" in December 2009 to critical acclaim. "This Is War" reached the top ten of several national album charts and earned numerous music awards.
Jared Leto | 2008–2011: EMI lawsuit, "This Is War", and "Mr. Nobody"
Additionally, Leto started working on the documentary film "A Day in the Life of America", which was conceived as a companion piece to the band's fifth album. The film includes user-submitted footage from July 4, 2017, depicting Independence Day in the United States, and is scheduled for release in 2019. The band later embarked on a promotional tour with Muse and PVRIS, which was one of the highest-grossing North American tour of 2017, according to "Pollstar"s annual year-end tour chart. While touring, Thirty Seconds to Mars announced "Walk on Water" as the lead single from the album. Critics acknowledged a slight political edge in the song's lyrics, inspired by the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States.
America (Thirty Seconds to Mars album) | Background
Michael Depland of MTV explained that the song's lyrics suggest "tumult and upheaval", while critic Emily Zemler from "Billboard" magazine wrote that its chanting chorus makes the song feel "almost like a war cry". In a preview of the record, Jeff Benjamin from Fuse felt that the track is "self-detonated with the band's recognizable alt-rock bombast, complete with soaring violins," and noted that it "closed with a massive, stadium-filling chorus, delivered in [Leto's] famous screamo vocal."
Conquistador (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Composition
The second single from the album, "Do or Die", achieved a level of play on modern rock radio, while "City of Angels", the third single, was released to rave reviews from critics and eventually reached number eight on the Alternative Songs chart in the US. At the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, held on August 25, "Up in the Air" won the award for Best Rock Video. Thirty Seconds to Mars announced on April 25, 2014 that they have parted from Virgin Records after tumultuous years with the label, with Leto telling "Billboard", "We're free and clear and excited about the future.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2012–15: "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams"
Thirty Seconds to Mars began their Into the Wild Tour in February 2010 and was among the hardest-working touring artists of the year. Leto filmed "Closer to the Edge" (2010), a short film featuring tour footage, fan commentary and pictures of Thirty Seconds to Mars from their youth, during the band's Into the Wild Tour. Critics lauded the simplicity of the video; James Montgomery from MTV wrote, "there's no denying the power of seeing tens of thousands of fans finding a simultaneous salvation, of a crowd of individuals becoming one. It's what rock and roll is supposed to be about, really: inclusion." In December 2011, Thirty Seconds to Mars entered the "Guinness World Records" for most live shows during a single album cycle, with 300 shows.
Jared Leto | 2008–2011: EMI lawsuit, "This Is War", and "Mr. Nobody"
In early 2003, Bixler left the band due to issues primarily related to touring and was replaced by Tomo Miličević. Thirty Seconds to Mars released their second studio album, "A Beautiful Lie", in August 2005. The record, produced by Josh Abraham, was preceded by the single "Attack" and spawned two Kerrang! Award-winning singles, "The Kill" and "From Yesterday". The album's title track, "A Beautiful Lie", was released as the fourth single in selected territories. "Hunter", a song originally performed by Björk, was covered by the band and added to the track listing of the album. In March 2007, Wachter left the group to spend more time with his family and was replaced by Tim Kelleher, performing live only.
List of songs recorded by Thirty Seconds to Mars | Introduction
"Conquistador" is an alternative rock song with influences and elements from electronica, utilizing programming and synthesizers. It opens with an electronic buzz followed by the sounds of guitars and drum beats, with a heavy bassline. The song features call-and-response verses leading to an anthemic chorus as Jared Leto voices the line "Say a prayer". It includes the contribution from the band's fans, credited as the Knights of the White Shadow, who provide additional vocals recorded at the band's studio. During the song's bridge, Leto proclaims "This is a fight to the death" over a "crushing" riff by guitarist Tomo Miličević and "pounding" drums by Shannon Leto.
Conquistador (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Composition
"Billboard" writer Cortney Harding said the album "represented an artistic step forward for the band," observing that the band hasn't completely abandoned its melodic and hard rock tendencies. "The Times" described the record's sound as "a tighter, more textured set of eyeliner indie-rock tunes than the group's previous albums". Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto described the record as a concept album, proceeding to say "if this isn't, I'm not sure what is". He said the record was created in an "intense two-year period, where it felt like the whole world was falling apart and massive changes were going on.
