The Black Parade
Encyclopedia
The Black Parade is the third studio album by American rock
band My Chemical Romance
. Released on October 23, 2006 through Reprise Records
, it was produced by Rob Cavallo
, who has also produced albums for Green Day
. The album is the first on which Bob Bryar plays drums
. It is a rock opera
centering on a dying character with cancer known as "The Patient". The album tells the story of his apparent death, experiences in the afterlife, and subsequent reflection on his life.
Four singles
were released from the album: "Welcome to the Black Parade
", "Famous Last Words
", "I Don't Love You
", and "Teenagers
". The Black Parade has received generally favorable reviews, and the band achieved its first Number 1 single in the UK with Welcome to the Black Parade. The album debuted at number two on both the Billboard 200
and the UK Albums Chart
and is also certified as platinum
by the RIAA
, as well as a Platinum certification in the UK and a Gold certificacion in Argentina
by the CAPIF and in Chile
by the IFPI Chile. The limited edition boxed set also earned My Chemical Romance a Grammy
nomination. In the video game Guitar Hero II
(Xbox 360 version), the song "Dead!" was added to the game's track list prior to the earlier PS2 version, and
the three songs "Teenagers
," "Famous Last Words
" and "This is How I Disappear" are available for download.
The Black Parade has sold 1,610,000 copies in the US as of October 2010.
The Black Parade is a rock opera centering around the character of "The Patient". It centers around his passage out of life and the memories he has of his life. "The Patient" dies and death
comes for him in the form of a parade. This is based upon Gerard Way's belief that death comes for a person in the form of their fondest memory, in this case seeing a parade as a child.
The album also saw the creation of the alter ego band The Black Parade. My Chemical Romance would perform the album live in costume as the Black Parade up until October 7, 2007 Mexico City
performance. On stage, the band would don black marching uniforms similar to those worn by The Beatles
for the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
. The live performance was theatrical, with Gerard Way assuming the character of a member of The Black Parade. Way's mannerisms were compared to Bob Geldof
in his performance of the lead character in the movie adaption
of Pink Floyd
's The Wall
. His performance was also compared to David Bowie
's performance of Ziggy Stardust and Freddie Mercury
's stage presence. There are also similarities to Alice Cooper
in his "Welcome to My Nightmare
" period. The video for Welcome to the Black Parade, directed by Sam Bayer portrays the events of the entire story, starring all its characters, including Mother War, who is primarily involved in the song Mama. Gerard Way has described this video as "The definitive video for the record" and one that "summed up the album."
The album has been described as a classic rock tribute with influences and themes being made from 70's classic rock. Some reviewers such as Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic and Ed Thompson of IGN went so far to say that the band moved from their old emo pop sound to a more classic rock sound. Lead singer Gerard Way
has cited the bands Queen
and Pink Floyd as major influences on the album. Similarities have been noted between the guitar
orchestration in "Welcome to the Black Parade
", and the arrangements of Queen. Additionally, Pink Floyd's The Wall
and David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
are noted as major influences for the album, which is especially evident when comparing the album's opening track, "The End.", to the first tracks on The Wall, "In the Flesh?
",and on Ziggy Stardust
, "Five Years
".
Gerard Way has also stated that one of their biggest influences were The Smashing Pumpkins
, often giving them credit for their thematic videos.
, behind Robbie Williams
' Rudebox. In the United States, it also debuted at number two on the Billboard 200
behind Hannah Montana. In its first week, the album sold 240,000 copies, far surpassing the 38,000 best-week sales of the band's previous album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
. The album debuted at number three on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart
and was certified platinum after shipping more than 70,000 copies. It debuted atop the charts in New Zealand and was certified platinum there, with shipments of more than 15,000. The Black Parade has also been certified platinum
by the RIAA
for selling over 1,100,000 copies. It has been certified 2x Platinum in the UK, and has sold just over 600,000 units there to date. As of August 25, 2007, the album has sold 1,169,697 copies in the U.S.
