The Black Parade - A Story of Death and Redemption
on
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
Released October 20th, 2006
Bob Bryar, Frank Iero, Ray Toro, Gerard Way, Mikey Way
Genre: Emo Punk / Pop punk
Intro
My favorite album of all time. Yup. I said it. Now I know, "My Chem? You constantly praise this band yet it took this long to review one of their works?" To that I say I like doing reviews of things I have never heard. This album is just too good to skip. Enough bullshit lets get right into the review. Yes I'm using the alternate artwork, I not only think it looks better but it better helps to tell this album's incredible story.
Thoughts & Feelings
I love this album, as you can tell. This album makes me feel like I'm an audience member to the most fucked up play of all time. Which for a rock opera about dying of cancer is perfect. Speaking of the story, this album is told OUT OF ORDER. And because of that, I will be using the "Story Order" created by Wendigoon for the track listing of this review, as well as telling the story through each song. His video on the topic will be linked at the end instead of a music video. Sit back and get comfy, this is gonna be a long one.
I have also linked a Spotify playlist with this order of the album at the end.
Smash or Pass?
For the first time in site history, each song will get 2 reviews. One for its contribution to the story, and one for its quality as a song. Story in Pink, Song in Blue.
The End- SSMMAASSHH. This song is a very formal introduction to this story, even starts with "Come one come all". In the story this introduces our main character, we will just call him the Patient to make life easy, and his conflict. He is on his death bed and its our problem now. SMASH. This song start off as a slow acoustic jam using a heart rate monitor as a metronome. Then it explodes into an angry rant with punk instrumentals. Great start
Dead!- SSSMMMAAAASSSSHHHH. Someone cuts off our patient and their complaining to start this song, literally mid chorus. This someone is the patients guide into death, we will call him the Parader. We will get to why later. But this parader doesn't give two fucks about our patient or his problems, going so far as to say they deserves what their getting, and even mocking them as already dead. The parader even goes as far as singing "If life ain't just a joke, then why are we laughing?". This song gives us our antagonist. SSSSMMMMMMAAAAASSSSSSHHHH. PUNK ROCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK. This is a fast, angry pop punk song and I love it. The vibes of this song are both pure rage and joy. This song conveys this feeling of "Fuck it I'm dead anyways why not". This was one of Shark's favorites and one of mine as well. Man these lyrics are fucked when you know the story.
Teenagers- SMASH. This song doesn't do too much for our story. It shows us the nature of our main character, the patient, before they were destined to death in a hospital bed. And god do I hate this motherfucker. This song has a few interpretations and this is one of the ones I disagreed with Wendigoon on. To me, this song is a school shooting. I know. That's beyond fucked for how upbeat and catchy this song is but you have to read the lyrics. "They could care less as long as someone'll bleed", "What you've got under your shirt Will make them pay for the things that they did", even the chorus "So darken your clothes, or strike a violent pose" paints the picture of a school shooter dressed in dark clothes in an attempt to appear more threatening. If this is true, then our patient deserves EVERYTHING they get over the course of this album. Fuck this guy.
SSSSSSMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAASSSSSSHHHHHHH. Ok the meaning of the song is FUCKED, but the song is just too damn good to pass up. Everyone knows this song and for good reason, this is great pop punk. The instrumental is great, the vocals are great, its just a catchy fun song, about terrorism. I can't shit on it too much though, this was my number 4 song on wrapped this year.
The Sharpest Lives- SMASH. Again this one isn't a big story song as much as it is showing how the parader acts. This whole song is the parader complaining about how stupid and dangerous the patient spent their life, cough couch school shooting cough cough, and how little sympathy they have for the patient. The more this album goes the more you hate both of these characters. The patient is just fucked. They are potentially a school shooter now dying alone in a hospital bed. And the parader is just a cruel chariot of death who doesn't give a fuck about the patient and even feels like their are a burden to them self and others. SSSSMMMMAAAASSSSSHHHH. This song is great. Another great pop punk track. The vocals are good but the lyrics are very 2000s emo. Still a great song never the less.
Blood- Smash. This song is the bonus track. Its just the patients experience in the hospital. Nothing else. It does show that patient does see himself as a bad guy though. Smash. God this song is weird. Its just a fun little song about being in a hospital. Piano instrumental and weird vocal effects.
Cancer- SSSSSMMMMAAAAASSSSHHHHHHHH. This is the first time I feel anything but hatred for the patient. This is a kid, dying of something they cant control, and left to just wallow in their mistakes until and inevitable death. This is how you make someone feel sympathy for a monster. This song is The patient realizing their situation and feeling nothing but pure self pity. Even they know that nobody deserves this, not even someone as horrible as them self. Fuck cancer. Smash. This song is so fucking sad. I cant listen to this song outside of this album just because of how this song feels. The instrumentals are incredible but there is this weird digitalization of the vocals.
House of Wolves- SMASH. HA GET FUCKED LOSER. DIDN'T ASK DON'T CARE TAKE THAT L. This song is the parader saying that to the patient. Not verbatim but pretty damn close. The patient has this long and drawn out cry for help in the last song and the parader could give 2 shits. This song is basically the parader prepping our patient for their judgement at the gates of hell. It is also important to not here, the parader can hear the patient, but the patient can NOT hear the parader. SSSSSSSSMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSHHHH. THIS SONG SLAPS. FAST, LOUD, AND ANGRY. THIS is what punk is. This sounds almost like an INK song with the metallic instruments but the vocals are so unique and recognizable. How did people hate this band for so long?
