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= = = Boston Celtics ( 2013 – 2015 ) = = =
After going undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft , Pressey signed with the Boston Celtics to play in the 2013 Orlando Summer League . He was a known commodity to the Celtics . Pressey 's AAU team had even practiced at the team facility in Waltham . His performance in the Summer League led to Pressey signing a deal with the Celtics on July 22 , 2013 . The contract was believed to be a three @-@ year deal for the league minimum , which was $ 490 @,@ 180 during his rookie season . The Celtics began the season without four @-@ time All @-@ Star point guard Rajon Rondo who had endured a anterior cruciate ligament injury during the prior season . Pressey made his regular season debut in the 2013 – 14 Celtics season opener on October 30 at the Air Canada Centre against the Toronto . He did not play in the next three games , but after the Celtics got off to an 0 – 4 start , head coach Brad Stevens shuffled the lineup . On November 6 , at home against the Utah Jazz , Pressey recorded the first three assists , first steal and first field goal of his career . Then on November 9 , he posted four assists and tallied in 7 points in 21 minutes of play . He posted a team @-@ high 5 assists on November 19 , 2013 against the Houston Rockets . He established a new career high with 8 assists on November 25 against the Charlotte Bobcats . On January 15 , with Rondo 's return imminent , the Celtics traded guards Jordan Crawford and <unk> Brooks , clearing the way for Pressey to start that night against the Toronto Raptors . Pressey posted 10 assists and no turnovers in his first start . On January 22 , with Rondo , Avery Bradley and Jerryd Bayless all sitting out and Pressey making his second career start , Pressey scored a career @-@ high 20 points against Washington before fouling out . Since Rondo 's return , Pressey 's occasional starts have been to give Rondo rest . He posted a double @-@ double on April 5 against the Detroit Pistons with 12 points and a career @-@ high 11 assists . On April 11 , he had another career high with 13 assists as part of a 10 @-@ point double double against the Charlotte Bobcats . He matched the 13 assists the following night against the Cleveland Cavaliers .
In July 2014 , Pressey re @-@ joined the Celtics for the 2014 NBA Summer League . His performance earned him a roster spot for the regular season , as the team guaranteed his contract for the 2014 – 15 season . On February 5 , 2015 , he was assigned to the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League . He was recalled the next day . On July 15 , Pressey was waived by the Celtics .
= = = Philadelphia 76ers ( 2015 ) = = =
On July 24 , 2015 , Pressey signed with the Portland Trail Blazers , but was waived on October 23 after appearing in four preseason games . On October 25 , he was claimed off waivers by the Utah Jazz , but was waived by the team the following day . On November 1 , he was acquired by the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League as an affiliate player of the Jazz . However , three days later , he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers to help the team deal with numerous injuries . Philadelphia had to use an NBA hardship exemption in order to sign him as he made their roster stand at 16 , one over the allowed limited of 15 . He debuted with the 76ers that night against the Milwaukee Bucks , his father 's long @-@ time team . On December 4 , he was waived by the 76ers after appearing in 14 games .
= = = Idaho Stampede / Phoenix Suns ( 2015 – present ) = = =
On December 7 , 2015 , Pressey was reacquired by the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League . Two days later , he made his debut with Idaho in a 102 – 96 loss to the Texas Legends , recording four points , six rebounds , six assists and one steal in 24 minutes . He scored a season @-@ high 21 points twice , and had three double @-@ doubles for Idaho , recording a season @-@ high 13 assists on February 8 , 2016 against the Los Angeles D @-@ Fenders .
On February 20 , 2016 , Pressey signed a 10 – day contract with the Phoenix Suns . He made his debut for the Suns the following day , recording six points , two rebounds , five assists , one steal and three blocks in 28 minutes off the bench in a 118 – 111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs , becoming the first NBA player shorter than 6 ' 0 " to record three blocks in a game since Nate Robinson in 2013 . A day later , he had a 10 @-@ assist game against the Los Angeles Clippers . On March 1 , he signed a second 10 @-@ day contract with the Suns . Following the expiration of his second 10 @-@ day contract , the Suns parted ways with Pressey .
