#and as the swarm it calls we lay on the foundations of decay

[elsiiie]

My working theory that connects the Concrete Age Dictator concept with Foundations of Decay and Swarm

I’m writing this while high so if something I’m saying makes no sense, that’s why! But maybe it makes a lot of sense…. please let me know if you have more ideas or catch a plot hole in this theory! Would love to brainstorm more

--

This all started when I was looking through reddit and saw a lot of people thinking it was crazy for MCR to come up with SWARM concepts for 2022 tour and then just throw it away after they put so much effort into theming years ago. So as I thought of that, I was listening to foundations of decay since it’s the only song they’ve released since coming back and directly related to Swarm. I, along with many other people, originally thought Foundations was just an abstract retelling of the Band and their rise/fall. However, I think I found the connection with Foundations of Decay/Swarm with the new CONCRETE AGE/Dictator concepts coming out.

Okay so follow with me a bit. It’ll all start to make sense soon:

In foundations of decay, we start with an old man, dreaming of all the battles he’s won. 

See the man who stands upon the hill He dreams of all the battles won But fate had left its scars upon his face With all the damage they had done

We hear about the battle. There are dead soldiers, blood spilled in vain. 

Let our bodies lay, mark our hearts with shame Let our blood in vain, you find God in pain

Gerard says:  

Now, if your convictions were a passing faith May your ashes feed the river in the morning rays

For those fighting in this battle, this line sounds like a question of whether or not they know what they’re fighting for, perhaps a fight just to live, and if they really truly wanted that. If not, if they didn’t truly believe in what they were fighting for, then they would die, not making it through the battle. 

Then we hear about potentially another man, or perhaps the same man from beginning but younger. 

He was there, the day the towers fell And so he wandered down the road And we would all build towers of our own Only to watch the roots corrode

This is where I felt like there really were connections to the new concepts. In the new dictator concept, we know there’s a Grand Immortal Dictator and he’s recently risen to power, bringing upon the concrete age.

The Dictator stands in a tower, surrounded by towers, all built by or inhabited by the people of power, looking down upon these swarms of crowds. In my mind, that crowd of people kind of resembles all the flies in the foundations of decay visualizer, or a mass amount of vermin, swarming together to see the dictator, the king rat, etc. What makes up the foundations below these high towers the dictator are in? All of the people. 

I feel like Foundations of decay was a song passed by ancestors to (the older man) to tell story to inspire to inspire a next generation. To call for the swarm, the vermin, the people who make up the foundations to get to action. To start their last crusade, to fight for what they believe in against extinction. 

You must fix your heart And you must build an altar where it swells When the storm it gains, and the sky it rains Let it flood, let it flood, let it wash away And as you stumble through your last crusade Will you welcome your extinction in the morning rays? And as the swarm it calls, we lay in the foundations

I really feel like Foundations of decay was the first of many new songs in this new album/new concept. In this new concept, maybe Foundations of Decay is a story told by the "Black Parade Band" in the Concreate Age world, retelling a story of battle/of revolution and asking us what we’re made of/if we’ll get up and join the fight. 

The end of Foundations of Decay is literally a conversation between someone giving up and someone call them to action:

Yes, it comforts me much more Yes, it comforts me much more To lay in the foundations of decay

& in reply, the last line

Get up, coward!

We can lay down in the comfort of complacency, or we could GET UP and fight back.

--

So really tying into the SWARM tour, there was a lot of imagery/backgorunds that resembled broken/burnt down buildings similar to the ones we saw standing in the new dictator concept. I feel like the Swarm tour was a theatrical preview of the fall of the dictator and CONCRETE AGE and the back and forth between the dictator and the swarm.

We saw a lot these character: the dictator, the secretary, the man the flower(?), and we saw them kind of decay, especially  the secretary. Some drum sets said phrases from the dicator side “SIT, STAY BEG” “BACK IN THE CAGE” while others said “KING MOB” (either a reference to the revolutionary comic book character by grant Morrison, or a real radical cultural anarchist group from London in the 1960s... both fitting for this revolutionary concept) 

(https://www.tumblr.com/107ths/766995000586272768/please-look-at-my-insane-ramblings-and-tell-me-if?source=share see here for more drum pics and other theory on this conversation between 2 groups of people and the concrete age backdrop).