, IGN
, and Rolling Stone
. At Metacritic
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 79, based on 24 professional critic reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Dan Martin from NME compared the album to Green Day
's American Idiot
, positing that "it's a piece of work that will challenge every preconception you ever had about the people who made it." Tim Karan of Alternative Press called The Black Parade "MCR's whole raison d'etre rolled up into one mega-decibel calling card". Ed Thompson of IGN stated, "The Black Parade is a rock and roll gem that celebrates everything that was over the top about the 1970s rock scene." David Fricke of Rolling Stone praised the classic rock feel of the album. Rolling Stone went on to rank The Black Parade #20 in its "Top 50 Albums of 2006" feature. Spin
magazine named it the 5th best album of 2006. Entertainment Weekly
stated that "On their third studio album, a musical H-bomb of an effort, the Jersey quintet combine the rock-opera pomp of Queen with the darker, dirtier tones of their screamo past: Call it a Bro-hemian Rhapsody. Even without its broad concept — a dying cancer patient seeks revenge and redemption — Parade stands as one of the most cohesive, engaging rock records of 2006." The Black Parade was ranked the third best record of the year, being surpassed only by Gnarls Barkley
and TV on the Radio
. Wizard Magazine
praised the album in their "Best of 2006" issue, declaring it "an instant classic."
The album was not without its share of criticism, and was panned by such publications as The Observer
and Aversion. Stated Jamie Hodgson of The Observer, "...it reeks of a band with ideas above its station." Matt Schild of Aversion originally refused to review the album, simply writing the word "lame" in lieu of an actual review. Bowing to editorial pressure, he later posted a review listing specific aspects of the album before denouncing them as "lame". Theon Weber of Stylus praised the album's use of Queen influences, but went on to summarize the album as "...a goofy record of bubblegum punk, with Queen lapping at its edges and enough good tracks to justify the smattering of empty screamfests."
. Inside the booklet there are also lyrics, a photo of the band, and characters from the album.
A limited edition of the album was released the same time as the original release. It contains the same track listing as the original release but it is sold in a box wrapped in black velveteen material. It also contains a 64-page book which includes concept art by Gerard Way and making of the album notes by the band.
The version of The Black Parade that was released in Japan contains different content than the other regular editions. It contains 14 tracks, but the 14th track is the song "Heaven Help Us" (which was released with the single version of "Welcome to the Black Parade
"), instead of the song "Blood". The Japanese version is also an Enhanced CD
and includes the music video of "Welcome to the Black Parade".
On December 11, 2007, The Black Parade was released in 12" vinyl
format, a first for the band. Two versions were released, the regular edition and the special edition. Both editions contain two records. The first record of both editions has tracks one to four on the a-side and five to seven the b-side. The second record has tracks eight to ten on the a-side and 11 to 13 on the b-side. The special edition includes the hidden track, "Blood," while the regular edition does not. The special edition comes in a slip-case box with two 15-page books. 2,500 copies were made of the special edition, while 3,000 copies of the regular vinyl edition were made.
My Chemical Romance began The Black Parade World Tour
on February 22, 2007 in Manchester, New Hampshire
's Verizon Wireless Arena
. The tour featured 138 performances world wide, as well as several festival and condensed shows. The tour is the longest and most internationally comprehensive headlining tour that the band has played to date, featuring three legs in North America, two legs in Europe, and one in Asia, Australia, and Latin America. The shows at the Palacio de los Deportes
in Mexico City
, Mexico
on October 7, 2007 and Maxwell's
in Hoboken
, New Jersey
on October 24, 2007 were filmed for the DVD
, The Black Parade Is Dead!
, which was released on July 1, 2008.
