We all know being the most talked-about new band of 2002 on nearly half the Jersey-based web forums is enough to make any band shake where they stand, and such was the case for My Chemical Romance - a band that combined the stylings of bands like the Misfits, the Cure, and Joy Division and added their own personal frustrations, tales of disillusionment, heartache, and dreamscapes into the mix with admirable poise. But where most would wither under the pressure of such high honors, MCR prospered, coming out with one of the most original and overall best punk-inspired albums of 2002:

The introduction to the album sounds like something out of Leitmotif (the first studio album from Dredg) mixed with an older western-type movie, and leaves the listener kind of bewildered. However, all feelings other than excitement exit as soon as the first chord of the second track bursts through the speakers - and from that moment the listener is hooked, and stays there for the duration of the record. Songs like "Vampires Will Never Hurt You" and "Skylines and Turnstiles" instantly mold themselves into your head with catchy lyrical schemes and guitar work that you end up humming for the rest of the day.

Now, after all is said and done, it's obvious this band shows a lot of promise. But the sad truth is that unless they get some decent label committment, you probably won't get a chance to hear them, considering their album is probably available in .01% of stores throughout the country and isn't even available to order online. I happened to get this after seeing them live at a WSOU-sponsored show here in Jersey, and I've been hooked ever since. I'm sure if you search far and wide you can find mp3s somewhere - and the band would want you to.