On March 12 , 2016 , Pressey was reacquired by Idaho .
= = NBA career statistics = =
= = = Regular season = = =
= = Personal = =
Phil 's parents are Elizabeth ( Liz ) and Paul Pressey . Together they have four children : Ashley , Angela , Paul Jr . ( known by his middle name of Matthew ) and Phillip . Paul was an NCAA basketball All @-@ American , National Invitation Tournament Champion , NBA All @-@ Defensive Team selection , <unk> National champion and a first round NBA Draft choice . Phil was teammates with his older brother Matt for two years at Missouri . As of September 2013 , Matt is playing with the Plymouth Raiders in the British Basketball League . Their older sister Angie was an All @-@ American volleyball player for the California Golden Bears . Pressey wore cornrows throughout his high school basketball career . Pressey was a childhood friend and AAU teammate of Alex Oriakhi who transferred from Connecticut after playing for the 2010 – 11 national champion Huskies team to join the 2012 – 13 Tigers .
= Cauldron II : The Pumpkin Strikes Back =
Cauldron II : The Pumpkin Strikes Back is a computer game developed and published by British developer Palace Software ( Palace ) as a sequel to their 1985 title Cauldron . The two @-@ dimensional ( 2D ) platform game was released in 1986 for the ZX Spectrum , Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC home computers . Players control a bouncing pumpkin that is on a quest of vengeance against the " Witch Queen " . The roles of the two were reversed from the first game , in which the witch defeated a monster pumpkin .
Following the success of Cauldron , Palace employee Steve Brown began work on a sequel . To provide fans of the original title with a new experience , a very different gameplay was implemented for the sequel , although several minor features retained connections to the first . Inspired by the bouncing pumpkin character in Cauldron , Brown designed the game around the character 's movement . The bouncing mechanic proved problematic for the programmers who were unable to perfect its implementation . Technical limitations also prevented them from implementing certain animations , such as turning pages of a book .
Cauldron II was first released on the Commodore 64 . It was released in the following years on other systems and as re @-@ releases . The game received praise , mainly for its audio @-@ visuals , in video game magazines . Difficulty in handling the bouncing pumpkin 's movement was a common complaint , although reviewers felt the overall package was of good value .
= = Gameplay = =
In Cauldron , the protagonist was a witch who became the " Witch Queen " by defeating an enemy called the " Pumpking " . In its sequel , players control a pumpkin that has survived the witch 's ascent to power and seeks to defeat her . Cauldron II takes place in the witch 's castle , and players control the pumpkin , moving it through the 2D game world that is shown as side views . Six magical items — a Goblet , Axe , Shield , Crown , Scissors , and Book of Spells — are scattered throughout the castle and when collected by the player character , augments the pumpkin 's abilities , providing it with offensive and defensive capabilities . Collecting the items also allows the pumpkin to access the witch 's chambers and cut a lock of her hair , which is required to defeat the witch and complete the game .
The protagonist traverses the castle by bouncing , and players control the pumpkin by manipulating the direction and height of its bounce . Similar to the previous game , Halloween @-@ themed enemies , such as ghosts , monsters , and skeletons , inhabit the game world . Contact with an enemy drains the pumpkin 's magic meter that also fuels the protagonist 's offensive projectiles . The character dies once the meter is depleted . The pumpkin has a limited number of lives to continue the game , which ends once all of the pumpkin 's lives have been expended . On continuing , the pumpkin reappears on the screen with a refilled meter .
= = Development = =
The success of Cauldron in 1985 prompted Palace Software to produce a sequel . Rather than recycle the previous game 's design , the development team wanted to be innovative and implement new gameplay features . Steven Brown and Richard Leinfellner resumed their roles as designer and programmer , respectively . Richard Joseph handled the audio design and Stan Schembri programmed the Commodore 64 version .