This Is War | Musical style and themes
In an interview with MTV News, the frontman explained that he was inspired by the will to document the personal changes experienced by the band and its audience. "Most of the interviews", Leto explained, "I did myself, so they're really intimate. It's me, it's them, and it's the camera. What I've found is, that if you talk to everybody long enough, you find an incredible story. Every single person has a moment in their life, something that they've found a solution for, a story to tell. Some are funny, some are really intriguing, and if you ask the right questions, you get interesting answers." The music video begins with a German boy who Leto had previously met in Berlin.
Do or Die (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Background
Annise Parker, mayor of the city of Houston, proclaimed March 18 the Thirty Seconds to Mars Day. City Councilman James Rodriguez presented the proclamation to the band prior to their arrival at NASA. Jared Leto told MTV News that with the launch of the song into space the band wanted to start the new chapter of their career in an "appropriately massive manner". He explained, "I had been speaking with NASA for quite some time about ways to find something creative to do together. And I presented them with this idea and here we are." He described the experience as "phenomenal" and "mind-blowing".
Up in the Air (song) | Release
The band released their second album, "A Beautiful Lie", in August 2005. It peaked at number 38 on the US "Billboard" 200 and received multiple certifications all over the world, including platinum in the United States. The first single from the album, "Attack", was the most added track on American alternative radio during its first week of release, while "The Kill", the second single, set a record for the longest-running hit in the history of the US Alternative Songs chart when it remained on the national chart for more than 50 weeks, following its number three peak in 2006. The third single, "From Yesterday", topped the US Alternative Songs for several weeks.
Thirty Seconds to Mars discography | Introduction
The song includes a heavy contribution from the band's fans, captured singing a chorus created from layers of the band's Summit recordings. While doing an exclusive track by track album preview, Jared told MusicRadar:
Search and Destroy (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Background and recording
"Do or Die" received positive reviews from music critics, who hailed its musical diversity and its euphoric but minimalistic nature. It charted in some nations due to digital sales from the parent album. The accompanying music video, directed by Leto, features live footage of Thirty Seconds to Mars onstage as well as stories from their fans, personally interviewed by Leto. The video garnered general acclaim from critics, who lauded its atmosphere and simplicity. The song was included in the setlist of the band's Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams Tour and the subsequent Carnivores Tour.
Do or Die (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Introduction
After the success of the initial Summit, the group repeated the event in eight countries and extended it digitally. The band also invited fans to submit close-up shots of their faces in order to make 2,000 different individual covers for the album. Leto described "This Is War" as a record about survival: "It was a two-year creative battle that was ferocious and tough but creatively rewarding, and all of those adverse elements, in hindsight, made us stronger and made the record stronger." Although the release date was changed many times, "This Is War" was eventually released in December 2009. The album reached the top ten of several national album charts and entered the "Billboard" 200 at number 18, with first-week sales of 67,000 in the United States.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2008–11: EMI lawsuit and "This Is War"
"Do or Die" was first performed at special concerts, dubbed as Church of Mars, in May 2013, shortly before the release of the album. The song later became a set-fixture of the Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams Tour, usually appearing as the penultimate song before "Up in the Air". However, after the festival tour in June 2013, which saw the band travel to Rock am Ring and Rock im Park as headline act, the song was moved to the middle of the setlist, usually played before Leto's acoustic B-stage set. "Do or Die" was also included in the Carnivores Tour, which Thirty Seconds to Mars co-headlined with Linkin Park, and usually appeared approximately halfway through the set.
Do or Die (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Live performances
"Rescue Me" was written and produced by lead vocalist Jared Leto and music producer KillaGraham. It was engineered by Chris Galland and mixed by Manny Marroquin with the assistance of Scott Desmarais and Robin Florent. The song was recorded at The International Centre for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences of Sound in Los Angeles, California and mastered by Howie Weinberg and Will Borza at Howie Weinberg Mastering. "Rescue Me" was officially revealed on March 22, 2018, at a press release for the announcement of the band's fifth album "America". The band premiered the song on Vevo on March 30, 2018, one week before the album's release.
