Lucy Carter
On 22 March 2013, American rock band My Chemical Romance broke up. In 2014 they released ‘Fake Your Death’, a final song that served as a farewell to their fans as they stepped away to pursue individual projects and other creative ventures. After years of quelling rumours of some sort of comeback, their long-awaited re-emergence occurred in late 2019 with a handful of shows and the announcement of a world tour to follow in 2020.
However, the excitement was put on pause throughout the pandemic, and it’s only now that MCR are able to put out a first taste of what their post-reunion music is going to look like. With no buildup, no countdown, and no warning, it’s fair to say that the release of ‘The Foundations of Decay’ on May 12 was a welcome shock.
“The six-minute track is, as MCR often is, optimistic.”
The six-minute track fits perfectly into the tone of MCR’s existing discography, whilst also reinforcing the fact that the band is back, and stronger than ever. While the song acknowledges the struggles the band has been through – from conservative media attacks to substance abuse issues and the ‘damage’ that ensued – the single is, as MCR often is, optimistic. Rather than ‘laying in the foundations of decay’, the band will ‘get up’ and continue on. No longer will they submit to the pressures and demands of the music industry or any other institution; instead, their existence will be on their own terms. This is something echoed in frontman Gerard Way’s comments in the band’s recent concerts, with his reflections on how much more comfortable he is on stage than he was before the hiatus, and the strong connection he feels to the audience.
“My Chemical Romance have re-secured their place in the scene”
‘Foundations’ has all the hallmarks of an MCR song; a strong narrative, self-referential lyrics, and powerful instrumentals. The inevitable change in vocals over their eight-year break, the much-altered world they’re releasing music into, and the disruption of Covid have done nothing to harm the sheer force of the band. Their time apart has only served to improve the quality of the music they make as an ensemble. Whetting the appetite of fans old and new alike, there’s no questioning that My Chemical Romance have re-secured their place in the scene with style.
Featured image courtesy of Alexandre St-Louis on Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
LucyCarter
I'm a recent English literature graduate with an interest in arts, culture and lifestyle writing. Usually found talking about TV shows and overanalysing pop culture!