There was also the Everybody Hates The Eagles https://x.com/sewerwolfs/status/1563914965072986112 noise jam. Which looking back has so many potential references to anti dicator/anti military/end of civilization concept that we’re seeing in foundations of decay and the concrete age. 

I feel like the SWARM concept was us seeing a preview of the aftermaths of a revolution, where the swarm start fighting back, decaying the foundations of the CONCRETE AGE and bringing down the dictator/secretary.

So what we’re seeing right now in the new teasers are the leadup to this giant revolutionary story. A war. We’re seeing a new dictator enter, and we know the Black Parade is being invited back to perform again. But their music might inspire something from the people that brings the dictator down…We know there’s a secret message in the teasers, and people have deciphered  one of it to say “MEN AT ATTENTION”. Maybe the black parade is leaving us secret messages to start revolutionizing, to assemble like soldiers so we can fight our last crusade. To bring down the dictator and end the concrete age.

DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? OR AM I GOING CRAZY? I’m sure there’s more to cover and plot holes to figure out so please add your thoughts!

--

PS: This can just be a fun concept, or it could be like everything else Gerard has ever done and actually have a greater message about the political climate / state of the world right now. It feels like a call to realize that we are a large swarm of people who make up the foundations of our world’s towers: the government, the people in power. And without a stable foundation, those towers can and will be brought down. Do we welcome our extinction or perhaps snap out of it and fight back?

-Elsie

[wawataka]

when gerard way said we are plagued, but the poison is the cure, you must fix your heart, and you must build an alter where it swells

[a-star-that-fell]

i am. having a normal one. and by having a normal one i mean i am lying in bed motionless looping foundations of decay until the benadryl kicks in

[m1xt4pe-m4ster]

And as you stumble through your last crusade

Will you welcome your extinction in the morning rays?

And as the swarm it calls, we lay in the foundations of decay.

[mikeyswayy]

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(UPDATED INTRO POST)

(𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨...)

DNI'S are literally only like MSI fans.. oh and if your homophobic, transphobic, racist. anything like that.. oh and if your possibly one of my family members

⚰︎

I don't have a name, call me cunt or something I don't care

•

MCR is my favorite band, I like fob too and I forgot but I love any of Frankie's bands too! And Gees solo music!!!!!

⚰︎

My favorite movies are (these aren't in order btw) Donnie Darko, star Wars, life on the murder scene. (I like the Chucky movies too, I was raised on them but they're not my favorite)

˙

Favorite TV shows, the walking dead (all the spin-offs too) , umbrella academy, Chucky (I'm a big nerd for child's play and Chucky btw) / (I can't think of others right now but I think I have some more maybe..)

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Favorite comics, the walking dead, the true lives of the fabulous Killjoys, the true lives of the fabulous Killjoys: national anthem, umbrella academy (I have more but like I forget a lot so..)

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Favorite games, the walking dead telltale games (I have others that I'm not gonna name here bc I wanna say it somewhere else.. But you'll probably know soon enough)

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Favorite colors are red and black

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My favorite YouTubers are jake webber and Johnnie guilbert but I have a few more and they do pranks but like I don't think anyone that's here probably likes them so.. Well carry on.

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Favorite album is I brought you my bullets, you brought me your love

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Favorite songs are, my way home is through you, not that kind of girl, Emily, black dragon fighting society, all the angels and tomorrow's money

⚰︎

𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗢𝗠 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗦 :

I've always wanted to play bass

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I wanna make comics, draw and maybe write some.. :D

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I'm a minor, don't be a Creepazoid.. but i dont care if your over 18 :P

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Literally obsessed with Mikey way..

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I like sour candies, war heads I like a lot. Sour candy also isn't sour to me..

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I like vampires (𝘪 𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘦) and that stuff, bats too I guess

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Blood is cool too

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I draw sometimes (𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘐'𝘮 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.. 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦?)

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I edit sometimes..

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I'm awake all night listening to MCR, and all day almost too..

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Petekey.. ♡

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Frerard ♥︎

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My favorite soda is root beer

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I'm running out of things to say now.. Let's carry on..