Rescue Me (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Background
Leto is known for his energetic live performances and his ability to blend traditional and experimental drum techniques. During the production of Thirty Seconds to Mars first studio album, he played almost exclusively electronic drums and drew influence from bands such as Pink Floyd, The Cure, Led Zeppelin, and The Who, which he considers "mostly big conceptional bands; bands that had depth; bands that were dynamic." Bob Ezrin, producer of the album, felt that Leto is "one of the most inventive drummers I've worked with. He isn't satisfied with simply adding a beat; his drum parts are an integral part of the orchestration of the record.
Shannon Leto | Artistry
The photography for the album was handled by drummer Shannon Leto, with additional works provided by Ken Schles. The cover art features a teenage boy and some of the band's symbolism. It includes a phoenix logo, named "Mithra" by the band, that bears the motto "Provehito in Altum". Roughly translated from Latin, the phrase means "Launch forth into the deep". The band chose a phoenix for its association with rebirth and renewal in the Greek mythology. The group expressed interest in signs and symbols and their relationships with cultures and subcultures. The album's cover art was unveiled through the band's official website on July 29, 2002.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Packaging
Credits adapted from "30 Seconds to Mars" album liner notes. Thirty Seconds to Mars Additional musicians Production
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Personnel
The film received a limited theatrical release beginning November 23, 2013, before being released digitally on December 3, 2013. Thirty Seconds to Mars released their fourth album, "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams", in May 2013 through Universal. The album was produced by Leto with previous collaborator Steve Lillywhite. It received generally positive reviews and reached the top ten in more than fifteen countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. Leto filmed the 2013 short film for "Up in the Air" at a now-defunct aerospace manufacturing building in Los Angeles, California. He described it as a "bizarre and hallucinogenic journey through an incredibly surreal landscape." The short film features several artists, including burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese, gymnasts McKayla Maroney and Jordyn Wieber, writer Neil Strauss and a number of animals.
Jared Leto | 2012–2013: "Artifact"; "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams" and "Dallas Buyers Club"
After filming, Jared Leto described the band's excitement about being asked to record for "MTV Unplugged" stating, "I think our generation, it was kind of a rite of passage, and if you were invited to do "MTV Unplugged", it certainly was a pretty big deal. So many of our favorite bands did 'Unplugged' and still do it, so we were really thrilled to be asked."
MTV Unplugged (Thirty Seconds to Mars EP) | Recording
"Search and Destroy" is a song recorded by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars, for their third studio album "This Is War". It appears as the ninth track on the album. Written by lead vocalist Jared Leto, the song was released as a promotional single to UK radio on October 25, 2010. The track was produced by Flood and 30 Seconds to Mars, and was originally not going to be on the album because the song was so hard to mix.
Search and Destroy (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Introduction
He spoke about the loss of his father and how he had played a Thirty Seconds to Mars song at the funeral. After Leto again met the German fan again at a concert in Austria, he asked him to share his story on camera. Leto explained, "At the show in Austria, where there were tens of thousands of people, and I ran into him and interviewed him; he was the first interview of the summer, and he shared this story about losing his father, and what it taught him, it was really an organic and serendipitous and beautiful way to begin.
Do or Die (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Background
Titus from "Billboard" felt that the band "proved its potency" with songs like "The Kill", "Was It a Dream?", and "From Yesterday", and praised Leto's vocal ability by writing, "[he] alternates between cathartic shouts and a tantalizing croon that shows his capable vocal range." Kaj Roth from "Melodic" praised the sonic variety and summarized the record as "an impressive list of anthemic rock songs." Davey Boy of Sputnikmusic echoed this sentiment, writing that "A Beautiful Lie" "works well as an album due to greater variety". He also found the record "a more controlled effort" than the band's debut album "30 Seconds to Mars" (2002).
A Beautiful Lie | Critical reception
All songs written by Jared Leto.
Search and Destroy (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Track listing
The art direction and design for the album were handled by Willo Perron and Jared Leto. "America" features multiple album covers featuring an array of lists of words that reflect the themes of the album, including the most prescribed drugs, iconic American names, the most valuable trademarks, popular sex positions, recognizable abbreviated agencies, most dangerous sports, highest paid YouTubers and hot topics. Thirty Seconds to Mars also launched a custom album cover generator allowing fans to create their own custom lists in the format of the "America" album cover. Leto explained, "For me the lists are almost like a time capsule.
America (Thirty Seconds to Mars album) | Packaging
"Edge of the Earth" is a song by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars. The song was released through Immortal and Virgin on March 3, 2003, as the second single from the band's self-titled debut album. The song was written by Jared Leto and was produced by Bob Ezrin, Brian Virtue and 30 Seconds to Mars.
