A Beautiful Lie

Infobox Album|
Name = A Beautiful Lie


Type = Album
Artist = 30 Seconds to Mars
Released = August 30, 2005 (USA) February 26, 2007 (UK)
Recorded = 2003—2005, Pulse Recording (Los Angeles, California); The Laboratory (Los Angeles, California); The Center for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences of Sound (Alaska); Lionhead Studios (South Africa); Circle in the Square Studio (New York City, New York)
Genre = Progressive rock Post-hardcore Alternative rock
Length = 56:12
Label = Virgin, Immortal
Producer = Josh Abraham, 30 Seconds to Mars
Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3l967uw040jw link] * "Rolling Stone" Rating|2|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/7568304/review/7593388?utm_source=Rhapsody&utm_medium=CDreview link] * TuneLab Music rating|8|10 [http://w2.eleven2.com/~tunelab/reviews/reviewid100.php?subaction=showcomments&id=1170005692&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5& link] * "Kerrang!" Rating|4|5 * Rocklouder Rating|3|5 [http://www.rocklouder.co.uk/articles/2506.html link] *"Cosmos Gaming" [http://www.cosmosgaming.com/articles.php?id=285&articletype=review link]
Last album = "Acoustic Live Radio Show (EP)" (2002)
This album = "A Beautiful Lie" (2005)
Next album = "AOL Sessions Undercover (EP)" (2007)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate Cover
Type = studio


Lower caption = Alternative Cover Singles
Name = A Beautiful Lie
Type = studio
single 1 = Attack
single 2 = The Kill
single 3 = From Yesterday
single 4 = A Beautiful Lie
single 1 date = April 12, 2005
single 2 date = August 30, 2005
single 3 date = 2006
single 4 date = 2007

"A Beautiful Lie" is the second studio album by alternative rock band 30 Seconds to Mars. It was released on August 30, 2005 under Virgin Records. The album was produced by Josh Abraham and 30 Seconds to Mars.

The album produced four singles, "Attack," "The Kill," "From Yesterday," and "A Beautiful Lie"; three of the four songs managed to chart within the top thirty on the U.S. Modern Rock chart, with "The Kill" and "From Yesterday" both entering the top ten. It has also gone Platinum, shipping over 1 million copies. Also Going on to be Gold certified in Canada (50,000 copies) by March 2007. [http://www.cria.ca/gold/0307_g.php CRIA March '07]

"A Beautiful Lie" is different from the band's debut album, "30 Seconds to Mars", both musically and lyrically. Whereas the eponymous concept albums's lyrics focus on human struggle and astronomical themes,cite web | last = Redmon | first = Jess | url = http://web.archive.org/web/20050305051947/http://www.shoutweb.com/interviews/30secondstomars0502.phtml | work = Shoutweb.com: On the Record | title = 30 Seconds to Mars: Welcome to their universe | month = May | year = 2002 | accessdate = 2006-04-06 ] and the music was heavily atmospheric, the lyrics of "A Beautiful Lie" are "personal and less cerebral," and the music takes on a youthful, more post-hardcore approach by introducing intense screaming and deemphasizing synth effects.

History

"A Beautiful Lie" was recorded on four different continents in five different countries over a three-year period to accommodate vocalist/guitarist Jared Leto's acting career. The album's title track, as well as three other songs, were composed in Cape Town, South Africa, where Leto was later met by his bandmates to work on the tracks. It was during this time that Leto conceived the album's title.cite web|url=http://www.thirtysecondstomars.com|title=30 Seconds To Mars Official Site|accessdate=2007-02-12] Prior to this, the album was tentatively to be released under the title "The Battle of One".

The album was leaked onto peer-to-peer file sharing networks almost five months before its scheduled release; however, the version of the album that leaked happened to be unmastered. Because of this, the band was forced to set the release date of the album back.

To promote "A Beautiful Lie", 30 Seconds to Mars included the songs "Battle of One" and "Hunter" (originally performed by Björk) as bonus tracks. To further promote the album, the band included "golden passes" with three of the special versions of the album that entitled the buyer free entrance and backstage access to any 30 Seconds to Mars show for life. Unfortunately, the label was not happy with this and forced the band to limit the pass users to one (1) show and free merchandise.

Deluxe Edition

The album was re-released with new artwork as "A Beautiful Lie - Deluxe Edition" on November 21, 2006. The set contained one bonus track - a re-recording of the "The Kill", entitled "The Kill (Rebirth)". Also included was a DVD featuring the VMA-nominated video for "The Kill", making of "The Kill" video, live performances and MTV2 moments involving the band.

