Foundation formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2006 as a straight edge hardcore band operating squarely in the tradition of 90s heavy hitters — the kind of band that made people stop and pay attention at Bridge Nine the same way Champion and Have Heart had done before them. Their debut full-length When the Smoke Clears dropped May 2011, recorded at LedBelly Studios in December 2010 with producer Matt Washburn, whose resume included Mastodon and Norma Jean. Ten tracks of heavy, no-frills, 90s-rooted hardcore with lyrics that hit like a sermon and breakdowns that hit harder. “No Cure for Fools” is track seven — one of the most referenced songs in their catalog and the one fans most associate with the band’s ethos.
Foundation broke up in 2016 after releasing three records on Bridge Nine (When the Smoke Clears, Hang Your Head, Turncoat), went completely quiet, and then in late 2024 reunited for their first show in eight years at The Masquerade in Atlanta. That reunion has made their merch considerably harder to find and considerably more expensive when it does surface. A double-sided crewneck from the When the Smoke Clears era in size Small and excellent condition is not something that comes up every day — this is the kind of piece that circulates in small hardcore collector circles and disappears fast. Listed at $119.99 OBO with 10 watchers already on it.