During the tour there were several cancellations and some members left the tour for personal or medical reasons. On January 11, 2007 Frank Iero
left the tour because of an unspecified illness. He was replaced by Drive By
guitarist Todd Price. Mikey Way took time off to get married and was replaced by guitar tech, Matt Cortez, from April 18, 2007 until October 4, 2007. Six shows were cancelled from April 29, 2007 to May 4, 2007 after the band and crew contracted food poisoning. Bob Bryar suffered injuries relating to his wrists during the tour which led to the cancellation of the show at the University of Maine on October 27, 2007. Bryar left the tour on November 9, 2007 and was replaced by a friend of the band, Pete, who wished to remain anonymous. Following the November 11, 2007 show in Newcastle
, Frank Iero left the tour to return home after learning about a family member's illness. He was replaced by Matt Cortez.
Limited edition
Additional personnel
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
. Released on October 23, 2006 through Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
, it was produced by Rob Cavallo
Rob Cavallo
Rob Cavallo is a record producer and A&R, most famous for signing and producing Green Day. He is currently Chairman of Warner Bros. Records.- History :...
, who has also produced albums for Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
. The album is the first on which Bob Bryar plays drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. It is a rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
centering on a dying character with cancer known as "The Patient". The album tells the story of his apparent death, experiences in the afterlife, and subsequent reflection on his life.
Four singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
were released from the album: "Welcome to the Black Parade
Welcome to the Black Parade
"Welcome to the Black Parade" is the first single and fifth track from My Chemical Romance's third studio album, The Black Parade. It was released on September 11, 2006 on iTunes and October 9, 2006 on CD. It is the band's eighth single...
", "Famous Last Words
Famous Last Words (My Chemical Romance song)
"Famous Last Words" is a song by the American alternative rock band My Chemical Romance. It was released as the band's second single on January 22, 2007 from their third studio album, The Black Parade. It is also the band's ninth overall single...
", "I Don't Love You
I Don't Love You
"I Don't Love You" is the third UK, Philippines, Malaysian and Australian single and sixth track from My Chemical Romance's third studio album, The Black Parade. It is the tenth overall single from the band. It was released April 2, 2007, to the United Kingdom, following "Welcome to the Black...
", and "Teenagers
Teenagers (song)
"Teenagers" is the fourth single and the eleventh track from My Chemical Romance's third studio album, The Black Parade. It is the third U.S. single from the album, but it is the fourth single released in the UK, the Philippines, Australia and Canada...
". The Black Parade has received generally favorable reviews, and the band achieved its first Number 1 single in the UK with Welcome to the Black Parade. The album debuted at number two on both the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
and is also certified as platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
, as well as a Platinum certification in the UK and a Gold certificacion in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
by the CAPIF and in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
by the IFPI Chile. The limited edition boxed set also earned My Chemical Romance a Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination. In the video game Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
(Xbox 360 version), the song "Dead!" was added to the game's track list prior to the earlier PS2 version, and
the three songs "Teenagers
Teenagers (song)
"Teenagers" is the fourth single and the eleventh track from My Chemical Romance's third studio album, The Black Parade. It is the third U.S. single from the album, but it is the fourth single released in the UK, the Philippines, Australia and Canada...
," "Famous Last Words
Famous Last Words (My Chemical Romance song)
"Famous Last Words" is a song by the American alternative rock band My Chemical Romance. It was released as the band's second single on January 22, 2007 from their third studio album, The Black Parade. It is also the band's ninth overall single...
" and "This is How I Disappear" are available for download.
The Black Parade has sold 1,610,000 copies in the US as of October 2010.
Musical and lyrical themes
Death (personification)
The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood...
comes for him in the form of a parade. This is based upon Gerard Way's belief that death comes for a person in the form of their fondest memory, in this case seeing a parade as a child.
The album also saw the creation of the alter ego band The Black Parade. My Chemical Romance would perform the album live in costume as the Black Parade up until October 7, 2007 Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
performance. On stage, the band would don black marching uniforms similar to those worn by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
for the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
. The live performance was theatrical, with Gerard Way assuming the character of a member of The Black Parade. Way's mannerisms were compared to Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
in his performance of the lead character in the movie adaption
Pink Floyd The Wall (film)
Pink Floyd—The Wall is a 1982 British live-action/animated musical film directed by Alan Parker based on the 1979 Pink Floyd album The Wall. The screenplay was written by Pink Floyd vocalist and bassist Roger Waters. The film is highly metaphorical and is rich in symbolic imagery and sound...
of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's The Wall
The Wall
The Wall is the eleventh studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. Released as a double album on 30 November 1979, it was subsequently performed live with elaborate theatrical effects, and adapted into a feature film, Pink Floyd—The Wall.As with the band's previous three...
