The third album from the pop-punk group My Chemical Romance, The Black Parade, marks an ambitious progression for the band as they experiment with old-school pop and transcend the idea of mere ""punk."" This New Jersey group surpasses 2004's Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge with a new, edgier, theatrical sound. MCR have shown a mature side that was not as apparent in their last three albums. Fans and new listeners of MCR will not be disappointed with the variety of incredible songs.
Barely any tracks are worth skipping on this album. ""Welcome to the Black Parade"" discusses the movement into death and the beyond in an inspirational fashion. Lyrics like ""do you fight it to the end / we hear the call to carry on / we'll carry on / though you're dead and gone believe me / your memory will carry on"" motivate and leave the listener feeling resolved. The chanting sound of the chorus proves to be unforgettable and monumental.
A delightfully mellow sound is created in the track ""Teenagers,"" displaying the capable sound ranges of MCR. The lyrics express the teenage battle with school, cliques and the inability to not truly express one's self. Even more powerful lyrics present themselves in the track ""Mama"" with a blend of lyrics about Iraq and a polka sound showing MCR's humorous side. Liza Minnelli is featured as a guest vocal in this satire about the Iraq War, only adding to the greatness.
The first track ""The End"" ironically involves an extremely long intro; however, the entire feel for the album is expressed with their style switching from mainly vocals to all-out rock. MCR maintain their ever-influential lyrics, but also focus on an instrument-heavy rock background.
The only upsetting track of this album is ""This is How I Disappear."" The lyrics and sound are not even close to memorable, and the track feels more like a filler than any sort of statement. The lead vocalist, Gerard Way, sounds whiney and produces an unpleasant voice to listen to. Luckily, this track is the only failure of the entire album.
The song titles like ""Dead,"" ""Cancer,"" ""Disenchanted"" and ""I Don't Love You"" are depressing, and might not sound desirable to listen to; however, MCR only inspires and turns gloominess into hope and comfort. It is refreshing to hear a new twist on grief and shows the amount of life and personality that was put into this album by the band members.
Produced by Rob Cavallo, who also produced Green Day's American Idiot, this album surpasses MCR's past albums and moves them into the future of a new mixed sound. This album is inspirational to all types of audiences and worth buying; no one will go home unhappy.
