My favorite band is hands down, My Chemical Romance. There is so much raw talent and lyrical genius that goes into this band. It may not seem appealing to those who do not listen to this genre. However, I ask that you go into this with an open mind and maybe you can broaden your music taste. So, I will be talking about their best album, the best songs on that album, and songs I would recommend. 

Background:

My Chemical Romance is a 4 member band with Gerard Way (Lead Singer), Ray Toro (Lead Guitarist), Frank Iero, (Rhythm Guitarist) and Mikey Way (Bassist). They have had multiple drummers throughout their time as a band. They started in 2001 and released their first album, “I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love” in 2002. 

The Best Album:

The best My Chemical Romance album, in my opinion, is “The Black Parade.” I love their other albums, but “The Black Parade” is such a well put together album. It follows the story of a cancer patient as he is nearing the end of his life. The story is so good and it has a lot of appeal even to those who do not typically listen to this genre.

(Album cover created by James Jean)

The Black Parade Review: 

Song	Rating	Why
The End	7.5/10 stars	Favorite Part: 0:34-0:55 The song is very good, but it is pretty short. It is a good beginning song for the album because it introduces the story a bit. It is also theatrical which I love.
Dead!	8/10 stars	Favorite Part: 2:02-2:25 A good song that is even better played right after “The End.” It’s more chaotic but it introduces another element into the album.
This is How I Disappear	9/10 stars	Favorite Part: 2:40-3:22 Soooo good. A song that represents MCR’s style. It has a part where it gets more chaotic and I absolutely love it. The whole song is just great.
The Sharpest Lives	8/10 stars	Favorite Part: 2:03-2:55 This song is very good, but there are some words that sound odd when you listen to it. Not my favorite on the album, but it is definitely not a bad song.
Welcome to the Black Parade	10/10 stars	Favorite Part: 1:16-1:40 Iconic. Even if you don’t know MCR, chances are, you’ve heard of this one. It’s so good and I am personally a fan of songs that are longer.
I Don’t Love You	9/10 stars	Favorite Part: 2:31-3:04 A hidden gem. The song is sooo good and there is a really nice music video. Definitely a good first song to listen to because it is not as intense as other songs, but still has elements of the other songs.
House of Wolves	7.5/10 stars	Favorite Part: 1:53-2:11 Not my favorite. Do not get me wrong, it is not bad. However, when compared to the other songs it just doesn’t have anything that really stands out to me.
Cancer	9.5/10 stars	Favorite Part: 1:33-2:15 Amazing, just sad. I mean the title tells you what it is about. It is definitely a sad song, but it is soooo good. Another good song to listen to if you do not care for songs with louder/more chaotic vibes.
Mama	10/10 stars	Favorite Part: 3:00-3:27 LOVE! This one is definitely an odd one. It has a lot of elements to it that can maybe have people turning heads. But, it is amazing.
Sleep	10/10 stars	Favorite Part: 3:11-4:28 Hands down, my favorite on the album. Just everything about it is truly awesome. I love this song so much. The background vocals, the music, the story. Perfect!
Teenagers	9/10 stars	Favorite Part: 1:59-2:18 Good song, just a little commercial. Another song that people have most likely listened to before without knowing MCR. It’s another iconic one on the album. Still love it, but like I said, it is a little commercial.
Disenchanted	9.5/10 stars	Favorite Part: The whole song Awesome. Similar to cancer, it definitely has a sadder feel. A lot more calm and not intense. A good one to listen to if you want to listen to MCR without the chaos.
Famous Last Words	10/10 stars	Favorite Part: 3:32-4:59 Perfect! Another 10/10 and for good reason. It is just sooo good. One of my top songs on the album. And the music video is incredible.
Blood (Hidden Track)	2/10 stars	Favorite Part: 1:33-2:47 Put on the song, play it for 1:36 and it sounds like nothing. I am not joking, it is nothing. But after that, then you hear the song and it is nothing special. The whole experience gets taken out by the long beginning.

Best Songs on the Album:

These songs are my all time favorite on the album. Honorable mentions are “Cancer” and “This is How I Disappear.” Both are great songs. The whole album is great, so I can’t really argue with anyone’s personal ranking. 

I added “Welcome to the Black Parade” because it is great and iconic. One of the most well known songs on the album, so it deserves recognition. 

Also, “The End” and “Dead!” are just great as a pair in general. 

Songs I Would Recommend!

I can’t do a My Chemical Romance review without talking about “Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge,” another album from MCR. I am not going to do a full album review, but I do want to include some great songs that I would highly recommend. 

(Album cover created by Gerard Way)

Final Thoughts:

I made it known that I love this band. I love the music as well as the lyrics, which can be hard sometimes these days. But, “The Black Parade” is such an iconic album to me because it truly captures a story. There is a full breakdown into what each song means and how it adds to the story. I won’t go into that, but I could if I wanted to. I listened to a few of their songs in middle school, but now I am even more of a fan than before. So, I hope you will give it a chance and take a listen.