. His performance was also compared to David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
's performance of Ziggy Stardust and Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
's stage presence. There are also similarities to Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
in his "Welcome to My Nightmare
Welcome to My Nightmare
Welcome to My Nightmare is the eighth album by Alice Cooper, released in 1975. This was Alice Cooper's first solo album . The cover artwork was created by Drew Struzan for Pacific Eye & Ear. Rolling Stone would later rank it as one of the "Top 100 Album Covers Of All Time".Welcome to My Nightmare...
" period. The video for Welcome to the Black Parade, directed by Sam Bayer portrays the events of the entire story, starring all its characters, including Mother War, who is primarily involved in the song Mama. Gerard Way has described this video as "The definitive video for the record" and one that "summed up the album."
The album has been described as a classic rock tribute with influences and themes being made from 70's classic rock. Some reviewers such as Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic and Ed Thompson of IGN went so far to say that the band moved from their old emo pop sound to a more classic rock sound. Lead singer Gerard Way
Gerard Way
Gerard Arthur Way is an American musician and comic book writer who has served as lead vocalist and co-founder of the band My Chemical Romance since its formation in 2001...
has cited the bands Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
and Pink Floyd as major influences on the album. Similarities have been noted between the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
orchestration in "Welcome to the Black Parade
Welcome to the Black Parade
"Welcome to the Black Parade" is the first single and fifth track from My Chemical Romance's third studio album, The Black Parade. It was released on September 11, 2006 on iTunes and October 9, 2006 on CD. It is the band's eighth single...
", and the arrangements of Queen. Additionally, Pink Floyd's The Wall
The Wall
The Wall is the eleventh studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. Released as a double album on 30 November 1979, it was subsequently performed live with elaborate theatrical effects, and adapted into a feature film, Pink Floyd—The Wall.As with the band's previous three...
and David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a 1972 concept album by English musician David Bowie, which is loosely based on a story of a rock star named Ziggy Stardust. It peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number 75 in the United States on the Billboard Music...
are noted as major influences for the album, which is especially evident when comparing the album's opening track, "The End.", to the first tracks on The Wall, "In the Flesh?
In the Flesh?
"In the Flesh?" is a song by Pink Floyd. It was released on The Wall album in 1979. The title is a reference to the band's 1977 "In the Flesh" tour, during which bassist and songwriter Roger Waters, in frustration, spat at a fan attempting to climb the fence separating the band from the crowd "In...
",and on Ziggy Stardust
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a 1972 concept album by English musician David Bowie, which is loosely based on a story of a rock star named Ziggy Stardust. It peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number 75 in the United States on the Billboard Music...
, "Five Years
Five Years
"Five Years" is a song written by David Bowie and released in 1972. It was the opening track on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars....
".
Gerard Way has also stated that one of their biggest influences were The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
, often giving them credit for their thematic videos.
Release
The Black Parade debuted at number two on the UK Albums ChartUK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, behind Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
' Rudebox. In the United States, it also debuted at number two on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
behind Hannah Montana. In its first week, the album sold 240,000 copies, far surpassing the 38,000 best-week sales of the band's previous album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
* Track 11 is commonly censored as "It's Not a Fashion Statement, It's a Deathwish"-Charts:-Singles:-Release history:-Personnel:Band*Frank Iero – rhythm guitar, backing vocals*Matt Pelissier – drums*Ray Toro – lead guitar, backing vocals...
