Is This Is War a good place to start with 30 Seconds to Mars?

Yes, This Is War is recommended as a starting point for new 30 Seconds to Mars listeners. Epic anthems blend orchestral elements with driving rock, creating a soundscape that feels both grand and intimate. This Is War marked 30 Seconds to Mars' third studio album, released after the commercial success of their previous album, A Beautiful Lie. The band was navigating newfound fame while grappling with various legal disputes over their record label and the pressures of maintaining their artistic vision. This album solidified their status in the alternative rock scene during a transitional period in their career.

Who is This Is War for?

This Is War works well if you're into epic soundscapes for triumph, dynamic journey with peaks and cathartic release during anthems.

How many songs are on This Is War?

This Is War has 12 tracks, running approximately 60 minutes.

This Is War

30 Seconds to Mars · 2009

60 min · 12 tracks · alternative rock

Epic anthems blend orchestral elements with driving rock, creating a soundscape that feels both grand and intimate.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Escape Start here — accessible entry with immediate hook
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Kings and Queens — This track encapsulates the album's overarching theme of striving for greatness amid adversity, featuring powerful lyrics and an anthemic chorus that invites listener participation.
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This Is War — The title track serves as a rallying cry, blending orchestral arrangements with urgent vocals that capture the spirit of resistance and defiance.
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Closer to the Edge — With its driving rhythm and introspective lyrics, this song explores themes of choice and consequence, highlighting the band's ability to blend personal narrative with universal struggles.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

45 /100

Lowland

Higher than 5% of albums we've rated

The album combines anthemic choruses with cinematic soundscapes but lacks strong cohesion across its brief tracklist.

What we noticed

The title track features a build-up with layered vocals and orchestral elements that culminate in a powerful chorus.
The second track, 'Hurricane', incorporates electronic beats and a more subdued vocal delivery, contrasting with the anthemic style of the first.

Composition 25% of the score: 6/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 5/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 6/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 4/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

epic soundscapes for triumph
dynamic journey with peaks
cathartic release during anthems
late-night motivational listening
wave-like pacing with intensity

Maybe skip if you

prefer quick, standalone tracks
seek subtle, understated sounds

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Breakthrough — Established wider recognition after the success of A Beautiful Lie.
Themes: rallying cries· pressures of fame
Career context: This Is War marked 30 Seconds to Mars' third studio album, released after the commercial success of their previous album, A Beautiful Lie. The band was navigating newfound fame while grappling with various legal disputes over their record label and the pressures of maintaining their artistic vision. This album solidified their status in the alternative rock scene during a transitional period in their career.
Stylistic neighbors: Muse· Linkin Park· The Killers