Edge of the Earth | Introduction
"Q" magazine described it as having "a polished sheen", but opined that the "earnest, sci-fi-tinged lyrics gets monotonous" over the course of the album. In contrast, Jason D. Taylor from AllMusic commented that the "space-age themes complement the group's advanced musical achievements wonderfully". Megan O'Toole of "The Gazette" felt that every track on the album is a "unique masterpiece that simultaneously operates on a number of different musical and spiritual levels", writing that its music has the potential to "affect and infect the deepest recesses" of the soul.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Critical reception
"Kings and Queens" received critical acclaim, with critics deeming it as an album highlight. Much of the praise went to the song's lyrics and the musical production; reviewers also complimented Leto's vocals. The song became the band's second number one single on the US Alternative Songs chart and attained moderate success in international markets. The accompanying music video, directed by Jared Leto, features Thirty Seconds to Mars and a group of followers on a critical mass movement through Los Angeles at night. Critics lauded the simplicity of the video, which was nominated for numerous accolades, including four awards at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.
Kings and Queens (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Introduction
During recording sessions, the band hosted a gathering in they called "The Summit" at the Avalon club in Los Angeles. The purpose of this was so that fans could see how far into recording the band was, and maybe even participate in the recording. In an interview, frontman Jared Leto said this: "The Summit was an experiment in our recording process, and we were just trying to think of ways that we could deepen the connection between ourselves and our family of fans around the world. We do that often, and think of ways to break the boundary. And we thought, 'How great would it be to invite the world to come and be a part of the next Thirty Seconds to Mars album? [...] There were some things [we tried] that were left-field sound experiments — using the group, the collective, as a musical instrument.
This Is War | Writing and recording
Thirty Seconds to Mars launched a website, called abeautifullie.org, to provide information about environmental issues and ways to participate in environmental activities. People can make donations through the site to support the Natural Resources Defense Council. In 2006, Jared Leto created the cover art for "", a compilation of live music that includes a Thirty Seconds to Mars song, which proceeds from the sales benefited The Nature Conservancy. During their Welcome to the Universe Tour, the group worked to develop strategies that would minimize fuel consumption to offset the impact that the tour would have had on the environment. In June 2008, the band joined Habitat for Humanity to work on a home being repaired and renovated through the Greater Los Angeles Area's "A Brush With Kindness" programme.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | Activism
Thirty Seconds to Mars performed the song live for the first time at "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on January 25, 2018. Their performance was filmed through the use of advanced robotic cameras which changed frame following the beat of the track, and featured an interpretive dancer. Shannon Leto was not present at the show and the song was performed by Jared Leto, Tomo Miličević and Stevie Aiello. Nicholas Rice from "Billboard" commended the band's performance, praising its visuals and calling it "one-of-a-kind". Thirty Seconds to Mars performed the song live at "The Late Late Show with James Corden" on May 21, 2018.
Dangerous Night | Live performances
"Do or Die" was written and produced by Jared Leto. It was engineered by Jamie Reed Schefman and mixed by Serban Ghenea. John Hanes engineered it for mixing at Mixstar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The song was recorded at The International Centre for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences of Sound in Los Angeles, California and mastered by Howie Weinberg and Dan Gerbarg at Howie Weinberg Mastering. Thirty Seconds to Mars unveiled six songs from their fourth studio album "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams", including "Do or Die", during a preview event held at the Electric Lady Studios in New York City on March 14, 2013.
