My Chemical Romance

My Chemical Romance has the pedigree one would expect from any post-hardcore/metal-core/whatever-we're-calling-it-this-month-so-we-don't-have-to-call-it-emo-core band. The group hails from New Jersey and has twin guitars, a sing-and-then-scream vocal style and time clocked on an indie label known for that sort of thing. And My Chemical Romance has done all of the tours associated with that genre, including Warped.

Walk like a duck, look like a duck, etc. -- right? Not quite. While My Chemical Romance does have some of the characteristics of said genre, the fact that they actually rock puts them leagues above their peers. Throwing in bits of the Murder City Devils, Motörhead, and the Misfits keeps My Chemical Romance from sounding like whiny momma's boys, as does the bleak humor and unhinged performances on songs such as "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison." My Chemical Romance is still palatable for the kids who think music started with the band Thursday, but the group has enough of its own personality to attract fans outside of the diehards.