Review Summary: It's pretty interesting when you see how My Chemical Romance sounded like back in their early years. I can assure you this is most definitely an emo album and is literally nowhere even CLOSE to being pop punk.
When people would be asked about what type of band My Chemical Romance is, they'd usually say "emo". During the years, many people have consistently argued over whether the band was emo or not. Well, the truth is, at least their early work is. If you want to know what made them get called "emo", look no further than this album; it's a modern emo classic! First of all, believe it or not, the album sounds kind of like old emo bands like Rites of Spring and The Hated and even can have some moments in the album that sound like Texas is the Reason, Cap'n Jazz or Sunny Day Real Estate. First off, Gerard Way literally sounds a lot like Guy Picciotto from Rites of Spring on this album. Frank Iero does do a little bit of screaming on this album and there is a lot of emotive punk rock vocals off this album. Ray Toro and Frank Iero play a lot in the vein of 1980s post-hardcore bands like Rites of Spring, The Hated and others with some fast power-chording and riffing. Then they might have some guitar lines like Sunny Day Real Estate or something which is the more "indie/alternative" side of emo. The drumming is also full of blast beats on this album and unlike their other albums, you can surly hear the bass.
Vampires Will Never Hurt You - This would be the darkest track on the album. It's pretty much a dark-emo song. It starts off with their Texas is the Reason or Cap'n Jazz stylized riffs and Gerard Way's vocals pop in where he sounds a whole bunch like Guy Picciotto, then the guitars start playing like the early emo bands.
Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us - Classic emo song off the album. The intro riff sounds a little bit like the one off "The Kids Aren't Alright" by
The Offspring. Then Gerard Way goes on with his punk rock vocals and yelling with some of Frank Iero's screaming in the background. There are a few indie-emo parts of the song that are really temporary. The song even somewhat reminds me of "For Want Of" by
Rites of Spring. Especially one guitar line I heard that is after the chorus where Gerard Way is yelling. Later in the song, Gerard and Frank start yelling a whole lot. It's pretty much a song about relationships, girls who cheat on you and drugs combined together.
Skylines & Turnstiles - This song is the first song the band made and was about the tragic 9/11 event. Pretty much the band formed after 9/11 happened. It's the most punk rock-tinged song off this album. If you want to see how punk the band ever have been, check this song out. It's still an emo song though.
Drowning Lessons - If you like Jimmy Eat World's self-titled first album from 1994, back when they had some Rites of Spring-moments and their own type of undeniably emo style off that album, you're going to like this. It's lyrics are really emotional, but they do have the same theme from the song "Demolition Lovers".
Demolition Lovers - Really amazing song. Like "Drowning Lessons", its lyrics are about a grieving man who was back after dying with his wife and needed to kill 1,000 men to show her how much she meant to him. It first sounds a lot like Texas is the Reason, but then later in the song it sounds more like Rites of Spring.
Our Lady of Sorrows - The band's emotive hardcore style at its best. This is a pure, hardcore-influenced emo song that sounds literally like an unreleased song from
Rites of Spring. Just imagine if Rites of Spring released and rerecorded an unreleased track in 2002 and you basically get this song. It's a great song to use to represent this album.
Early Sunsets Over Montreville - This is more of an indie-emo song. It's a beautiful and emotional ballad that sounds a lot like Texas is the Reason or Sunny Day Real Estate.
Cubicles - A song which basically starts off with a modern Rites of Spring sound but with some characteristics from Jimmy Eat World's debut album (which also had a lot of emo-punk traits). Try taking the type of style of the song "Chaci" by Jimmy Eat World and mix it with Rites of Spring. However, this song doesn't sound anything like "Chaci" by Jimmy Eat World, but it basically plays that song's style which is alike to Rites of Spring. Later on in the song, more screaming comes.
Romance - Pretty much an intro track that sounds like it got recorded over a phone. It basically took this acoustic song called "Romance" but the song was pretty bad. It's why this album doesn't have 5 star rating. I'd suggest you evade this track. It didn't even need to be on the album.
This is the Best Day Ever - Another emotive hardcore song like Our Lady of Sorrows. It has a ton of hardcore punk-influenced yelling off this song and you can hear a lot of Black Flag influence in this song, even though it obviously sounds more like something Rites of Spring or The Hated would do.
Headfirst for Halos - This is a song against suicide. It encourages to think happy thoughts. It basically takes the emo style of this album only gives it a super crispy beat to it.
