My Chemical Romance: The Foundations of Decay

To the weirdos, to the creeps, to the outcasts, to the fellow fallen emos of the 00’s. Flash back to 2006; we were in middle school, newly teenagers, walking down the halls in all black with ipods blasting The Black Parade. Now fast forward to 2022, My Chemical Romance is back and with a vengeance. The fathers of the emo music movement (honorable mentions to Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco) have returned after what seemed to be an eternal silent slumber. After two years of postponed appearances and broken hearts, the beloved group has returned to the spotlight with a tour and new music. As a diehard fan since Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, my inner angst-ridden teenager is screaming in pure excitement. 

Back in 2020, My Chemical Romance was set to embark on a reunion tour that was ultimately canceled due to the pandemic and other unforeseen circumstances. Two years later, the highly anticipated tour is back and fans are in a frenzy, snatching up tickets fast with multiple arenas already selling out. The first date of the reunion tour was announced back in December of 2021, giving European fans twelve shows across the continent. On May 16th, My Chemical Romance kicked off the European leg of the tour in Cornwall, England. The show marked the band’s first live performance in the UK in ten years and to celebrate the momentous occasion, a new song was debuted. Fans at the show were thrilled, not only to see the legendary band back in action, but also because they were the first to experience My Chemical Romance’s new single “The Foundations of Decay.” The song is the first new music from the band since 2013 and has received with rave reviews. Thanks to the help of thousands filming the show, the video of the new song spread like wildfire and reignited the passion of the hibernating fans all over the world. 

As soon as I got word on social media, I took to my phone and watched the breathtaking performance. My first thought was that the song was unmistakably My Chemical Romance. The overall sound and melody had a striking resemblance to older records which gave me the rush of nostalgia that I wanted with a comeback tour. “The Foundations of Decay” to me, is a song of struggle, fighting an uphill battle, and dealing with inevitable fleeting youth. In a way, it reflects where the MCR fans are now, in a stage of our lives when we realize we are no longer kids but are in the brunt of the storm that is adulthood. Frontman Gerard Way and all original members brought the song to life with a passion-filled performance that matched the energy of the crowd. Coming in at six minutes, the song definitely made a big statement; the band is back and after all those years, they have a lot to say. 

Now that a new single has been introduced I can only hope a full length album and other music projects will be soon behind. A new album could also lead to a follow up tour which will give fans another chance to see the band if tickets sell out this time around. Watching the European tour via social media has also given a sneak peak into the theatrics and costumes the band is planning to incorporate into the American tour. During their first stadium show at Milton Keynes, Way revived his gothic flair for costume and wore a blood stained suit and a bandaged up face giving fans early MCR vibes. There is no doubt that the rest of the tour will be a feast for all sense and will give true MCR fans the rush they have missed all these years. 

In addition to new music, it is also worth mentioning that Gerard Way has been working on other projects. Most fans are aware that the singer doubles as an author and has published a series of comics called The Umbrella Academy. During the band’s period of silence, the comics were turned into a hit series by Netflix in 2019. The show has received rave reviews and the third season is set to premiere this June. 

My Chemical Romance is still currently finishing up the European tour but are heading to North American starting August 20th. The first show will be held in Oklahoma and the tour will end with a whopping five shows in Los Angeles. Due to the insanely high demand, many shows are getting additional dates but most venues are still quickly selling out. If you haven’t already, let out your inner goth kid and head over to their website to grab some tickets while you can. Give their latest single, “The Foundations of Decay” a listen and let me know what you think!

Website: https://www.mychemicalromance.com/tour

Listen to MCR’s new single: https://open.spotify.com/track/6Pif6RkFoYzLygdqktus4Q?si=3345364fe69242c5