Attack (Thirty Seconds to Mars song)

Did You Know?

• In 2023, Christian metalcore band Wolves at the Gate covered the song.
• The song is featured in the video games ATV Offroad Fury 4, The Fast and the Furious, and Madden NFL 06 (Xbox 360 only).
• It was released as downloadable content for Guitar Hero 5 on February 4, 2010.

Background and recording

The song had existed for some time, but the band was uncertain about its quality and it nearly did not make the album. Jared Leto recalled playing it in locations such as the desert in Morocco and Thailand, but when performed with the full band it did not work. Leto said that on acoustic guitar it sounded great, but with the bass added it fell flat. He played it acoustically for producer Josh Abraham as a joke, saying "Hey, you wanna hear a hit song?" Abraham stopped him during the first chorus and declared it the best song they had, insisting they record it. The band then gathered in a circle, and something shifted; the song became the first track on the album and its first single. Leto later told Abraham that the song deserved to be a hit so they could tell that story.

Release

The lead single from the album arrived on April 12, 2005, hitting American radio on June 6 of that year. Its UK release followed on February 19, 2007, paired with the B-side "The Fantasy." On May 2, 2006, the track appeared on the "Two Beautiful Lies" single, which also featured an edited version of "The Kill" and a 36-page photo book made from fan-submitted digital photos. A live recording from CBGB was included on the European single for "The Kill" and the digital extended play of A Beautiful Lie. During its debut week, "Attack" became the most-added song on alternative radio. It first charted on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks at number 37 on July 16, 2005, climbing to a peak of 22 on October 22, 2005. It reached number 38 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks on July 2, 2005. The song entered the UK Singles Chart at number 148 on March 3, 2007, and hit number 22 on the Portuguese Download Chart for the week ending April 20, 2008.

Critical reception

The song was generally well received by critics. Alternative Addiction described it as soaring sonically with processed and forceful vocals, and ranked it number 11 on its Top 50 Songs of 2005. Jim Campbell of Playback noted that standout tracks including "Attack" shared strong elements such as interesting lyrics, sweeping vocals, and a pulsing rhythm section, displaying musical maturity and charisma. Mike Horvath of The Sheaf praised the keyboard effects and guitar distortions. Landon Christensen from Davis Enterprise found the song catchy, with a cool keyboard pattern and impressive vocals. Jonathan Love of The Decatur Daily called it an expression of rebirth with energetic keyboards, abrasive guitars, and addictive vocals ranging from a pain-stricken wail to an intimate whisper. Jason Silverstein from The Buffalo News said songs like "Attack" showed a bit of the old school sound and how the new sound should have worked. Connie Phillips from Blogcritics described it as a digital extravaganza of synthesizers giving way to powerful, melodic vocals and intricate, nearly poetic lyrics, calling it a driven expression of endings and new beginnings. Zone placed the song at number 52 on the 210 Most Played Songs of the 2000s.

Music video

The music video was directed by Paul Fedor, who had previously worked with the band on the video for "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)". It premiered on August 29, 2005, on Fuse's Daily Download, and in Canada on MuchMusic's MuchOnDemand on October 6, 2005. Filmed during July and August 2005 in an abandoned Hollywood hotel where the crew encountered prostitutes and drug addicts squatting, the video involved 70 effects shots completed in 7 days. Effects are used extensively for visual enhancement around the band members and the women depicted. Each frame hides messages including "This is a Cult". Fedor called it one of his best videos and noted that every shot is perfect. The video found success on Fuse, mtvU, MTV2, and MuchMusic.