30 Seconds to Mars have finally released their long delayed video on Wednesday for "This is War," a clip that tries to encourage peace by depicting some of the horrors of war. 30 Seconds To Mars sing about survival on "This Is War," which is an anthemic-rock song and the titular second single off the band's third album, written by frontman Jared Leto wants to go epic, he doesn't go halfway. The new video is Leto's look at war and peace, which is not surprising with the title of the music video.Edouard Salier-directed video opening with a quote from H.G. Wells, "If we don't end war, war will end us," and concluding with the tanks, jets and all manner of implements of destruction or more specifically, their assemblage into something more, which may or may not be the group's Triad symbol "War" is actually all about peace, a concept that doesn't seem to gibe with the fact that the band members dressed up as US soldiers patrolling the desert in an armored Humvee while showing scenes of war and leaders fighting in Afghanistan. The mere fact that this effects-heavy video exists is something of a triumph.
As Leto told MTV News last year, the clip and the song are about "the inevitability of conflict, the blessing of conflict and what we can all learn from it. A lot of people are going to interpret this piece in a lot of different ways. And hopefully it will start some debates and some conversations." It seems that, no matter how inhumane the outcome, humankind is practically predestined for war — a fact that roughly 2,000 years of our existence has sadly proven time and time again. When it comes to the music videos by 30 Seconds To Mars, Leto does leave a lot open to interpretation by the viewer.
30 Seconds To Mars try their very best to explore the various facets of the concept. When the pile of tanks and battleships at clip's end transforms into a massive pyramid, the meaning isn't readily apparent: There seems to be some sort of extraterrestrial force at play here, or perhaps it's just the overwhelming good nature of humankind willing the event to happen. The image is clearly meant to provoke, but does it also provoke thought? Ultimately, that's up to you. Though, it bears mention that much like conflict itself, thought is a decidedly human condition. And it's also more powerful than any bomb could ever be. "This is War" is quietly sitting while fans wait for what the band does next.
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