Thirty Seconds To Mars discuss sex versus power in their Love Lust Faith + Dreams lyrics.

By now you've had a little over 24 hours to sit with Thirty Seconds To Mars' LOVE LUST FAITH + DREAMS album, a grandiose, thunderous, transcendental, at times hallucinogenic, nakedly vulnerable adrenaline-fueled romp through the deepest corners of human desire. The deepest corners that can be reached by aggressive synths, roaring choruses, and gut-wrenching catharses, the likes of which haven't resonated on an album so powerfully since, oh, I don't know, Bono stood atop the Republic Liquor Store on the corner of 7th and Main in downtown Los Angeles and belted out "Where The Streets Have No Name."

And speaking of vulnerably naked and reaching deep corners... (good transition, huh?) I had a frank discussion with Thirty Seconds To Mars about the new album and one of its four main tenants: lust. I didn't mean for it to turn into sex, but somehow it just did. We've all been there, right?

Watch Thirty Seconds To Mars discuss sexuality in LOVE LUST FAITH + DREAMS after the jump!

One of the album's most gripping lyrics -- "I wrap my hands around your neck so tight with love, love, love" -- comes from the album's first single, "Up In The Air," which felt like the natural continuation of "Hurricane," which was, of course, quite sexual.

See what Thirty Seconds To Mars had to say about embracing sexuality through a lyrical filter, and please, don't hate me because I got to sit in a hotel room and talk about sex with Thirty Seconds To Mars. Just doin' my job, folks!

Jared Leto: "There's an overtly sexual connotation to it, but it's also really about power. But I think it's interesting for us. We started this conversation with "Hurricane," which was a very sexual song, and that was really a reaction I was having. I had conversations with Shannon and Tomo about why aren't we covering that territory as a band as creative people? Why is sexuality often left to other forms of art or other people? So we dove in headfirst with "Hurricane," and that continued with "Up In The Air." I think it's a worthy thing to explore. Don't tell anybody, but we're all sexual people."

Tomo Milicevic:  Believe it or not.

JL: I'm not saying that's with ourselves or other people.

TM: But active nonetheless.

JL: Sometimes it's a combination of both. Simultaneously. So with "Up In The Air," sexuality is a worthy theme to explore, and certainly it's explored in this song. ... I'm curious to see what responses are out there. It certainly wasn't written with any intention to include a provocative line in the song. It really just revealed itself. It happened. It's fun to start a conversation. ... This song for us is really unique. It's a departure.

Watch Thirty Seconds To Mars discuss sexuality in LOVE LUST FAITH + DREAMS, order the album, and check out their O Music Award Fan Army FTW nomination!

Photo credit: Jared Leto