Do or Die (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Recording and composition
The album widened the band's sound by combining elements from progressive rock, hard rock and emo. Such alternative rock style has been compared to bands like The Cure, U2 and The Smashing Pumpkins. Their third release "This Is War" was described as "an extremely progressive rock sound with killer choruses," drawing inspirations from experimental Pink Floyd to melodic M83. Chris Harris from "Rolling Stone" considered it "an ambitious collection of experimental rock" shaped by the band's personal struggles and legal battle with their record label. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic acknowledged the band's progression, referring to the overall style of the record as a mixture of synth rock, heavy metal, and progressive rock.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | Musical style
The track "Fallen" faces the necessity to escape from the inner world that every person has created for itself. The lyrics of "Oblivion", originally titled "The Reckoning", lead into a frantic threat, in which "Unity divides / Division will unite". Leto described this paradox as a rather common but unfortunate occurrence. A dramatic narration drives "Buddha for Mary", whose story is not about a specific person and represents a metaphor. "End of the Beginning" features a foreboding tone and emphasizes the human nature in constant search for something. The album ends with the hidden track "The Struggle", whose lyrics were taken from the ancient Chinese military treatise "The Art of War", attributed to Sun Tzu.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Lyrics and themes
Reviewing a concert, Payal Patel from AXS called "Do or Die" a "sweeping rock anthem", while Ben Jolley of the "Nottingham Post" described a performance of the song as energetic and inspirational. On September 23, 2014, Thirty Seconds to Mars performed the song on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", featuring a ten-person choir. During the performance, Leto swung a flag bearing messages in support of certain social goals, and invited the audience to join the band on stage towards the finale, as confetti fell from the ceiling. Markos Papadatos, writing for Digital Journal, commented that the performance was another indication that Jared Leto is one of the "most charismatic live performers" in contemporary rock and that Thirty Seconds to Mars "is always able to put on a high-energy show".
Do or Die (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Live performances
The band promoted the album through a number of tours in North America. Even before its release, Puddle of Mudd invited Thirty Seconds to Mars to open a six-week tour for them in the spring of 2002. On January 30, Thirty Seconds to Mars began a promotional tour in North America. The band played its first European concert on June 24, 2002, at The Barfly in London, England. In July 2002, they began a club tour and also embarked on a North American tour supporting Incubus. In early October, they were invited by MTV to join the Campus Invasion Tour, playing ten dates in Canada alongside I Mother Earth, Billy Talent, and Pepper Sands.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Touring
In March 2007, Matt Wachter left the group to spend more time with his family and was replaced by Tim Kelleher, performing live only. On November 1, 2007, Thirty Seconds to Mars won an MTV Europe Music Award in the category of Best Rock. The band also received the Kerrang! Award for Best Single in two consecutive years for "The Kill" and "From Yesterday" in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The album's title track, "A Beautiful Lie", was released as the fourth single in North America and selected European countries. Its music video was filmed 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Greenland, and proceeds from the sales benefited the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Thirty Seconds to Mars | 2004–08: "A Beautiful Lie"
The album incorporates progressive sounds with influences and elements from new wave, space rock, and electronica. Upon release, "30 Seconds to Mars" received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who commended the album's lyrical content and the band's musicianship, which has been compared to the works of Pink Floyd, Tool, and Brian Eno. The album debuted at number 107 on the "Billboard" 200 and number one on the US Top Heatseekers. It was a slow-burning success that eventually sold two million copies worldwide. It produced two singles, "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" and "Edge of the Earth". Thirty Seconds to Mars promoted the album by opening concerts for bands such as Puddle of Mudd, Incubus, Sevendust, and Chevelle.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Introduction
"Attack" is a song by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars. The song was released by Immortal and Virgin on May 3, 2005, as the lead single from the band's second album, "A Beautiful Lie". The song was written by Jared Leto and was produced by Josh Abraham and 30 Seconds to Mars. The song is a dynamic expression of rebirth and renewal. 30 Seconds to Mars premiered the song on the American network Fuse on May 25, 2005, during "Daily Download". "Attack" has been critically appreciated, with reviewers complimenting its energetic keyboards, vast, abrasive guitars and infectious vocals.
Attack (Thirty Seconds to Mars song) | Introduction
AllMusic reviewer Jon O'Brien called the record a "highly ambitious space-themed concept album", and commended its "heavy, riff-laden" guitars, "soaring" vocals and sci-fi lyrics. Johan Wippsson from "Melodic" claimed that the band has "something new to add to the world" with their space-influenced modern rock. Jeremy Gladstone of "Kludge" commented that the album reaches its peak with "Buddha for Mary", which he called a "virtual sonic achievement", but felt that the quality of the songs drops off at the halfway point, describing the entire project as "top-heavy". Canadian critic Karin Lowachee found the group's sound and vision reminiscent of their "concept-styled forbears" but "uniquely owned" for a contemporary audience, and wrote that the band "defies the trend by stepping out ahead of it and into the future", giving the listener something original to enjoy.
30 Seconds to Mars (album) | Critical reception