Brown first drew inspiration from the final scene of Cauldron : the witch 's fight against the Pumpking , which bounced around a room . He felt the bouncing pumpkin looked " cool " and decided to base the sequel 's gameplay on this aspect . Although unsure about the idea , the other team members proceeded with development . Intended to mimic a bouncing ball , the pumpkin 's movement could change direction only if force is applied to it while it is in contact with a surface that provides friction . This mechanic prohibited the pumpkin from changing directions while in mid @-@ air , and proved problematic for the programmers to implement . Issues included difficulties with collision detection , unpredictable movements that led to glitches , and troubles with the firing mechanism . The pumpkin 's ability to fire projectiles was intended to provide offensive game mechanics to players . In early designs , however , the projectile inadvertently generated a force that changed the pumpkin 's direction . The programmers tried to correct this , but were unable to create a perfect solution .
As the gameplay designs were being implemented , Brown switched focus to the game 's aesthetics . Scenes from the game were sketched on storyboards to aid development . Cauldron II 's game world , the witch 's castle , was designed to resemble Palace Software 's logo as an advertising tactic . Brown photographed separate screens of the game and assembled them into a complete map , showing the shape of his company 's logo , for video game magazines . Enemy designs were similar to those in the previous game , based on the Halloween holiday . Brown envisioned a graphical effect for the game 's narration , showing a book whose pages turned as the story is read . However , technical limitations at the time prohibited the implementation of such a visual effect . Brown also wanted the game 's visuals to scroll seamlessly as the character moved through the game world , but flick @-@ screening ( showing one section of the world at a time ) was more feasible . As with the previous game , Brown created a Plasticine model of the witch character as a reference for a painting that was used for the game 's box art . The group tested the game prior to release and deemed it too challenging . They reduced the difficulty level so that more players could complete the game .
Palace Software developed Cauldron II for three home computers : Amstrad CPC , Commodore 64 , and ZX Spectrum . The game was first released for the Commodore 64 , and then for the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum . It was later re @-@ released on the ZX Spectrum in 1989 by <unk> under its Silverbird budget label . Cauldron II was also re @-@ released with the first game as a compilation title for Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum computers .
= = Reception = =
The game was well received by video game journalists upon its release . ZX Spectrum magazines Crash and ZX Computing awarded Cauldron II their top accolades : " Crash Smash " and " Monster Hit " , respectively . Similar to the first Cauldron , praise from the video game press focused on the graphical quality , and criticism directed at the gameplay was mixed . Computer and Video Games reviewer Paul Boughton praised the size of the game world , but criticized the audio quality of the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum versions , citing the limited capabilities of the two systems . In concluding his review , Boughton felt any version of the game would be worth purchasing . Phil South of Your Sinclair praised the game 's presentation and design , calling the graphics " lovely " and the platform gameplay " original " . ZX Computing ' reviewer praised the audio @-@ visuals , and recommended the title for fans of the previous game . A Crash magazine reviewer lauded the audio @-@ visuals of the ZX Spectrum version and commented that the gameplay offered more than its predecessor 's . The reviewer described Cauldron II as difficult , but felt that the sense of accomplishment gained from successful completion outweighed the negative aspect . Computer Gamer 's reviewer criticized the bouncing gameplay , citing unpredictable reactions and difficulty in navigating around tough enemies . Rich Pelley and Jon Pillar of Your Sinclair echoed similar comments . Retro Gamer writer Craig Grannell described the game 's difficulty as the " only real criticism " . The ZX Computing reviewer also criticized the bouncing aspect , but praised the overall game design as enjoyable . Phil King , another Crash reviewer , praised the Silverbird re @-@ release . He called the graphics " colorful " and " well @-@ animated " , and felt that the game was of good value despite an excessive difficulty . The commercial success of the two Cauldron games prompted Palace to give Brown more creative freedom for his following project , Barbarian : The Ultimate Warrior .
