“This is war!”

The first big “wall-of-voices” sound that storms through the speakers hauntingly sets the tone for, while announcing the title of, 30 Seconds to Mars’ ambitious third studio offering. The ferocity that pervades the rest of the album can be likened to that found in a war, with the paradox of angry emotions and triumphant ecstasy existing within the same headspace. Such a conundrum makes for quite the compelling listening experience.

The decidedly combative nature of this collection is represented in the decidedly Euro-influenced and aggressive track “Night of the Hunter.” With such strong language as “pleasure to meet you but prepare to bleed,” a likely reference to the legal headaches the band experienced in dealing with their record label before recording “This Is War.”

The spiritual conflict in singer Jared Leto’s lyrical content is evident throughout the album, with many references to God and calling out to “lesser gods,” as found in the lyrics of “Kings and Queens.” Leto has said that it’s a “record … about faith, about spiritual matters, and that just happens to be what we’re thinking about and talking about in our lives right now.” If this record’s lyrics prove anything, it’s that they haven’t quite got those thoughts settled in their minds yet.

Lyrically, “Kings and Queens” is a frustrating listen. Yet, musically and vocally, it soars and can take the listener to places of emotional transcendence in a way that U2 once did in the 80’s. It is a good choice as the single to lead the album, as it is the most accessible on the record, yet it may be lyrically complicated for the average listener. The same “wall-of-voices” sound found at the beginning of the record closes the song with a crowd of fans providing the vocals and singing the triumphant “whoa-oh-oh’s.”

On the next tune, the title track, the crowd vocals effect starts to feel a little gimmicky, yet chill-inducing at the same time. One can’t help but feel the enormous weight of the incredibly raucous crowd screaming at the top of their lungs to open the song, giving the impression that the listener is actually there in that room with those thousands of fans. “This Is War” is a strong track with Leto exultantly singing that “it’s a brave new world,” then slipping into desolate spiritual timbre with the lines “I believe in nothing/not the end and not the start … not in peace and not in war … I believe in nothing but the truth in who we are.” The lyrics echo strongly of John Lennon’s “God.”

“Hurricane” is a track that Leto wrote with rapper Kanye West and, as much as I hate to admit it, is a standout on the album. The gratuitous electronic beats aren’t too distracting and actually fit in well enough considering it is a departure from much of the rest of the record. The haunting piano-driven instrumentation throughout does remind one of a stormy evening.

The mood lifts when the next track, “Closer to the Edge,” begins. It’s one of the faster, more upbeat songs on the record, but is followed quickly by the slower yet hopeful sounds of “Vox Populi.” In Latin, the title means “Voice of the People,” and that could not be a more appropriate title for this one. The “wall-of-voices” is back in full prominence on this track, with the band likely going for a battle-cry effect. While it does sound cool to have thousands of (mainly female) fans singing along, it doesn’t sound as epic as it was probably intended to be. Leto and the band make up for this however with another strong musical effort.

The record ends strong, with “Alibi” featuring Leto’s strongest vocal performance of the record, while “Stranger in a Strange Land” and its industrial, dirty sound remind one of the ugliness of war and chaos. “L490” is an instrumental track that closes the record out with a host of spooky monks chanting indiscernibly –– an odd, but appropriate ending to a colossal effort by 30 Seconds to Mars. One would be hard-pressed to find a more intense, forceful and severe collection of songs released this year. If the direction of this record is any indication, we may have found the next huge rock act.