The Black Parade – My Chemical Romance

You get concept albums and then you get My Chemical Romance with their latest, The Black Parade. The album’s central theme is that of a dying cancer patient. It’s often dark lyrics and amazingly brilliant album cover complete with vultures and skeletal marching band will entice even the most cynical art student. Whilst some have compared them to that of Green Day’s “American Idiot” in their coming-of-age album, My Chemical Romance certainly has come of age. This album stands as their masterpiece and testament to that fact. Its songs are often edged with a sort of gloom yet sprinkled with some amazing guitar work and indeed a lead singer that has matured into what he does best. The first track “The End” brings all these ingredients forth, whilst “Welcome to the Black Parade” has some excellent lyrics and an amazing sound mixes incredible vocals with some awesome guitar work. Meanwhile “Teenagers” adds some more doom and gloom into the mix with an almost ignorance-is-bliss undertone. The funny thing is that the album is depressing. Its not slit-your-wrist music in any form or function. In fact one may go so far as to say that the album actually goes upbeat in certain sections and makes for some great listening. The serious subject of this album, cancer, also the title of the eighth track, gives a certain seriousness to the album, and one that helps identify the band with a subject that not many people are willing, or even comfortable, to speak about. Death too is taboo for most. Its almost refreshing to have a band that reiterates the fact that none of us are going to be getting out of this one alive.