= 30 Seconds to Mars ( album ) =
30 Seconds to Mars is the debut studio album by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars . It was first released on August 27 , 2002 , by Immortal Records and distributed by Virgin Records . The album was produced by Bob Ezrin , Brian Virtue , and Thirty Seconds to Mars , and was recorded in rural Wyoming during 2001 and early 2002 . It had been in the works for a couple of years , with lead vocalist Jared Leto writing the majority of the songs .
30 Seconds to Mars was described as a concept album centering on human struggle and self @-@ determination , characterized by personal lyrics that use otherworldly elements and conceptual ideas to illustrate a truthful personal situation . The album incorporates progressive sounds with influences and elements from new wave , space rock , and electronica . Upon release , 30 Seconds to Mars received mostly positive reviews from music critics , who commended the album 's lyrical content and the band 's musicianship , which has been compared to the works of Pink Floyd , Tool , and Brian Eno .
The album debuted at number 107 on the Billboard 200 and number one on the US Top Heatseekers . It was a slow @-@ burning success that eventually sold two million copies worldwide . It produced two singles , " Capricorn ( A Brand New Name ) " and " Edge of the Earth " . Thirty Seconds to Mars promoted the album by opening concerts for bands such as Puddle of Mudd , Incubus , Sevendust , and Chevelle .
= = Background and recording = =
By 1998 , Thirty Seconds to Mars was performing gigs at small American venues and clubs . When they first started , lead vocalist Jared Leto did not allow his vocation as a Hollywood actor to be used in promotion of the band . They played their first concerts under different names , before finally settling on the name " Thirty Seconds to Mars " , which was taken from a rare manuscript titled Argus Apocraphex . During this period , the band recorded demo tracks such as " Valhalla " and " Revolution " , or " Jupiter " and " Hero " , which later appeared on the debut album as " Fallen " and " Year Zero " respectively , but also " Buddha for Mary " . Their work led to a number of record labels being interested in signing Thirty Seconds to Mars , which eventually signed to Immortal Records . In 1999 , Virgin Records entered into the contract .
The work of Thirty Seconds to Mars generated the interest of record producer Bob Ezrin , who had previously worked on several groundbreaking projects , including The Wall by Pink Floyd , Love It to Death by Alice Cooper , and Destroyer by Kiss . Thirty Seconds to Mars contacted Ezrin because they felt that he had the ability to help them achieve their own vision and create a distinct sound ; moreover , the band 's members grew up listing to his work with Pink Floyd , Kiss and Alice Cooper . Brian Virtue , who had previously worked with Jane 's Addiction , joined the band and Ezrin in producing the record .
Thirty Seconds to Mars retreated to the isolation of Wyoming 's countryside in 2001 to record the album , tentatively titled Welcome to the Universe . The band and Ezrin chose an empty warehouse lot on 15 @,@ 000 acres , starting an intense period of preproduction focused on fifty songs . The isolation allowed the band to work at a different pace . Jared Leto said that while recording in Wyoming , " there was an interesting dichotomy , a kind of contradiction with the technology and the organic world that we were surrounded [ ... ] It 's something that I think ended up in the music " . Ezrin helped the band to understand the importance of an album 's structure and how to create a progression , rather than a simple series of singles . " We really wanted to create something that had depth , " Leto explained . He described the process of working with Ezrin as tumultuous but also fulfilling , having its own dynamics . He also stated that Virtue was a key element in helping the band define their sound .
The track " Fallen " , originally titled " Jupiter " , was the first to be produced for the album . Thirty Seconds to Mars initially thought to exclude the track from the record since they were not satisfied with it , but then they decided to rework the song because there were people that had strong feelings about it . The track features programming by Danny Lohner and background vocals by Maynard James Keenan . Several musicians , including Elijah Blue Allman , Renn Hawkey , as well as producers Ezrin and Virtue , contributed on selected tracks .
