Review Summary: A suiting legacy of not only MCR, but of everything that ends.
My Chemical Romance is over. They've left the world countless live performances, four full-length albums, several EPs and extra tracks, live albums, demos, music videos and, finally, Conventional Weapons.
The kings of modern "whatever genre you want to call them" created the songs on this record several years ago, before shelving and reworking them in favor of all-new tracks for what would become their final full-length album, "Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys." Traces of "Danger Days" are evident on the record, notably in "Make Room!", which bears strikingly similar characteristics to "Party Poison."
The first two tracks go well together, setting an appropriate atmosphere that can only be described as explosive. Both "Boy Divison" and "Tomorrow's Money" are fast, violent and catchy, sounding like a slightly lighter "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge." Tracks 3, "AMBULANCE" starts off with a classic rock-type choir of aahs, then proceeds to just let the song speak for itself. Amazingly enough, the backing/gang vocals are used in just the right areas. "Gun." follows, showcasing MCR's pop punk side very tastefully, itself and its predecessor emanating the glow of "Danger Days."
The softer "The World Is Ugly" is reminiscent of a softer "I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love" mixed with "Danger Days", and it pours emotion into the listener like nothing else. "The Light Behind Your Eyes" is the record's softest track, staying very mild while also showcasing the band's ability to mesh their volatile style with acoustic music. The lyrics plead a friend to not let the world change them, a feeling that the band members all know far too well by now.
"Kiss the Ring" and "Make Room" launch the listener back into energy mode. They're both obviously the album's party tracks, and the main tie to "Danger Days". Despite that MCR had never done such celebratory tracks before at the time of their recording, they pull them off very smoothly.
"Surrender the Night" feels like the nighttime drive with your best friends that its lyrics mention, with strong influence from The Smashing Pumpkins. Its lyrics acknowledge that even though we all make mistakes, and that we often can't fight their outcomes. Simply a fantastic song, it deserves every positive mention it will ever receive.
The final song of My Chemical Romance is "Burn Bright." It is a perfect ending. Lyrics, vocals, bass, drums, guitars, everything about the track is the ultimate and best part of My Chemical Romance, and it is everything that they ever were in one song.
Good-bye, My Chemical Romance.
