My Chemical Romance have given a tremendous gift to today's teenagers who live too many of their days in the shadow of the specter of death whether inspired by news of the war in Iraq, guns and guards in their schools, terminal disease, or tragic accidents that take the lives of their friends. The band cover all the bases with powerful music and imagery that is ultimately supportive, heroic, and loving.
The Black Parade of Death
Death is not a new topic of consideration for a rock band. However, too often death is used primarily for shock value. My Chemical Romance choose instead to dissect and explore death on The Black Parade in a way that illuminates dark corners, confronts fear head on, and drops multiple messages that add to hope and respect for the heart of the individual. The way is littered with sarcasm, pain, and riff after searing riff of guitar rock bound together in a loose narrative of a dying hospital patient. My Chemical Romance have left the post-hardcore emo ghetto behind and with The Black Parade establish themselves as hard rock contenders.
Far-Ranging Topics of Consideration
On The Black Parade My Chemical Romance demonstrate that death is a broad topic that can be explored productively from a wide range of angles. The quiet tones of "Cancer" discuss the emotional and psychological pain of terminal illness. "Teenagers" confronts directly the fear and dehumanization that stalks the halls of dangerous schools, and "Mama," laced with bitter music hall whimsy and a guest appearance from Liza Minnelli, explores a waking death brought about by participation in war. My Chemical Romance's hyper-melodic, amphetamine-laced rock gives the words a cutting urgency they would not possess on their own.
Top Tracks on 'The Black Parade'
- This Is How I Disappear
- Welcome to the Black Parade
- I Don't Love You
- House of Wolves
- Mama
The Black Parade Is an Entertainment as Well
With all of the thematic intensity, it would be easy to imagine that The Black Parade has been drained of all entertaining elements. That would be far from the truth. "Welcome to the Black Parade," the first single from the project, instantly catches the attention of pop-rock fans with the epic sweep of its grand Queen meets Green Day construction. The melodic power ballad "I Don't Love You" could easily find a place on an album like Meat Loaf's classic Bat Out of Hell. "Mama" is theatrical rock that will bring back memories of Pink Floyd's The Wall. At its heart, The Black Parade takes the word parade seriously. It is a show designed to entertain while demanding that you think.