. The album debuted at number three on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
and was certified platinum after shipping more than 70,000 copies. It debuted atop the charts in New Zealand and was certified platinum there, with shipments of more than 15,000. The Black Parade has also been certified platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
for selling over 1,100,000 copies. It has been certified 2x Platinum in the UK, and has sold just over 600,000 units there to date. As of August 25, 2007, the album has sold 1,169,697 copies in the U.S.
Reception
The album received positive reviews from Allmusic, New Musical ExpressNME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, and Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
. At Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 79, based on 24 professional critic reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Dan Martin from NME compared the album to Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
's American Idiot
American Idiot (album)
American Idiot is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on September 21, 2004 through Reprise Records and was produced by longtime collaborator Rob Cavallo. In mid-2003, the band began recording songs for an album entitled Cigarettes and Valentines...
, positing that "it's a piece of work that will challenge every preconception you ever had about the people who made it." Tim Karan of Alternative Press called The Black Parade "MCR's whole raison d'etre rolled up into one mega-decibel calling card". Ed Thompson of IGN stated, "The Black Parade is a rock and roll gem that celebrates everything that was over the top about the 1970s rock scene." David Fricke of Rolling Stone praised the classic rock feel of the album. Rolling Stone went on to rank The Black Parade #20 in its "Top 50 Albums of 2006" feature. Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
magazine named it the 5th best album of 2006. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
stated that "On their third studio album, a musical H-bomb of an effort, the Jersey quintet combine the rock-opera pomp of Queen with the darker, dirtier tones of their screamo past: Call it a Bro-hemian Rhapsody. Even without its broad concept — a dying cancer patient seeks revenge and redemption — Parade stands as one of the most cohesive, engaging rock records of 2006." The Black Parade was ranked the third best record of the year, being surpassed only by Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley is an American soul duo comprising Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green. Their first studio album St. Elsewhere was released in 2006; along with its first single "Crazy". Both single and album were a major commercial success and have been noted for their large sales by download...
and TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music....
. Wizard Magazine
Wizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
praised the album in their "Best of 2006" issue, declaring it "an instant classic."
The album was not without its share of criticism, and was panned by such publications as The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
and Aversion. Stated Jamie Hodgson of The Observer, "...it reeks of a band with ideas above its station." Matt Schild of Aversion originally refused to review the album, simply writing the word "lame" in lieu of an actual review. Bowing to editorial pressure, he later posted a review listing specific aspects of the album before denouncing them as "lame". Theon Weber of Stylus praised the album's use of Queen influences, but went on to summarize the album as "...a goofy record of bubblegum punk, with Queen lapping at its edges and enough good tracks to justify the smattering of empty screamfests."
Versions
Several special editions of The Black Parade were released. One bears white text on a black background, and the second has black text on a white background. A third version has the normal booklet reversed, showing the picture of the parade drawn and painted by comic artist James JeanJames Jean
James Jean is a Taiwanese-American visual artist, known for both his commercial work and fine art gallery work. He is known in the American comics industry as a cover artist for various books published by DC Comics, as well as for his work for Prada, ESPN and Atlantic Records...
. Inside the booklet there are also lyrics, a photo of the band, and characters from the album.
A limited edition of the album was released the same time as the original release. It contains the same track listing as the original release but it is sold in a box wrapped in black velveteen material. It also contains a 64-page book which includes concept art by Gerard Way and making of the album notes by the band.
The version of The Black Parade that was released in Japan contains different content than the other regular editions. It contains 14 tracks, but the 14th track is the song "Heaven Help Us" (which was released with the single version of "Welcome to the Black Parade
Welcome to the Black Parade
"Welcome to the Black Parade" is the first single and fifth track from My Chemical Romance's third studio album, The Black Parade. It was released on September 11, 2006 on iTunes and October 9, 2006 on CD. It is the band's eighth single...
"), instead of the song "Blood". The Japanese version is also an Enhanced CD
Enhanced CD
Enhanced CD, also known as CD Extra and CD Plus, is a certification mark of the Recording Industry Association of America for various technologies that combine audio and computer data for use in both Compact Disc and CD-ROM players....
and includes the music video of "Welcome to the Black Parade".