= = Composition = =
= = = Style and influences = = =
The style of the album combined progressive metal and space rock with influences and elements from new wave and electronica , utilizing programming and synthesizers . According to Jared Leto , the band wanted to create " something that had cohesiveness and kind of an atmospheric musical story to it " . He identified groups that had a sense of identity and atmosphere as being influential on the album 's songwriting . He cited classic stoner rock artists , to which he and his brother Shannon had listened while growing up . Eventually , they gravitated toward more conceptual work like Pink Floyd , David Bowie and The Cure . Thirty Seconds to Mars also drew influences from acts such as Björk , Rush , and Depeche Mode ; according to Shannon Leto , the inspirations derived from " mostly big <unk> bands ; bands that had depth ; bands that were dynamic " .
The sound of 30 Seconds to Mars takes on many musical stylistic shifts . Elizabeth <unk> from Now magazine described it as a concoction of ' 80s electronics , industrial music and nu metal with a heavy dose of progressive rock . Jaan Uhelszki of Alternative Press felt that the album is made of " sterner stuff " , with the band 's prog @-@ metal foundation " enhanced by an unexpectedly powerful sense of melody " . Smiley Ben of BBC Collective noted in the album alternative rock tendencies . Ryan Rayhill from Blender found the album befitting prog @-@ rock prototypes Rush and opined that Thirty Seconds to Mars " emerged with an eponymous debut that sounds like Tool on The Dark Side of the Moon " , referring to the 1973 album by Pink Floyd .
= = = Lyrics and themes = = =
30 Seconds to Mars is a concept album focusing on human struggle and self @-@ determination . It deals with characters who battle with social alienation , emotional isolation , and political malaise . The title itself " 30 Seconds to Mars " indicates the accelerated human society and suggests a potential escapism from it . The album 's lyrics describe the personal human experience through the use of metaphors and moments of fantasy . Jared Leto regarded it as a " very personal album that sometimes uses otherworldly elements and conceptual ideas to illustrate a truthful personal situation " . He cited the human struggle as the most inspiring source for the band and explained that the record features " a definite desire for change , for renewal , for a new beginning and ultimately , for escape " . Author Karin <unk> commented that Leto , who wrote most of the lyrics , allows the listener to draw his or her own conclusions to the meanings of the songs . She noted that " this makes the music especially personal , as whatever images you conjure from the sound and words can be interpreted by your own inner language " .
Opening track " Capricorn ( A Brand New Name ) " deals with a desire for renewal . Leto , however , stated that he prefers to let the listener take its own understanding and meaning from the song , claiming that the interpretation , from individual to individual , is one of the most interesting aspects of music . The track " Fallen " faces the necessity to escape from the inner world that every person has created for itself . The lyrics of " Oblivion " , originally titled " The Reckoning " , lead into a frantic threat , in which " Unity divides / Division will unite " . Leto described this paradox as a rather common but unfortunate occurrence . A dramatic narration drives " Buddha for Mary " , whose story is not about a specific person and represents a metaphor . " End of the Beginning " features a foreboding tone and emphasizes the human nature in constant search for something . The album ends with the hidden track " The Struggle " , whose lyrics were taken from the ancient Chinese military treatise The Art of War , attributed to Sun Tzu .
The track " Revolution " , excluded from the final track listing , was considered by some critics as having an anti @-@ American tone . Leto rejected the claim and explained that it can be taken " many different ways " and if taken literally or politically , it could be misinterpreted . He said that the band " didn 't want a song like that to overshadow what we are about " and especially after the September 11 attacks , they felt it did not fit thematically with the rest of the album , stating that " it took on new dimensions " . The album features elements inspired by the science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert , which influenced the album 's songwriting for its themes regarding the interactions of politics , religion , technology , and human emotion .
