MCRmy rejoice! After over eight years of no new music, My Chemical Romance finally released their new single “The Foundations of Decay” back on May 12, 2022. MCR reunited back in 2019 to much fanfare, holding a reunion show in Los Angeles, California.
What was presumed to be a one-off event, became a full-fledged reunion. The band announced dates for a world tour, to the delight of their loyal MCRmy. The group has been discussing plans for a return to the stage since 2017. While the pandemic temporarily derailed their plans, they’re back and better than ever.
With the release of this new single, the future looks bright for the alternative rockers. However, did it live up to the hype? How did the song fare against past outings from the band? That’s exactly what we aim to find out, as we take a deep dive and give our insights on My Chemical Romance’s newest release The Foundations of Decay. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
https://t.co/cp5sMssgW2 pic.twitter.com/zC6wCu78Kv
— My Chemical Romance (@MCRofficial) May 12, 2022
Impressions:
The Foundations of Decay catered to fans of every era of MCR. The song instantly reminded me of the intro of “Helena” and “Disenchanted” with its eerie and melancholic melody. However, the chorus, which was intense and fast-paced, also reminded me of “Welcome to the Black Parade” and “Famous Last Words.” The song effortlessly and harmoniously blended two time periods of what made My Chemical Romance such a great band.
That being said, it brought some familiar elements, that fans love, but also incorporated new things into the mixture. This song particularly sounds like a Progressive rock anthem or something you’d hear from an extremely down and dirty 90s scene of the Industrial rock era. It’s an engaging song that truly keeps your attention for the entirety of its six-minute runtime.
Not Missing a Beat:
My Chemical Romance was, and is, a band never afraid to reinvent their sound as they see fit. As evidenced by their last album before disbanding back in 2013 “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys,” MCR is well-aware of their musical direction.
I remember Danger Days being a bit divisive amongst fans when it first came out. Some loved the fact the band evolved and tried a new sound. While others despised tracks like “Sing!” and “Planetary (Go!)” for their clean sound and upbeat tempo; a big departure from the solemn and dark signature sound of the band
With The Foundations of Decay, MCR managed to stick to their roots, cater to fans, and innovate their sound all in one fell swoop. Gerard Way remains a wonderful lyricist after all these years. While it might be cliché to say this, the band still has this unbeatable aura that captivated so many almost two decades ago. It is truly great to have the mighty My Chemical Romance back.
Rating:
4/5. The song is near perfect, in my opinion. It’s somewhat unexplainable how My Chemical Romance managed to bring something so familiar, while simultaneously tweaking their sound to fit this new era of music. If this is the first of many songs to come, I am truly excited for the future of our favorite mid-2000s alternative-rockers My Chemical Romance.
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