On December 11, 2007, The Black Parade was released in 12" vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
format, a first for the band. Two versions were released, the regular edition and the special edition. Both editions contain two records. The first record of both editions has tracks one to four on the a-side and five to seven the b-side. The second record has tracks eight to ten on the a-side and 11 to 13 on the b-side. The special edition includes the hidden track, "Blood," while the regular edition does not. The special edition comes in a slip-case box with two 15-page books. 2,500 copies were made of the special edition, while 3,000 copies of the regular vinyl edition were made.
Tour
My Chemical Romance began The Black Parade World Tour
The Black Parade World Tour
The Black Parade World Tour was a concert tour to support and celebrate My Chemical Romance's third album The Black Parade. The tour featured 133 performances worldwide, as well as several festival and condensed shows...
on February 22, 2007 in Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
's Verizon Wireless Arena
Verizon Wireless Arena
The Verizon Wireless Arena is an indoor events arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, and seats 9,852 for ice hockey and just under 10,000 for basketball and some concerts.Verizon Wireless paid for the arena's naming rights...
. The tour featured 138 performances world wide, as well as several festival and condensed shows. The tour is the longest and most internationally comprehensive headlining tour that the band has played to date, featuring three legs in North America, two legs in Europe, and one in Asia, Australia, and Latin America. The shows at the Palacio de los Deportes
Palacio de los Deportes
Palacio de los Deportes is an indoor arena, located in Mexico City, Mexico, within the sports complex Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City, near the Mexico City International Airport and the Foro Sol, in which sports and artistic events are also celebrated. It is operated by Grupo CIE...
in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
on October 7, 2007 and Maxwell's
Maxwell's
Maxwell's is a music club in Hoboken, New Jersey that also has a restaurant. The intimate venue often attracts a wide variety of acts looking for a change from the New York City concert spaces across the river.-History:...
in Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
on October 24, 2007 were filmed for the DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, The Black Parade Is Dead!
The Black Parade Is Dead!
The Black Parade Is Dead! is a CD/DVD from My Chemical Romance. It is the band's second live album, and was released on June 30, 2008. The DVD features My Chemical Romance's final performance as "The Black Parade" from the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico on October 7, 2007 and as "My...
, which was released on July 1, 2008.
During the tour there were several cancellations and some members left the tour for personal or medical reasons. On January 11, 2007 Frank Iero
Frank Iero
Frank Anthony Iero Jr is the rhythm guitarist, co-lead guitarist and backup vocalist of the alternative rock band My Chemical Romance as well as the vocalist of the post-hardcore band Leathermouth.-Early life:...
left the tour because of an unspecified illness. He was replaced by Drive By
Drive By
Drive By is a New Jersey based music group that has been touring nationally and internationally since 2004 after the release of their debut album I Hate Every Day Without You Kid... After three years of touring in support of the album, they released a new record, title A Delicate Situation, on...
guitarist Todd Price. Mikey Way took time off to get married and was replaced by guitar tech, Matt Cortez, from April 18, 2007 until October 4, 2007. Six shows were cancelled from April 29, 2007 to May 4, 2007 after the band and crew contracted food poisoning. Bob Bryar suffered injuries relating to his wrists during the tour which led to the cancellation of the show at the University of Maine on October 27, 2007. Bryar left the tour on November 9, 2007 and was replaced by a friend of the band, Pete, who wished to remain anonymous. Following the November 11, 2007 show in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, Frank Iero left the tour to return home after learning about a family member's illness. He was replaced by Matt Cortez.
