30 seconds to some really kinky stuff

The following picture is NSFW:



Shennantics is a bit late with this review, but apparently 30 Seconds to Mars has some demons in their closet. Or maybe it's just Jared Leto's side of the tourbus. Anyway, last year the band showcased the 13 minute epic, short film for "Hurricane" off the "This is War" album, which had to be edited for its graphic nature and depictions of wild and bizarre S&M sex, motorcycle violence and Leto's unruly fauxhauk.

First off let's get into the review of the song, which won't take long since it's basically muffled underneath the video's loud images. You can hear it in certain parts of the song but it really does take a backseat to the music video which is not necessarily a good thing. The video should emphasize the song and not downplay it, or detract from it. Basically, "Hurricane" the song is typical 30STM fare. There is some wailing, some French girl quoting Edgar Allen Poe,some strings---all what you've come to expect from this band.


Now onto the video. Director Bartholomew Clubbins has a fetish for well, fetishes and images. Most of the video is shot so one image plays for a long amount of time and then the next one comes doubly fast. In one shot, Jared Leto is running for what seems to be forever (Poutz sister Angela noted that THIS is why the video takes so long everything is shot in slow motion) and then it's followed up with sped up and spliced sequences of black latex clad-fetish enthusiasts. Including an evil bunny, a well toned gimp and lots of other unsavory characters.

So it's apparent that the band is indulgent in some kinky stuff, other than the sexed up images, to which it's apparent why MTV banned it. But really the "censored" version is just a nipple away from being the same. Pshaw.

On top of that, there is the image of Jared Leto being thrown into a Veteran's coffin complete with a draped American flag. So now we have symbolism. The video has a message. As one commentator on YouTube pointed out it's about "harming people."

This would work well as a short film, but it's just kinda weird when your own band is the score to your short film.

Also worth checking out is the remix with Kanye West.