Each week we’ll run out onto our website stages like roadies and review the latest Rock Band Downloadable Content. Since we were on holiday break last week, this batch of songs was originally released on 12/25 and is only now being reviewed. But now that we’re back in the swing of things, check back every Friday for analysis and opinions on each week’s newest tunes.

*NOTE: Each of the songs in this selection costs 80 Microsoft Points ($1). They are only sold separately and they’re surprisingly cheap! W00t.

“Attack” by 30 Seconds to Mars

WHAT ROCKS: Variety is the spice of life — and apparently Rock Band as well. With DLC offered up every single week, it’s inevitable that you’ll get a wide sampling of rock music from every subgenre known to man. And this week, the new flavor is guylinered screamo from the Jared Leto–fronted pretty-boy quartet. Both 30 Seconds tracks are probably the most divisive among Rock Band owners — you’re either a fan or you’re not.

If you’re already a devotee, you already know what to expect; otherwise, honestly, the best thing about “Attack” is that it gives you the chance to test out your scream-o-meter on vocals. If you’re ready to tap into your inner banshee, then for $1, you too can let loose the hounds. Is it fun? Well, let’s just say that it’s definitely “acquired” in the taste department. Prepare to soundproof those walls.

WHAT SUCKS: Guitar and bass. No hammer-ons or otherwise fun, tricky transitions. It’s all about punk-strumm-y power-chords, without the silly attitude or the catchy beats. In fact, the guitar part in “Attack” is easily the most uninteresting out of all of the current tracks in the entire game. Drums are pretty straightforward — this track is all about your singer wanting to wail and emote loudly. If they do, then it’s your party — you can cry if you want to.

FINAL VERDICT: You won’t lose much for $1, but even if you’re a fan — this is undoubtedly the weaker of the two 30STM ditties as a complete Rock Band game experience. If you absolutely must have your fix, we’d recommened “The Kill” — it's slightly stronger and more interesting.

“The Kill” by 30 Seconds to Mars

WHAT ROCKS: Very little actually ROCKS about this track, but if you compare it to 30 Seconds’ other Rock Band DLC offering, it’s at least much more interesting from an instrument standpoint. Playing through it on Expert guitar gave us some serious challenge with finger-stretching variations of the green button–to–orange button variety — it was tough in a good way. In a great way? Ehhhh, maybe not that much.

WHAT SUCKS: Sadly, all the other instruments — including vocals — are so similar in structure and melody to “Attack” that you’re not really getting much in the way of “Wow, this is such a varied and versatile selection of songs from this band!” Want to scream over and over? You got it. Want some weirdly syncopated bass lines? Bam. Want to moodily tap on the drums? Bingo.

FINAL VERDICT: If you’re dead-set on buying a 30 Seconds to Mars track, then “The Kill” is definitely the stronger of the two — but weirdly for both of them, they don’t really offer up much in the way of a really awesome complete band experience. They’re both surprisingly weak in that department.

“Dirty Little Secret” by All-American Rejects

WHAT ROCKS: Straightforward corporate power-pop that chugs along at a good pace that’s neither boring nor incredibly awesome. With that said, though, the steady clip of the song remains fairly fun — if not super-challenging — throughout. With pretty much all of the tracks from this DLC batch landing in the “just shy of 'Warm-up' songs” challenge category, don’t expect any of the instruments to blow your mind, but “Dirty Little Secret” is so inoffensive in its almost generic-ness that you can blast through it as a band…and have some fun in the process.

WHAT SUCKS: Probably one of the least “rockin'” rock songs in the playlist, this one skews way on the "poppiest pop that ever popped" side of things. If that’s not your bag, then don’t hit the Purchase button. This one will bludgeon you with its mind-bogglingly upbeat peppy perk. And on a side note — vocals are dead easy on this one. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, right?

FINAL VERDICT: Completely inoffensive and a nice change from some of the more brooding tracks in this week’s batch of downloads. But ultimately, it’s your dollar bill, and if you’re allergic to radio-friendly O.C.-styled power pop, then avoid this one like the bottle-blonde, sun-kissed plague.

“Move Along” by All-American Rejects

WHAT ROCKS: You’ve heard it on the radio a bajillion times. You’ve seen the photogenic band on MTV another zillion times. But bet you didn’t think this would be the most challenging of this particular week’s quintet of downloadable songs, huh? You’ll find this one under the “Solid” category of tunes in Rock Band, and testing it out on Expert guitar proved it to be worthy of the mantle. Drums were challenging with some nice shifty transitions that kept us on our toes.

WHAT SUCKS: Yes, it’s more challenging than the other AAR track for sale on Live, but it still retains its weird pop-tastic edge. We don’t mind you getting your pop all in our rock or anything, but plenty of Rock Band junkies might not have room in their Lynyrd Skynyrd–loving hearts for Urban Outfitters refugee-style faux indie pop. We can’t entirely disagree, but “Move Along” is somewhat catchy and fairly challenging on everything but vocals (which are hum-worthy, but flatline at the chorus). 

FINAL VERDICT: If you’re looking for a medium-level challenge and need a nice mental shift away from the sooper-dooper serious classic rawk of most of Rock Band’s main tracks, this is an acceptable diversion devoid of any pretension — pretty, inconsequential fun for the entire band. It’s like eye candy, but in musical form, really.

“Song With A Mission” as made famous by The Sounds

WHAT ROCKS: Out of all the selections from this DLC batch, “Song With A Mission” is probably the most in-tune with the quirkier, brattier garage-rock songs that came packed in with Rock Band (see The Hives, Jet). The goofy, lyrically disposable female vocals and the start-stop style of the music keep the energy high and silly throughout while offering just the right amount of challenge on guitar and bass (on higher difficulties, of course).

WHAT SUCKS: We all know that bratty garage rock isn’t necessarily on the higher end of the spectrum of rock virtuosity — so, this one is all about attitude and repetition. Especially when it comes to the near-monotone vocals. But if you go into it knowing that for what it may lack in mind-blowing technical challenge you’ll have to make up for in snottiness, strut, and cowbell, then its by-the-numbers approach shouldn’t bother you so much.

FINAL VERDICT: For $1, this ain’t such a bad bargain, and it’s nice to hear a decent cover of the song. But if you’re still straddling the buy-or-don’t-buy fence, it’s really more about whether you dig The Sounds and this song. If you don't, there’s nothing particularly awesome or outstanding about the RB-specific production of the tune. It’s a solid choice, but nothing super-extraordinary.