The announcement last year that one of contemporary rock’s most successful and beloved bands were to split up after years of international success was hugely shocking for both fans and the wider music world. An inevitable Greatest Hits collection will see release in March, but it will excitingly include one new song, the final recording we’ll hear from them, ironically titled “Fake Your Death”. A fitting musical epitaph, it marries the bombast and drama that has long been the calling card for My Chemical Romance with a wearied, yet oddly triumphant sense of finality.
Driven by big pianos and multi-layered percussion, “Fake Your Death” sees vocalist Gerard Way deliver a tastefully understated performance. A subtle but engaging guitar solo elevates the song’s bridge before the final chorus, and the song comes to an end in less than three and a half minutes. It’s not as exciting or immediate as other singles from the band, but is a classy epilogue that feels right to bring the curtain down on the remarkable story of My Chemical Romance.
~ Michael Bird
Check out MCR’s LAST EVER track “Fake Your Death” here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiJzCahaN8w