“The Kill”
from the album A Beautiful Lie
2005
iTunes
Authentic hard rock has always been about bleeding emotions and music so sharp and heavy it can tear flesh. This might not be what you would expect from a band that is fronted by an actor, but it is exactly what 30 Seconds to Mars delivers in A Beautiful Lie. The music is razor-sharp and solid, everything that good old-fashioned hard rock is suppose to be, but with a polished edge that is refreshing and modern.
The band is headed up by Jared Leto, also known for his roles in such critically acclaimed films as Requiem for a Dream, Panic Room, and Alexander. On Leto’s dual roles, MTV.com said,
He is not the first actor to launch a career in rock and roll, but somehow he’s managed to be the only one audience don’t laugh off the stage … 30 Seconds to Mars has earned itself some bona fide rock cred over the course of its brief career.
Leto must draw from the same deep introspective place he goes to for his dark roles to write his music. The lyrics are passionate and the music is raw energy. Aware of the preconceptions held toward acting musicians, Leto said, “Any time you have precedent that’s negative like that, you’re gonna have an uphill battle. I’ve never shied away from that.”
He doesn’t offer any apologizes, and he shouldn’t. The commitment and talent he brings to the music can’t be denied and is just as credible as what he brings to his acting. Not only the does he write all the songs the group records, he is lead vocalist and plays guitar. Jared’s brother, Shannon Leto, plays drums, and they are joined in 30 Seconds to Mars by Tomo Milicevic, also on guitars, and Matt Wachter on bass.
The second single from A Beautiful Lie is “The Kill.“ This begins soft — soft drums, and lyrics tenderly whispered. As it progresses, it fills out with the guitar lines, and it transforms into something loud. The emotions run high through this charged track. It’s another song about a volatile relationship, a theme that is ever present through most of the CD. It is all laid out on the line — powerful and strong guitar and drum lines behind a sturdy lyrical delivery.