Band Imagine Dragons has announced their fifth studio album will be released Sept. 3, 2021 via KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records. The record is called Mercury – Act 1 and it was produced by Rick Rubin, former copresident of Columbia Records and cofounder of Def Jam Records. In anticipation for the album, the band released a song called “Wrecked.”

“Wrecked” starts simply, with a bare guitar track. As the lyrics begin, the sound becomes more full with sharp percussion and an expansive bass line, contrasting sharply with underspoken vocals. The song is about Dan Reynolds, Imagine Dragons’ lead vocalist’s battle with grief after losing his sister-in-law to cancer.

“She was the brightest light. A beacon of joy and strength for everyone she met. Her sudden passing has shaken me in ways that I still am unable to express. I was with her and my brother when she passed, and it was the first time in my life that I had witnessed death in this way. It sealed into my mind the fragility of life and finality of this all. I’ve watched my brother face something that no one should have to. But I’ve also seen his faith bring him hope in a future with her. I can only hope for the same… This song was my way of dealing with it all, as music has always been my refuge. No longer being a man of fervent faith, I can only hope that she hears it somewhere in a place where she is healed and no longer in pain. This song is my wish for an eternity with those that I love,” Reynolds said in a press release. 

Imagine Dragons is set to headline the Mad Cool music festival in July 2021. The album Mercury – Act 1 is available for preorder here.

Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz