Album Review: Frank Iero and the Patience – Parachutes

album-review-frank-iero-and-the-patience-parachutes

After My Chemical Romance disbanded in 2013, rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist Frank Iero turned his attention to his solo musical projects, which gave us 2014’s “Stomachaches”(released under the name of Frnkiero andthe Cellabration). “Parachutes” is Iero’s second full length album release since, this time going by the name of Frank Iero and the Patience. Although die-hard fans of My Chemical Romance would have undoubtedly blindly followed Iero’s solo projects, “Parachutes” has a distinctly different sound and style to that of My Chemical Romance, who at the height of their career, were one of the biggest and most well-known emo bands of their time. When going into detail about the album’s title Iero’s writes, “Parachutes are life saving devices. We rely on them to bring us back from the brink of death. Whether we fall or jump they are the only things keeping us alive…. the only thing that is undeniably certain is eventually we are all gonna hit the ground. Some of us plummet at an incredible rate and it’s over in a flash, but some of us get saved and are able to enjoy the view for a little while…. This album is one of my parachutes”

The depth and intensity in which he talks about the meaning behind the album’s title should give you some idea of the emotional lyrical content on this album.
The first track, ‘World Destroyer’ wastes no time in setting the feel for the album as it jumps straight into the aggressive sounds of the drums and guitars. It has a very angsty punk rock feel while still sounding slightly eerie at times (in a good way). Iero’s vocals range from soft and melodic to intense screams, while the music jumps between a fast and slow pace, demanding you to pay attention. It’s scrappy, unruly and infectious.

The album’s first single (and one of my favourite tracks), fast paced “I’m a Mess” should be listened to loud. It shows little regard to what other people think and refuses to conform to society’s expectations. Although difficult to sing along to, lyrics such as “Something’s wrong with me. Maybe that’s just how I am…Maybe I’m a mess and I ain’t gonna change” are super catchy and make you want to give it your best shot.

“Miss Me” a slower and more acoustic sounding song has lyrics that will kick you right in the feels and manages to put into a song something that we all wonder at some point in our lives: have I made a mark on this world? Will I be remembered? Will anyone miss me, or even notice when I’m no longer around?

The intro and overall sound of “I’ll Let You Down” has such an 90’s punk feel that for some reason, every time I listen to it, I have an overwhelming urge to dust off my old DVD player and watch the movie “10 Things I Hate About You.” Weird.

Another stand out track, “Oceans” is a song about accepting love, even though you are unsure if you actually deserve it, and eventually letting it surround you and drowning in a sea of it. The sound is obnoxious and a little all over the place, but honestly, that’s what I love about it.

The Final Track on the album, “9-6-15” is a tribute to Iero’s late grandfather, who passed away on September 6th, 2015. With lyrics such as “The greatest man that ever lived, he died September 6th. He left a void inside my world and I’ve felt this lost ever since”, it’s clear to see that Iero had a close relationship with him and that he really felt the depth of his loss. Losing a loved one is something that almost everyone can relate to and Iero’s honest lyrics and emotional vocals on this track will leave you close to tears.

Overall, “Parachutes” is an old school punk album for the new generation. The songs flow seamlessly into one another and it’s obvious that Iero has poured his heart and soul into the lyrics as he unapologetically shares his thoughts and views on life, the world and the people in it. Although at first I wasn’t overly impressed with the album, the more I listened to it, the more I started to like it, and although I was never a huge fan of My Chemical Romance, it’s safe to say that I am pretty keen on Frank Iero and the Patience. Definitely worth a listen.

Written by Amber Eccles

Glenn van den Bosch

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