Track listing
Release history
Standard edition| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | October 28, 2006 | Reprise Records Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
9362444272 |
| Japan | December 6, 2006 | WPCR12507 | ||
| United Kingdom | October 23, 2006 | 9362444272 | ||
| United States | October 24, 2006 | 444272 | ||
| December 11, 2007 | 12" Vinyl Gramophone record A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove... |
444271 |
Limited edition
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | October 24, 2006 | Reprise Records Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... , Box Set |
444282 |
| December 11, 2007 | 12" Vinyl Gramophone record A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove... , Box Set |
1167961 |
Charts
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
3 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 4 |
| Belgian Flemish Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
33 |
| Belgian Walloon Albums Chart | 91 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
2 |
| Danish Albums Chart | 29 |
| Dutch Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
39 |
| French SNEP Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
69 |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 11 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
11 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
5 |
| Italian Albums Chart | 20 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
10 |
| Mexican Albums Chart | 35 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
1 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
11 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
4 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 18 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
2 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
2 |
| US Rock Albums (Billboard) | 1 |
| US Digital Albums (Billboard) | 6 |
| US Tastemaker Tastemaker Tastemaker is the debut EP of rapper Pittsburgh Slim, released by Def Jam Records on December 4, 2007.-Track listing:# "Pittsburgh Slim"# "Superstar Extraordinaire"# "My Flashy World"# "Girls Kiss Girls"# "Sunrays"# "Kiss and Tell"# "Toy"... (Billboard) |
1 |
Personnel
- Bob Bryar — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Frank IeroFrank IeroFrank Anthony Iero Jr is the rhythm guitarist, co-lead guitarist and backup vocalist of the alternative rock band My Chemical Romance as well as the vocalist of the post-hardcore band Leathermouth.-Early life:...
— rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Ray Toro — guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
on "Disenchanted", bass guitar on "Cancer" - Gerard WayGerard WayGerard Arthur Way is an American musician and comic book writer who has served as lead vocalist and co-founder of the band My Chemical Romance since its formation in 2001...
— lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Mikey Way — bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Additional personnel
- James Dewees — keyboardMusical keyboardA musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
- Liza MinnelliLiza MinnelliLiza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
— guest vocals on "Mama" - Rob CavalloRob CavalloRob Cavallo is a record producer and A&R, most famous for signing and producing Green Day. He is currently Chairman of Warner Bros. Records.- History :...
— acoustic pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Jamie MuhoberacJamie MuhoberacJamie Muhoberac is a session keyboardist with numerous credits, including The All-American Rejects, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones , Backstreet Boys, Aly & AJ, Bob Dylan, Goo Goo Dolls, Chris Cornell , My Chemical Romance, Paradise Lost, Girlfriend, Carmen Rizzo and Pet Shop Boys...
— B3 organ, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s, Wurlitzer; piano on "Blood"
Technical personnel
- Produced by Rob CavalloRob CavalloRob Cavallo is a record producer and A&R, most famous for signing and producing Green Day. He is currently Chairman of Warner Bros. Records.- History :...
and My Chemical Romance - Engineered by Doug McKean
- Recorded at Eldorondo Recording Studios, Burbank, CA
- Assistant engineer: Chris Steffan
- Strings and Horns Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA
- Assistant engineer: Jimmy Hoyson
- Mixed by Chris Lord-AlgeChris Lord-AlgeChris Lord-Alge is a mixer who has worked on various albums. He is the brother of Tom Lord-Alge, another audio engineer. Chris Lord-Alge is known for his extreme use of dynamic range compression in both hardware and software plug-in versions....
at Resonate Music, Burbank, CA - Assistant engineer: Keith Armstrong
- Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NY
- Strings and Horns Arranged by David Campbell
- Additional protools: Lars Fox
- Guitar tech: Andrew "Hans" Busher, Tyler Dragness
- Drum tech: Mike "Sack" Fasano
- Production coordinator: Cheryl Jenets
- Management: Brain Schechter/Riot Squad
- Legal: Stacy Fass
- Agent: Matt Galle/Ellis Industries (USA), Geoff Meall/The Agency Group (UK & Europe)
- A&R: Craig Aaronson
- Photography: Chris Anthony
- Additional photography on Limited Edition: Matt Taylor, Gerard Way and Ray Toro
- Art direction: Gerard Way, Ellen Wakayama and Matt Taylor
- Design: Matt Taylor
- Illustrations: Gerard Way