Before production of the Deluxe Edition, the band requested that the members of the "Echelon" send in their names so that they could be thanked for their support over the years. As a result, the inside cover(s) of the Deluxe Edition contain a huge list of printed fan names. In addition to this, the front cover contains a holographic image consisting of the Mithra (Phoenix) and the Trinity (Skulls).

2007 re-release

The album was re-released yet again in 2007, following extensive touring throughout Europe, in an attempt to expose themselves to a larger audience. This re-release is essentially the same as the original release, just with different artwork. The re-release does not contain the new version of "The Kill," nor does it contain a bonus DVD. The album was re-released in Ireland again in November 2007. This version contains the new version of "The Kill" and a second bonus track, an acoustic version of "A Beautiful Lie" recorded live on a radio session.

Track listing

#"Attack" - 3:09
#"A Beautiful Lie" - 4:05
#"The Kill" - 3:51
#"Was It a Dream?" - 4:15
#"The Fantasy" - 4:29
#"Savior" - 3:24
#"From Yesterday" - 4:08
#"The Story" - 3:55
#"R-Evolve" - 3:59
#"A Modern Myth" - 14:14
#"Battle of One" - 2:47
#"Hunter" (Björk cover) - 3:54

Listen
filename=The_Kill_-_30_Seconds_To_Mars.ogg
title="The Kill" (2005)
description=Sample from 30 Seconds to Mars' "The Kill".
format=OggListen
filename=From_Yesterday_-_30_Seconds_To_Mars.ogg
title="From Yesterday" (2005)
description=Sample from 30 Seconds to Mars' "From Yesterday".
format=Ogg

Bonus tracks

#

"The Kill (Rebirth)" (Irish Edition bonus track) - 3:39
#

"Attack" (Live) (Wal-Mart Edition bonus track)
#

"Was It a Dream?" (Acoustic) (Japanese and Australian Edition bonus track)
#

"A Beautiful Lie" (Acoustic) (Irish Edition bonus track) - 3:42

DVD track listing

#"The Kill"
#The Making of "The Kill"
#The International Music Feed Interview
#"Attack" (MTV2's "All That Rocks")
#"The Kill" (MTV2's "All That Rocks")
#"The Fantasy" (Fan-generated take) (MTV2's "All That Rocks")
#MTV2's "T-Minus Rock" Interview
#Red Carpet Arrival (MTV Video Music Awards)
#MTV2 Award Acceptance Speech (MTV Video Music Awards)
#MTV2 "$2Bill" Internet Promo
#MTV2 "$2Bill" Pre-Sale Tour Promo
#MTV2 "$2Bill" Ticket Sale Tour Promo

Charts

Album

ingles

Album personnel

* All the songs are written by Jared Leto, except "Battle of One", "From Yesterday" and "Savior" which are written by the whole of 30 Seconds to Mars
* All songs are performed solely by 30 Seconds to Mars
* "Hunter" was originally written and performed by Björk and was covered by 30 Seconds to Mars on the deluxe album.
* Produced by Josh Abraham and 30 Seconds to Mars
* Engineered and mixed by Ryan Williams
* Assistant engineer: Brandon Belsky
* Additional engineering by Brian Virtue
* "Attack" mixed by Tom Lord-Alge, assisted by Femio Hernandez
* Mixed at Pulse Recording (Los Angeles, California)
* "Attack" mixed at South Beach Studios (Miami Beach, Florida)
* "The Battle of One" and "Hunter" produced by 30 Seconds to Mars and Brian Virtue; engineered by Brian Virtue at CRC Studios (Chicago, Illinois)
* Mastered by Brian Gardner at Bernie Grundam Mastering (Hollywood, Los Angeles, California)
* A&R: John Deutsch
* Piano on "The Kill" by Matt Serletic
* Additional synthesizer on "Attack", "From Yesterday" and "Savior" by Oliver Goldstein
* String players on "A Modern Myth": Steve Dress (double bass); Caroline Campbell (violin); Neel Hammond (violin); Miguel Atwood-Ferguson (viola); Vanessa Freebairn-Smith (cello)
* Wataru Hokoyama: string arranger
* Management: Irving Azoff Management
* Legal: Gary Stiffelman for Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca & Fischer
* Business management: Dian Vaughn for Loring Ward
* U.S. booking: John Marx, John Branigan for William Morris
* International booking: Mike Greek for Creative Artists Agency UK Ltd
* Creative direction and design: 30 Seconds to Mars and Sean Mosher-Smith
* Photograph: Olaf Heine

In popular culture

*"The Kill" was featured in the January 21, 2007 "Without a Trace" episode, "Primed".
*On December 25 "The Kill" and "Attack" were released as DLC for both Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 videogame "Rock Band".
*"Battle of One" is featured in the tracklisting in Madden 07.

References