Album Reviews.

I was browsing through my computer today when I decided I want to bring back my song review section, but for the moment I have a better idea. I’m going to make an album review section. With that being said I am going to give the first of what I hope is a long segment. Let me know of any albums you want reviewed!

Artist: My Chemical Romance

Album: The Black Parade

I first heard of this band when I was in 8th grade, which was like 4 years ago. I liked them at the time but then I have this bad habit of not liking a band the more successful they get. So I started to get kind of tired of there dark punk sound. Then "The Black Parade" came out and I bought it. I so badly wanted to hate it I really did. Instead I found one of the best albums I ever heard. It is an album following the death of a man.

The album opens with a decent track entitled "The End". By the end of the song you notice this is a different band from the past 3 albums. Ray Toro and Frank Iero’s guitars are spot on. However, it doesn’t take a genius to realize Gerard Way does not have the best voice in the world. They cover it up well on this album. The album blends nicely with the next track, which is one of my favorites.

Dead! That is the name of the next song, and it sounds punky off the bat and then it hits you with a wicked intro-guitar-solo by Ray Toro. The bands new drummer is a pretty good addition as you will notice in this song. The verses are pretty good as is the chorus. After awhile it gets a little repetitive. The trumpets mid-song kind of annoy me but the following solo is great. The outro is one of my favorite parts, closing the song with a powerful line (If life aint just a joke then why am I dead?).

The next song is This Is How I Disappear. The guitars save this from being one of the worst tracks on the album. The verses and chorus are both kind of dull. The bridge is amazing. From the vocal part to the raw guitar that can be heard after. After another chorus you go to the next song.

The Sharpest Lives is one of my favorite songs on the album. It echoes "To the End" off of the previous album. The verses of this song are really good. The pre-verse makes me laugh with what sounds like a deliberate "Blow Me". The second verse is my favorite part, lyrically and musically.

Next comes Welcome to the Black Parade. It starts off with piano and vocals, its okay, just a little boring. Then it kicks up and reprises the lyrics but heavier, the great thing about this song and album is just how grandiose it is at times. This song has heavy Queen influences. The guitars and drums in this song are spot on. When the song kicks up into the second part it has that familiar pop-punk sound, but with good guitar carrying it there. Lyrically this is a strong song, and Gerard Way’s vocals come off rather wall. The first chorus is alright. Then it goes to the second verse, which is a great verse. (So paint it black and take it back) I personally like the second chorus more than the first because of the change in a line. That line being "And though your broken and defeated, your weary widow marches on." Then it gets to a great part of the song. The bridge with great guitar and vocals. Then the anthematic yell of "I Don’t Care!" After that is the chorus again and it closes out with the bridge lyrics. It makes up for the god awful follow up track.

I Don’t Love You is the name of it, more like I don’t love this song. Its bad. This is why Gerard Way needs to be paired with heavy instruments. His annunciation is very annoying in this song. The only good part is the last line of the chorus. "I don’t love you, like I did yesterday."

The next song is great, House of Wolves. It’s a rock song that sounds like a swing song. The intro is great and so is the singing. The chorus is a little dull. The bridge of this song is amazing. It has a powerful fast song that gets your heart racing. However, like Welcome to the Black Parade, it has a weak follow up song.

Cancer is a mediocre slow song that I believe was included for 2 reasons, it is important to the story line and it is a break between the intense songs surrounding it. That’s all I have to say about that.

The best track on this album is next. It proves that this band takes risks. Mama is an amazing song. It makes me think of Fiddler on the Roof. It starts off with despair (Mama, we all go to hell). The second part of the verse picks it up a bit. The chorus is a little weak but its perfectly fine. The second part of the second verse is AWESOME. You just have to hear it for yourself. After the chorus is a great revision of the first verse. After that is a big powerful breakdown. It is similar to This Is How I Disappear. After that is Liza Minnelli lending her vocal talents followed by a great closer to a great song. (Raise your glass high / For Tomorrow we die)

A good track is next. Sleep. It starts off with a cool recording accompanied with piano which picks up nicely. This is one of Way’s best songs vocally. My favorite part of this song is the ending how it picks up yet puts you at ease.

Next is the arena rock song "Teenagers." It’s a pretty good track. It’s catchy and repetitive with some decent lyrics. Vocals on this are great as are instruments. Kinda reminds me of an Oasis song called Cigarettes & Alchohol. I love when he yells "All Together Now!"

I pretty okay track is next. Disenchanted. It starts off with acoustic guitar and vocals and its best part is when it picks up and the first couple lyrics. (It was the roar of the crowd that gave me heartache to sing / it was a lie when they smiled and said you won’t feel a thing.) I do like this song but not a lot happens in it.

Famous Last Words is a powerful song. Its gets you angry and hopeful. The guitar is amazing in this song. The chorus of this song is defiantly the main focus point.

The album closer is a hidden track entitled Blood. Its funny and entertaining.



There you have it. Despite very very very minor flaws, it is one of the best albums I have ever heard and is defiantly a must own. I listen to this album a lot and it is just amazing. This band is gonna be around for awhile

Album Highs :
Dead!
The Sharpest Lives
Welcome To The Black Parade
House of Wolves
Mama
Famous Last Words

Album Lows:
I Don’t Love You
Cancer