30 Seconds To Mars - This Is War

"To the right, to the left/we will fight to the death/to the edge of the Earth, it's a brave new world it's a brave new world!" croons 30 Seconds To Mars lead singer Jared Leto on the album's title track "This Is War."
This album was released December 8, and, while it follows the same roots that 30STM has always had, it also changes pace a bit and they make it their own new thing. But the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.
In 1998, Shannon Leto decided he wanted to play in a band. His brother Jared, who was originally an actor, was recruited and later, Matt Wachter joined in as the bassist/keyboard player. In 2003 Tomo Miličević joined the band as lead guitarist.
Since their beginning, 30STM has faced many issues, including three band members (Matt Wachter, Solon Bixler and Kevin Drake) being dropped and a lawsuit from their record label. (read more about that issue here). But that didn't slow them down. They have released three albums; "30 Seconds To Mars," "A Beautiful Lie," and "This Is War."

"This Is War" strays from the path a bit and definitely mixes everything up. This album is more electronic based, and, while it still is a rock album, the synths and sound effects come in handy. While the band was recording the album, they gathered fans at a club called the Avalon in Los Angeles. The point was to "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... 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...It was quite simply one of the best things we've done as a band," says Jared Leto. And it's true. On various track throughout the album, you can hear an audience singing along or ooh-ing and aah-ing. This album definitely shows a new side of 30STM, and not one that everyone will like, but one that most can relate to, with Jared Leto's lyrics channeling frustration into the songs.

On this album, I recommend "This Is War," a sort of anthem of the people. I would also recommend "Alibi" which begins as a synthesizer song, and then falls back into the usual routine of Jared's screaming chorus. This song seems like two different songs, a softer, quieter one, and the usual 30STM rocking out one.

Overall, this album is one that people will look back on and say, "Wow. We could have appreciated that a lot more." This may not be what the fans wanted, but it just goes to show you that even a rock band can make changes to their style, while still making it rock.

30 Seconds To Mars completes themselves on this album, with the electronica, the rock, and even the Kanye West. Yes, on the track "Hurricane," Kanye West makes an appearance. This effort shows a much different side to 30STM, and definitely creates a whole new world for themselves and their fans.

You can download "Night Of The Hunter" here

Hit The Lights

So my first review is about a band called Hit The Lights. They are a Pop-punk/rock band from Lima, Ohio. They formed in 2003 and have been active ever since. They have released two full-length studio album and three EPs.
Their debut album, "This Is A Murder...Don't Make It A Stickup," was a huge success and earned them a loyal fanbase and touring non-stop, with bands such as New Found Glory and Boys Like Girls. They faced issues when original lead singer Colin Ross decided he wanted to leave the band. They faced difficulty in finding a new singer, but eventually turned to guitarist Nick Thompson to do the vocals, which turned out being a huge success. Then, on July 8, 2008, they came out with their sophmore effort, "Skip School, Start Fights," which was an even bigger achievement that their debut album. They have been touring ever since the release of that album.
Hit The Lights infuses hardcore drums with complicated melodies that make the songs sound wholesome and complete. Many fans were diappointed with the album when it was released, because it was so different from their first album, but they changed singers, so whaddaya expect? Their songs are catchy tunes that will easily get stuck in your head, with simple lyrics and awesome beats.
I recommend the songs "Drop The Girl," from "Skip School, Start Fights", which starts out with a little electronica-pop action, then comes in with the band just jammin', which is what Hit The Lights does best. I also recommend "Bodybag," from "This Is A Murder...Don't Make It A Stickup." It's simple yet complex melody and rhythm keep you wanting more from them. Which is exactly what HTL wants to give you: more. They won't stop touring and recording until you're satisfied.

Hey

So welcome to my music blog. Here, I will be reviewing albums/artists probably weekly (or whenever I get the chance). I'll pick my fav songs from the album or artist, and tell you why I chose it. You get to see what I'm listening to at the moment. And occasionally, I'll link to a download of the song. MAYBE. If you're nice to me. Well, thanks for checking out my blog. Enjoy! Check back soon for more updates.