Album: My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade

Throw out your stereotype guidebooks; My Chemical Romance are back and like nothing you’ve ever seen before. For their new album The Black Parade, they’ve dropped the make up, the bullet proof vest and ties and adopted matching black uniforms. Lead singer Gerard Way has even changed his hair to a short blonde style! Not only has the physical image changed, the whole musical perspective of the New Jersey band has altered. There will always be the odd musically-uneducated onlooker claiming MCR as ‘emo’, but they’re nothing of the sort. Comparisons were drawn to the likes of the Smashing Pumpkins, Queen and Green Day before the album had even hit the shelves, so the barrier was set high.

The release of the first single Welcome to the Black Parade did much to raise that barrier even higher. The development of MCR is immediate right from the off; a piano intro followed by the soft vocal entrance of Gerard. This is followed by a more raucous guitar and drum backing and you’re into the 5 minute mini epic. The concept album follows the story of the patient, the un-named central focus, who dies young. WTTBP expresses an early and happier memory of when he was a child and his father took him to see a marching band.

The album starts with the track ironically named The End. Short and sweet, it leads nicely into the song Dead!, a foot-stamping, fast paced song incorporating the use of new instruments and even a poppy vocal solo at the end, detailing the death of the patient. The song The Sharpest Lives can be compared to the devilish song from MCR’s previous studio album [Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, 2004] To the End, starting gently but inevitably gradually building up to an explosive chorus. A more reflective part of the album is the song Cancer. Pulling at the emotions with dreamy vocals, heart-rending lyrics and a piano/string backing, Gerard creates a solemn aspect sandwiched between more aggressive songs House of Wolves and Mama (the latter featuring guest vocals from legendary singer and actress Liza Minelli).

Another song full of emotion is Sleep. From the pre-recorded voiceovers at the start, Gerard’s familiar screams and the beautiful blend of guitar and piano instrumentals, this is another song that can pinpoint the entire album. Following this is the punk influenced Teenagers. The chorus is quick to pick up and lyrically defined with the line “Teenagers scare the living shit out of me”. A good sing along! The penultimate song is Disenchanted, a song first identified during MCR’s latter 2005 tours, spreading round the internet for fans to digest. It was received well then, and has since undergone a makeover and come out an even better song. The fitting end to the album is Famous Last Words, a more familiar MCR style. The vocals throughout are wonderfully performed by Gerard, particularly following a Ray Toro guitar solo where the instruments kick out, and the ending of the song with overlapping chorus and verse. There’s even time for a bit of comic relief with the bonus song Blood. Piano based and old fashioned, this gives the album a cheeky end. Gerard even expresses “The doctors and the nurses they adore me so, But it's really quite alarming cause I'm such an awful fuck”. Poor guy.

Verdict: This is not Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. This is not American Idiot. This isn’t even My Chemical Romance. This is the alter ego, and the future of rock, The Black Parade. Throwing in all the high profile influences and MCR’s previous albums, it combines to make one of the most unique albums in modern rock, and could prove to be timeless. Welcome to the Black Parade. 9/10 Liam

I can’t believe it. After being brainwashed by the radio, which plays Welcome to the Black Parade at least once every hour, I actually got myself the new MCR album. And I don’t even like them. Or didn’t, I guess. They still sound like themselves, but I really like most of this album. I don’t love you and Disenchanted are my favourites. A lot of people will probably hate me for this, but I find Cancer absolutely horrible. Gerard Way’s voice just isn’t that sensitive. Let him scream or shout, but sad songs with stretched notes aren’t his thing. And are we telling something about the hidden track? I laughed my ass off! 7.5/10 Annika

It's finally here, The Black Parade! For weeks people were speculating what The Black Parade would be. The new album? The first single? It was actually both! And a complete new image for My Chemical Romance. People that like the band's first album will need some time getting used to this third release. It's less punk, more bombastic anthems. Think MCR with a Queen-like edge. They definitely stayed close to their core, but managed to create a new niche in the screamo genre. Again it's full of great uptempo tracks, my favourites being Dead! - which is the most 3 Cheers-like track on the album - , Teenagers, Famous Last Words and Blood. Somehow I always skip The Sharpest Lives. I don't like the bridge and the chorus. And then there's Cancer... Like Annika said, I'm sure most of you will disagree, but this is The Bullet, and honesty is our policy. So when I think it's crap, I will definitely say so. The piano is nice, so are the lyrics, but Gerard's way of singing doesn't fit it at all. I do like the backing vocals, I must admit. I didn't like this song when they played it live in Amsterdam either, which was the first time I heard it. The artwork is amazing, especially that of the special edition, which is definitely worth the money! 8.5/10 Imre

Jersey punk-rockers, My Chemical Romance, are finally back with their new album, The Black Parade. Dedicated fans like myself have been waiting since late last year for this album, and we have not been disappointed. The boys have raised the bar on so many levels. Gerard's vocals are so much more polished, Ray has really let loose with his guitar work, and the style; which they have classed as a mix between Pink Floyd's The Wall, Queen's Night at the Opera and The Beatles Sargeant Peppers; is so theatrical and overwhelming on many of the songs. Without a doubt my favourite is House of Wolves - the lyrics, vocals, guitar work and overall style really captured me 100%. I thought after 3 Cheers for Sweet Revenge [2004], one of my favourite albums of all time, MCR would really have to step up their act, and I'm so pleased to say that they did. Unfortunately their title track, Welcome to the Black Parade, is my least favourite. I don't exactly know what its missing, or whether its the fact that it has been totally overplayed here in Australia, but it just doesn't grab me like the rest of the album. Overall, I give The Black Parade a 9/10. Katey

Compared to the first two albums from My Chemical Romance, this album has fully caught me. To me, this is their masterpiece that defines them more so then Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge or Bullets. The influences of bands like Pink Floyd and Queen are apparent now and then. They add to the flavor MCR has already provided. The album is darker yet still holds empowerment to the listeners. The changes MCR are showing in The Black Parade may have turned away older fans, who crave the 'fuck you' factor of the older albums, but TBP has pulled me closer to my already favorite band. It’s hard to choose one favorite song, but I have to say Disenchanted is my number one song from the album. It makes me feel emotional and I find myself singing it in my head all the time. Right next to it is The Sharpest Lives as well as Famous Last Words. Sleep and Welcome to the Black Parade are just as amazing. I highly recommend this to everyone who loves MCR and even to those who were iffy about them before. 10/10 Jess