= = Packaging = =
The photography for the album was handled by drummer Shannon Leto , with additional works provided by Ken <unk> . The cover art features a teenage boy and some of the band 's symbolism . It includes a phoenix logo , named " Mithra " by the band , that bears the motto " <unk> in <unk> " . Roughly translated from Latin , the phrase means " Launch forth into the deep " . The band chose a phoenix for its association with rebirth and renewal in the Greek mythology . The group expressed interest in signs and symbols and their relationships with cultures and subcultures . The album 's cover art was unveiled through the band 's official website on July 29 , 2002 . However , it was not conceived to be the original concept for the artwork . The initial cover art was discontinued and destroyed during production following the September 11 attacks due to the graphic content of the image . It featured a fighter pilot ejecting from an exploding plane . Thirty Seconds to Mars explained that they never saw it as a violent image , but felt that it was inappropriate in the wake of the events .
= = Release and promotion = =
30 Seconds to Mars was released on August 27 , 2002 on Immortal Records in the United States and September 30 on EMI in the United Kingdom . It was originally expected to be released in early 2002 . However , the band was behind schedule and the cover design needed a reshoot . The album 's compact disc featured enhanced material developed by Little Lion Studios , including a promotional video titled " Capricorn " directed by Lawton Outlaw and a behind the scenes footage edited by Ari Sandel . The Japanese edition of the album included the bonus track " Anarchy in Tokyo " . " Capricorn ( A Brand New Name ) " was the first single taken from 30 Seconds to Mars . It was issued a month before the album 's release on July 23 , 2002 . It had an accompanying music video directed by Paul Fedor . The British released of the single was pressed with the B @-@ side " Phase 1 : Fortification " . " Edge of the Earth " was released as the album 's second single on March 3 , 2003 , with a music video directed by Kevin McCullough .
After five years since its original release , 30 Seconds to Mars was made available in Australia on April 7 , 2007 on Virgin Records . EMI re @-@ issued a limited edition of the album in Japan on December 2 , 2009 . To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the album , Thirty Seconds to Mars hosted an event called <unk> on August 27 , 2012 . It was broadcast worldwide through the online platform VyRT and included live playback and commentary of the record with the band , interactive discussion focused on the formation of Thirty Seconds to Mars , and exclusive acoustic performances . The album was also re @-@ issued as a limited edition picture disc double @-@ vinyl LP .
= = = Touring = = =
The band promoted the album through a number of tours in North America . Even before its release , Puddle of Mudd invited Thirty Seconds to Mars to open a six @-@ week tour for them in the spring of 2002 . On January 30 , Thirty Seconds to Mars began a promotional tour in North America . The band played its first European concert on June 24 , 2002 , at The <unk> in London , England . In July 2002 , they began a club tour and also embarked on a North American tour supporting Incubus . In early October , they were invited by MTV to join the Campus Invasion Tour , playing ten dates in Canada alongside I Mother Earth , Billy Talent , and Pepper Sands . The band was also scheduled to open a spring tour for Adema but was forced to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts .
After playing a series of shows supporting Our Lady Peace , Thirty Seconds to Mars opened an autumn tour for Sevendust . The band 's first appearance on television was on Last Call with Carson Daly on November 18 , which aired on November 27 , 2002 . It was the last performance with guitarist Solon Bixler , which left the band due to issues primarily related to touring . The band later performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn , which marked the first live performance with guitarist Tomo Miličević . In 2003 , the band went on tour with Chevelle , Trust Company , and Shihad , and played thirteen shows for Lollapalooza .
