ALBUM REVIEW: Thirty Seconds To Mars – ‘It’s the End of the World But It’s a Beautiful Day’
It’s been a few years since the popular rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars released an album. The last time was in 2018 with the album ‘America,’ their 5th studio album. This time, they are back with the album “It’s the End of the World But It’s a Beautiful Day.” This new album takes a more electronic direction, something different than what we are used to from the band.
Let’s dive right in with the first of the 11 tracks, “Stuck.” This song was released as a single back in May and immediately caught my attention, sparking my curiosity about what the new album would bring.
The song begins calmly with a bit of guitar and Jared Leto’s vocals. Then, it builds some tension leading into the chorus. Once the chorus kicks in, a catchy beat is introduced. I find this song to be somewhat different from what I expect from the band, but I really enjoy it.
“Stuck” is followed by “Life Is Beautiful.” I’m not entirely sure what to think of this song. Personally, it reminds me a bit of a film soundtrack.
The song starts quietly with some piano and the first verse sung softly by frontman Jared. Soon, there’s a sound resembling a lit match, and then the chorus with a good beat.
‘’Seasons’’ and ‘’Get Up Kid’’ both are a bit softer songs with a little beat. I feel like Seasons is a bit more uplifting and Get Up Kid is a more darker empowering track. These are two of the songs that were released before the album came out. Just like with Stuck I was kind of surprised with these songs. It’s so different than the other albums. You like it, or you hate it.
The lyrics of ”Love These Days” appeal to me from the very first sentence. “I think that it’s so strange what we call love these days. Kinda fucked up and fake.” This line alone can be interpreted in multiple ways. Is the song about how the concept of love has changed these days? Or is it about a relationship in which love has changed? In the chorus of this great slow electronic song, it seems to revolve around the idea that people increasingly seek a kind of “high” or excitement that comes from heartbreak, even if it means enduring pain.
“World On Fire” is one of the audience favorites, with 1.1 million streams on Spotify. I can understand why. This electronic track gives me a vibe in the chorus that reminds me of the band’s earlier work, especially in the part that goes, “Let there be light.”. But it’s a bit more calmer.
“World On Fire” is followed by “7:1.” This song also gave me a feeling of the band’s previous work, perhaps due to its slightly darker melody. I can’t quite put my finger on why it gives me that feeling.
I believe the song is about personal growth and the desire to break free from negativity. In the first verse, there’s a strong desire expressed to change one’s life. Later in the chorus, it seems that the realization has come that change and growth sometimes come with both good and bad experiences. I feel like this song has a story. I am curious if we will hear that story one day.
Arriving at “Never Not Love You”, the song opens with a gentle piano, and Jared Leto almost whispers the first verse. The song, which deals with post-breakup feelings, has a minimalist build-up toward the chorus. The chorus itself is calm but delivered with emotional vocals. Personally, I find this one of the weaker tracks on the album. It feels a bit too slow in certain parts.
After the emotional “Never Not Love You,” we move on to “Midnight Prayer.” What immediately stands out in this song is that the vocals are delivered by Shannon Leto. It’s a nice change of pace. In the last album, Shannon also did the lead vocals for one of the songs. It’s always a nice surprise.
As soon as the song begins, it gives off a slightly dark vibe. In the first verse, we hear Shannon’s vocals, followed by the chorus. The song seems to be about battling inner demons and mental challenges. The rest of the song is accompanied by a good beat. I think this song is one of my favorites.
In “Lost These Days,” after a short guitar introduction, we are greeted by Jared’s whisper-like vocals again. With its dark bass, this song stands out a bit from the rest (apart from “Midnight Prayers”). Despite being relatively calm, this song feels quite different from the others. Towards the end of the track, the style suddenly changes, and a dance-like beat is introduced. This is quite surprising.
Now, we’ve arrived at the final song on the album, “Avalanche.” The song is opened by the lyrics, “Time, time to live our lives. Set the world on fire.” This song is somewhat different from the rest, but in a different way than “Lost These Days.” “Avalanche” gives me a bit of the vibe of the band’s earlier work, only slower. It’s fantastic!
So, my conclusion is that if you like the older songs of the band then I would recommend skipping a few songs on this album. But if you like to try the new, more minimalistic and electronic style of the band then this album will totally be your thing. I noticed while listening to the album that almost every song has the same build-up. First, a slow introduction, followed by a chorus with an electronic beat. The new style was something that I had to get used to, but in the end kind of loved.
It’s the End of the World But It’s a Beautiful Day is now available for listening on every streaming platform. So, what are you waiting for? Dive into this new album and experience Thirty Seconds to Mars’ fresh sound!