⚰︎

This is the end.. So.. Bye? I don't know.. Want the lyrics to the foundations of decay? There, it's down there ↓

See the man who stands upon the hill

He dreams of all the battles won

But fate had left its scars upon his face

With all the damage they had done

And so tired with age, he turns the page

Let the flesh submit itself to gravity

Let our bodies lay, mark our hearts with shame

Let our blood in vain, you find God in pain

Now, if your convictions were a passing phase

May your ashes feed the river in the morning rays

And as the vermin crawls, we lay in the foundations of decay

He was there the day the towers fell

And so he wandered down the road

And we would all build towers of our own

Only to watch the roots corrode

But it's much too late, you're in the race

So we'll press and press 'til you can't take it anymore

Let our bodies lay, mark our hearts with shame

Let our blood in vain, you find God in pain

And if, by his own hand, his spirit flies

Take his body as a relic to be canonized

Now, and so he gets to die a saint

But she will always be a whore

Against faith (cage all the animals)

Against all odds ('cause the message must be pure)

Against change (you can wander through the ruins)

We are free (but the poison is the cure)

You must fix your heart

And you must build an altar where it swells

When the storm, it gains and the sky, it rains

Let it flood, let it flood, let it wash away

And as you stumble through your last crusade

Will you welcome your extinction in the morning rays?

And as the swarm it calls, we lay in the foundations

Yes, it comforts me much more

Yes, it comforts me much more

To lay in the foundations of decay

Get up, coward

Now, so long and goodnight...

(I'll probably be adding more once I remember more shit, but for now Run, run, bunny, run)

(𝘈𝘴𝘬 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘧𝘧...)

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

[sosaysdean]

AGAINST FAITH (cage all the animals) AGAINST ALL LIFE (cause the message must be pure) AGAINST CHANGE (you can wander through the ruins) WE ARE PLAGUED (but the poison is the cure) YOU MUST. FIX YOUR HEART. AND YOU MUST BUILD AN ALTAR WHERE IT SWELLS. WHEN THE STORM IT GAINS AND THE SKY IT RAINS. LET IT FLOOD. LET IT FLOOD. LET IT WASH AWAY. AND AS YOU STUMBLE THROUGH YOUR LAST CRUSADE. WILL YOU WELCOME YOUR EXTINCTION IN THE MORNING RAYS? AND AS THE SWARM IT CALLS WE LAY IN THE FOUNDATIONS. yes it comforts me much more. yes it comforts me much more. to lay in the foundations of decay. GET. UP. COWARD.

[loving-kindness]

As you stumble through your last crusade...

Will you welcome your extinction in the morning rays...

And as the swarm it calls, we lay in the foundations of decay.

◇ The Foundations of Decay live at the Corona Capital Center 2022

[mai-sau]

And as we stumble through your last crusade Will you welcome your extinction in the morning rays? And as the swarming calls, we lay in the foundations - Yes, it comforts me much more... Yes, it comforts me much more... To lay in the foundations of decay.

Get up, coward.

a melkor playlist (listen here on spotify!)

eng translation for I Am In A Period of Desperation

[vampbffy]

See the man who stands upon the hill

He dreams of all the battles won

But fate had left its scars upon his face

With all the damage they had done

And so tired with age, he turns the page

Let the flesh submit itself to gravity

Let our bodies lay, mark our hearts with shame

Let our blood in vain, you find God in pain

Now, if your convictions were a passing phase

May your ashes feed the river in the morning rays

And as the vermin crawls, we lay in the foundations of decay

He was there the day the towers fell

And so he wandered down the road

And we would all build towers of our own

Only to watch the roots corrode

But it's much too late, you're in the race

So we'll press and press 'til you can't take it anymore

Let our bodies lay, mark our hearts with shame

Let our blood in vain, you find God in pain

And if, by his own hand, his spirit flies

Take his body as a relic to be canonized

Now, and so he gets to die a saint

But she will always be a whore

Against faith (cage all the animals)

Against all odds ('cause the message must be pure)

Against change (you can wander through the ruins)

We are free (but the poison is the cure)

You must fix your heart

And you must build an altar where it swells

When the storm, it gains and the sky, it rains

Let it flood, let it flood, let it wash away

And as you stumble through your last crusade

Will you welcome your extinction in the morning rays?