I Don't Love You-SSMMAASSHH. Another song that makes you feel sympathetic for our monster of a patient, because now on top of dying of cancer, they are alone. This song is just the patient realizing what they have done, and unleashing pure HATRED onto whoever this lover was. Going as far as even saying "I don't love you, like I did, yesterday." Whoever this lover was, they hurt this patient beyond belief. In fact, this song has an effect on someone else in this story. SMASH. The instrumental is great, the vocals are great, the angst is great. This is peak 2000s emo. Not much else to say, listen to the song.
This Is How I Disappear- SSMMAASSHH. The parader is showing cracks. The patients situation is beginning to take a toll on the parader and their unbreaking rage. This song is the parader being just furious at the world for letting this happen to someone, even a monster as bad as our patient. This parader did something HORRIBLE in their life, and now they want to disappear. What ever the parader did was so bad that they feel the need to specify "I'm just a ghost. So, I can't hurt you anymore." Something is changing in the mind of the parader. SSSSSSSSMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSHHHH. THIS IS PUNK METAL. SCREAMING, ANGER, NOISE. THIS IS INCREDIBLE. ONE OF THE BEST PUNK METAL SONGS EVER WRITTEN.
Disenchanted- SMASH. This is our patient realizing what they did and where they are now. This patient, this Child, as fucked up and evil as they are, is now alone and dying, and can't help but blame them self. This song also further proves my theory about the patient being a school shooter as it talks about running from cops, being bullied, and even questioning someone about where they ran and hid and the price this person paid. The patient is evil but has realized their mistakes and is now regretting everything they have done. This child just wants a second chance. SSSMMMAAASSSHHH. This is an emo song. Slow, sad, and just emotional to listen to. I don't have much to say about this one. Its just perfect like everything else on this album.
Mama-SSSSSSMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH. The parader is broken. And now we know exactly what made them into what they are. This man was a World War One veteran killed on the front lines. All he knows now are seas of lifeless men who died for something they might not believe in. Its easy to see why the parader hates the world and feels no sympathy, he was killed by a lack of it. The parader has killed people. Thats what he was talking about in How I Disappear. Hes just as much of a monster as the patient, just he never got a chance to rethink and make amends. This man is just as broken, and he knows how this ends. "Mama, We all go to hell". And to all his fallen comrades, "We all carry on". SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH. GAH THIS IS THE BEST FUCKING SONG ON THE ALBUM. The music is a mix of pop punk and vintage WW1 sounding war tunes. This song has an almost industrial feel to it, and the use of air raid sirens during the guitar solo is so unique and cool. The vocals are amazing and the screams of sheer pain are so emotional its amazing. This is easily the gold medal. Bravo Gerard, Bravo.
Sleep- SSSSSMMMMAAAAASSSSHHHHHHHH. The patient has accepted their fate. They want to die. Its their time. But no. Something is there to keep them alive. Something is screaming at them to stay alive. Something is screaming at them to Wake Up. SSSSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSHHHHHH. This song has a weird opening then comes out flying. Its sad, emotional, and almost scared feeling. The screams of "Wake Up" At the end genuinely caught me off guard on first listen, which is exactly what they are supposed to do.
Famous Last Words- SSSSSMMMMAAAAASSSSHHHHHHHH. The patient heard the parader's screams. They have woken up and now their pissed. Why cant the parader just let them die already? The patient will argue every point the parader has to keep going. The patient just wants to give up, but the parader will not let this child make the same mistakes they did. But in the end, nothing the parader said could make the patient give up on their final goal. Death. "Nothing you can say can stop me going home".
SSSSSSSSMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSHHHH. This song is amazing. Its heavy, its catchy, its not overly emotional. Gerard's ability to play 2 characters with one voice by changing tones and topic is incredible. But. We all know the next one.
Welcome to the Black Parade-
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Hes dead. Hes gone. What now? How about they throw him a parade? Them. The armies of Hell lead by the parader. A fallen soldier giving one last military salute to a now fallen comrade. Just like his brothers on the battle field, we'll carry on. This song also tells us why the patient views the guide to death as a parader, his most fond memory was a marching band with his dad when he was young. This song tells the story of a boy's journey to acceptance with his actions, and how he will always leave a legacy more positive than he believes.
SSSSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSHHHHHH. This song is simply incredible. Just listen to it. You know it. I promise you do. That opening note and you will now exactly what song this is.
FIN.
Conclusion
Its over. The single greatest album of all time. This story is incredible and the ability to tell the story of 2 very different characters through one voice is simply amazing. Gerard way out did themselves here. And yes, the color choice of the review is intentional. True MCR fans know why.
Gerard Way, the lead singer and songwriter, is famous for being Genderfluid. If you don't know what the means basically they are rarely the same gender for extended periods of time. This is often reflected in MCR's work, especially on this album where the gender of the main character is only revealed at the end and the antagonist is only implied to be male due to their past as a soldier. I used this color scheme to help push the fact that this story is not told about a boy dying horribly, its about someone who may not fully understand them self, and even was bullied to the point of Teenagers happening (no comment on the political implications of that this album is 17 years old) and how this character may not have had full closure on that part of them self at the time of their death. Gerard is really good and putting these hidden meanings in their work, from MCR to the Umbrella Academy there is always some kind of queer rights undertone.
Now for the less political conclusion. This album is a masterpiece and I feel that it should never be over looked because of "ew emo band from 2000s" stereotypes surrounding MCR. This is one of the most influential pieces of media ever released. This helped popularize emo as a genre and along with American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, helped to popularize the use of Rock albums to tell a story.
RANK: S+
Thanks for reading. As promised I have linked the story order of the album in a playlist and Wendigoon's video about the story and impact of it on him. Any and all feedback is welcome and appreciated. I know this review was long, but I could talk for hours about this album.
Comments
Post a Comment