Two years after the split of My Chemical Romance, former front man Gerard Way is going solo. Way has recently released his first album, titled Hesitant Alien, and it’s already a success.

“It’s probably the first time I made something that ended up…it just happened. It wasn’t a specific start date or anything like that. It was helping me get out of bed to go to absolutely make the songs I really wanted to make,” Gerard said. “Next thing I knew, I was looking at an album. It wasn’t a concept album; it didn’t have a title. It was just this body of work. I feel like it does deal a bit with what I was going through for a couple years, as well as kind of trying to bloom a little more as an artist.”

Hesitant Alien has soared to take the number one spot on the US Alternative Album chart. Singles on the album include “Action Cat”, “No Shows”, and “Millions” (Millions being the track his brother, Mikey Way, recorded backing vocals for).

“I think I’m trying to push stuff on the radio in a newer direction,” Gerard said. “Stuff that hasn’t really been on modern rock radio is what I’m going for.”

Based on positive feedback to this new album, it would seem that he’s accomplishing the goals he’s set for this new era.