And as the swarm it calls, we lay in the foundations

Yes, it comforts me much more

Yes, it comforts me much more

To lay in the foundations of decay

Get up, coward

this is so crazy

[aropride]

2023

SEE THE MAN WHO STANDS UPON THE HILL

HE DREAMS OF ALL THE BATTLES WON

BUT FATE HAD LEFT ITS SCARS UPON HIS FACE

WITH ALL THE DAMAGE THEY HAD DONE

AND SO TIME WITH AGE, IT TURNS THE PAGE

LET THE FLESH SUBMIT ITSELF TO GRAVITY

LET OUR BODIES LAY, MARK OUR HEARTS WITH SHAME

LET OUR BLOOD IN VAIN, YOU FIND GOD IN PAIN

IF YOUR CONVICTIONS WERE A PASSING FAITH

MAY YOUR ASHES FEED THE RIVER IN THE MORNING RAYS

AND AS THE VERMIN CRAWLS

WE LAY IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF DECAY

HE WAS THERE, THE DAY THE TOWERS FELL

AND SO HE WANDERED DOWN THE ROAD

AND WE WOULD ALL BUILD TOWERS OF OUR OWN

ONLY TO WATCH THE ROOTS CORRODE

BUT IT'S MUCH TOO LATE, YOU'RE IN THE RACE

SO WE'LL PRESS AND PRESS 'TIL YOU CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE

LET OUR BODIES LAY, MARK OUR HEARTS WITH SHAME

LET OUR BLOOD IN VAIN, YOU FIND GOD IN PAIN

AND IF BY HIS OWN HAND HIS SPIRIT FLIES

TAKE HIS BODY AS A RELIC TO BE CANONIZED

AND SO HE GETS TO DIE A SAINT BUT SHE WILL ALWAYS BE THE WHORE

YOU LOOK STRESSED OUT

AGAINST FAITH (CAGE ALL THE ANIMALS)

AGAINST ALL LIFE (CUZ THE MESSAGE MUST BE PURE)

AGAINST CHANGE (YOU CAN WANDER THROUGH THE RUINS)

WE ARE PLAGUED (BUT THE POISON IS THE CURE)

YOU MUST FIX YOUR HEART

AND YOU MUST BUILD AN ALTAR WHERE IT SWELLS

WHEN THE STORM DECAYS, AND THE SKY IT RAINS

LET IT FLOOD, LET IT FLOOD, LET IT WASH AWAY

AND AS YOU STUMBLE THROUGH YOUR LAST CRUSADE

WILL YOU WELCOME YOUR EXTINCTION IN THE MORNING RAYS?

AND AS THE SWARM IT CALLS, WE LAY IN THE FOUNDATIONS

YES IT COMFORTS ME MUCH MORE

YES IT COMFORTS ME MUCH MORE

TO LAY IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF DECAY

GET UP, COWARD!

[angstics]

it doesnt feel right to call this mcr tour the "return" or "reunion" tour, even though it technically is. that ship already sailed 2020-21 -- this is something else. i like "swarm tour" because it seems to be what the band and crew call it. that's what they got tattooed! if you dont know where it comes from, foundations has the line "and as the swarm it calls, we lay in the foundations of decay". i also like it because it connects back to the bullets era in a really fun way

[cowboycatss]

See the man who stands upon the hill

He dreams of all the battles won

But fate had left its scars upon his face

With all the damage they had done

And so tired with age, he turns the page

Let the flesh submit itself to gravity

Let our bodies lay while our hearts will stay

Let our blood invade if I die in pain

Now, if your convictions were a passing phase

May your ashes feed the river in the morning rays

And as the vermin crawls, we lay in the foundations of decay

He was there the day the towers fell

And so he wandered down the road

And we would all build towers of our own

Only to watch the rooms corrode

But it's much too late, you're in the race

So we'll press and press 'til you can't take it anymore

Let our bodies lay while our hearts will stay

Let our blood invade if I die in pain

And if, by his own hand, his spirit flies

Take his body as a relic to be canonized

Now, and so he gets to die a saint

But she will always be a whore

Against faith (antihero)

Against all odds (as if it must be pure)

Against change (we wander through the ruins)

We are free (the guiltiness is yours)

You must fix your heart

And you must build an altar where it rests

When the storm decays and the sky, it rains

Let it flood, let it flood, let it wash away

And as we stumble through your last crusade

Will you welcome your extinction in the morning rays?