= = Critical reception = =
30 Seconds to Mars earned mostly positive reviews upon release . However , at Metacritic , which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics , the album received an average score of 60 , based on 5 reviews . Jason Pettigrew from Alternative Press regarded it as " an ambitious , immense @-@ sounding work that 's at once rich in melody " and " lyrically jarring " . Ryan Rayhill from Blender noticed " throbbing synths " and " exploding guitars " , and called the album a " high @-@ minded space opera of epic scope " narrating " tales of living in deep , black oblivion " . Smiley Ben of BBC Collective described the overall sound as " certainly compelling " , and praised the sonic variety , writing that the band " knowingly push [ es ] boundaries " producing " great music with an edge " . AllMusic reviewer Jon O 'Brien called the record a " highly ambitious space @-@ themed concept album " , and commended its " heavy , riff @-@ laden " guitars , " soaring " vocals and sci @-@ fi lyrics .
Johan Wippsson from Melodic claimed that the band has " something new to add to the world " with their space @-@ influenced modern rock . Jeremy Gladstone of Kludge commented that the album reaches its peak with " Buddha for Mary " , which he called a " virtual sonic achievement " , but felt that the quality of the songs drops off at the halfway point , describing the entire project as " top @-@ heavy " . Canadian critic Karin <unk> found the group 's sound and vision reminiscent of their " concept @-@ styled forbears " but " uniquely owned " for a contemporary audience , and wrote that the band " defies the trend by stepping out ahead of it and into the future " , giving the listener something original to enjoy . Amber <unk> from Exclaim ! echoed this sentiment , stating that the band stretched musical borders and represented something that is " a little different " , offering a " solid sound " .
Mitch Joel from Blistering commended the band 's musical diversity , noting that they are " worth more than most of their peers on a song @-@ by @-@ song magnitude . " Elizabeth <unk> of Now magazine found the track @-@ to @-@ track variation limited , although she appreciated the range of styles . Peter Relic of Rolling Stone gave a mixed response , stating that the album has its finer moments but felt that it is undone by Jared Leto 's " baffling , pretentious poetry " and the " sanitized quality of the heavy guitars . Q magazine described it as having " a polished sheen " , but opined that the " earnest , sci @-@ fi @-@ tinged lyrics gets monotonous " over the course of the album . In contrast , Jason D. Taylor from AllMusic commented that the " space @-@ age themes compliment the group 's advanced musical achievements wonderfully " . Megan O 'Toole of The Gazette felt that every track on the album is a " unique masterpiece that simultaneously operates on a number of different musical and spiritual levels " , writing that its music has the potential to " affect and infect the deepest recesses " of the soul .
= = Impact = =
Jason D. Taylor of AllMusic considered the release of 30 Seconds to Mars a " daring new step in musical evolution " and noted that its impact left " vast corridors of sound open for the listener to meander down at will " . He commented that Thirty Seconds to Mars managed to record an album that " breathes life " into the " empty shell that corporate rock has become " , and felt that in " reanimating an avenue of musical expression that has for many years been on its deathbed " , the band possibly offered the best rock experience of 2002 . Kludge listed 30 Seconds to Mars as one of the best 100 albums of 2002 . Melodic included it on their list of top 50 albums of the year and regarded it as " one of the most unique album when it comes to an own style " . Music critic Megan O 'Toole felt Thirty Seconds to Mars managed to " carve out a unique niche for themselves in the rock realm " .
A writer of MuchMusic called the album a " work that is built to last " , noting that the band produced " something unique " with " depth and substance " . Artistdirect agreed and explained that 30 Seconds to Mars established the group as " fresh , new force " , revealing a " multi @-@ faceted outfit that thrived on creative exploration and escape " . Jon O 'Brien , writing for AllMusic , labelled the album one of the " more convincing actor @-@ turned @-@ rock star " efforts . In a retrospective review in 2012 , Ian Winwood from Kerrang ! deemed the record an " epic starting point " for the music that followed , and stated that it displayed Jared Leto 's " vast , cinematic writing style " . He considered its music " undoubtedly the most aggressive they 've created " and regarded lead single " Capricorn ( A Brand New Name ) " as the band 's " most muscular moment " .