30 Seconds To Mars: Attack

It would be so easy to slap a big fat zero on 30 Second To Mars’s latest single and be done with it. Surely there’s no need to actually listen to a post-hardcore band fronted by Requiem For A Dream star and straight-man’s safe-wank Jared Leto to know how it will sound? Well ignorance isn't always bliss, as although 30 Seconds To Mars fall far from breaking any boundaries or writing a classic, 'Attack' is a perfectly listenable song.

From its interesting minor-key synth-electro introduction through to its near-anthemic chorus, 'Attack' is surprisingly catchy, and Jared Leto's vocals are stronger than would be expected. Sure, they follow the paint-by-numbers sigh-to-scream formula and deliver only the most predictable of angst-ridden lyrics to a tee, but they sound a lot less-forced than those of many a fellow emo compatriot and accompany the crunching guitar work perfectly.

If they could strengthen their songwriting further, and shrug the plastic-coating production that seems to smother every American post-hardcore release, then 30 Seconds To Mars could be an interesting prospect. Let’s hope they take the few distinguishing elements from this effort and build up from there.