And as the swarming calls, we lay in the foundations

Yes, it comforts me much more

Yes, it comforts me much more

To lay in the foundations of decay

Get up, coward

this is so true can we kiss

[fleshybones]

My chemical romance, the foundations of decay lyrics

See the man who stands upon the hill

He dreams of all the battles won

But fate had left its scars upon his face

With all the damage they had done

And so tired with age, he turns the page

Let the flesh submit itself to gravity

Let our bodies lay while our hearts will stay

Let our blood invade if I die in pain

Now, if your convictions were a passing phase

May your ashes feed the river in the morning rays

And as the vermin crawls, we lay in the foundations of decay

He was there the day the towers fell

And so he wandered down the road

And we would all build towers of our own

Only to watch the rooms corrode

But it's much too late, you're in the race

So we'll press and press 'til you can't take it anymore

Let our bodies lay while our hearts will stay

Let our blood invade if I die in pain

And if, by his own hand, his spirit flies

Take his body as a relic to be canonized

Now, and so he gets to die a saint

But she will always be a whore

Against faith (antihero)

Against all odds (as if it must be pure)

Against change (we wander through the ruins)

We are free (the guiltiness is yours)

You must fix your heart

And you must build an altar where it rests

When the storm decays and the sky, it rains

Let it flood, let it flood, let it wash away

And as we stumble through your last crusade

Will you welcome your extinction in the morning rays?

And as the swarming calls, we lay in the foundations

Yes, it comforts me much more

Yes, it comforts me much more

To lay in the foundations of decay

Get up, coward

[gay-mcr-slut]

‼️WRONG‼️

i will not accept this kind of negativity. does foundations really sound like a death song to you. get up coward??!!! DOES THAT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU??!!!!!

theyre accepting their death in the media. their death in the spotlight. “as the swarm it calls we lay in the foundations of decay” theyre getting comfy in the start of their new career that wont be as popular as it once was!!!! because the swarm is calling!!!!! its us!!!!!! we’re the swarm!!!!!!! its not a coincidence that from the stage the CROWD looks like a SWARM OF FLIES!!!! AS THE FANS CALL THEY EMBRACE WHAT WILL BE THE DECAY OF THEIR MAINSTREAM POPULARITY!!!!!! DONT LISTEN TO THE DEMONS OP MCR5 IS REAL!!!!!!!!

guys im actually tweaking

what if mcr5 isnt real and foundations of decay is just the acceptance of the death of mcr

[fagdykemuppet]

WE ARE PLAGUED (BUT POISON IS THE CURE) YOU MUST FIX YOUR HEART AND YOU MUST BUILD AN ALTAR WHERE IT SWELLS WHEN THE STORM IT GAINS AND THE SKY IT RAINS LET IT FLOOD LET IT FLOOD LET IT WASH AWAY AND AS YOU STUMBLE THEOUGH YOUR LAST CRUSADE WILL YOU WELCOKE YOUR EXTINCTION IN THE MORNING RAYS AND AS THE SWARM IT CALLS WE LAY IN THE FOUNDATIONS YES IT COMFORTS ME MUCH MORE YES IT COMFORTS ME MUCH MORE TO LAY IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF DECAY GET! UP! COWARD!!

[bfmva7x]

The Foundations of Decay

Song by My Chemical Romance

OverviewLyricsVideosListenAnalysisArtists

See the man who stands upon the hill

He dreams of all the battles won

But fate had left its scars upon his face

With all the damage they had done

And so tired with age, he turns the page

Let the flesh submit itself to gravity

Let our bodies lay while our hearts will stay

Let our blood invade if I die in pain

Now, if your convictions were a passing phase

May your ashes feed the river in the morning rays

And as the vermin crawls, we lay in the foundations of decay

He was there the day the towers fell

And so he wandered down the road

And we would all build towers of our own

Only to watch the rooms corrode

But it's much too late, you're in the race

So we'll press and press 'til you can't take it anymore

Let our bodies lay while our hearts will stay

Let our blood invade if I die in pain

And if, by his own hand, his spirit flies

Take his body as a relic to be canonized

Now, and so he gets to die a saint

But she will always be a whore

Against faith (antihero)

Against all odds (as if it must be pure)

Against change (we wander through the ruins)

We are free (the guiltiness is yours)

You must fix your heart

And you must build an altar where it rests

When the storm decays and the sky, it rains

Let it flood, let it flood, let it wash away

And as we stumble through your last crusade

Will you welcome your extinction in the morning rays?

And as the swarming calls, we lay in the foundations

Yes, it comforts me much more

Yes, it comforts me much more

To lay in the foundations of decay

Get up, coward.

These lyrics, they are so deep and meaningful!!

I love them! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