Album Review: Imagine Dragons – Mercury – Act 1

Unconventionally unfiltered

From their subversive release of Night Visions in 2012, filled with classic, nostalgic hits such as “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons has been established as a household name in the music scene. Their signature blend of pop, indie-rock, electronic and industrial has been a staple to the band’s sound and thus their success. Three years after 2018’s Origins, Imagine Dragons has returned with their latest album, Mercury – Act 1. The project channels much of their previous influences but also incorporates a variety of unconventional sounds and production choices that give the overall project an unfiltered, emotional rawness.

The opening track, “My Life,” is a somber anthem of self-reflection, self-expression and self-discovery, establishing the overarching tone of the rest of the album. Lead singer Dan Reynolds addresses themes of discontent and personal strife over a paralleled melody of weighted piano keys. It’s dark and moody, and Reynolds’s voice aches with the emotional baggage of the years gone by. The album’s tracklist order suggests themes of vulnerability and existentialism, with “Lonely” directly following “My Life.” The track takes on a blend of plucky guitar licks and an adhesive, bass-heavy electro-pop beat. Reynolds’s pre-chorus delivery is just as catchy, swiftly flowing through each kick drum and guitar strum as he vocalizes his feelings of emptiness—”Sleep it away, life in a day, no day in a life.”

The album takes an introspective turn on “Wrecked,” balancing soft vocals expressing the desire for change and a thunderous beat switch with the vulnerable declaration of “I’m a wreck without you here.” Meanwhile, tracks such as “Monday” are detours towards playful experimentation, dabbling with electronic synths and a light, perky beat. It’s unapologetically eccentric, with a sharp instrumental break and the proclamation of a fondness of Mondays. “#1” is another joyful groove, covered with glossy basslines, hefty trumpets and lyrics such as “When it’s all been said and done, I’m still my number 1,” serving as a reassurance of self-worth over self-doubt.

“Easy Come Easy Go” sparkles with piano keys and a breezy vocal delivery. The lyrics come off as unfiltered and genuine with references to previous songs of Imagine Dragons’ discography, including “Demons” and “Zero;”⁠ Reynolds sounds like he’s talking with a long-time friend. It’s a nice sentiment of appreciation for listeners who have followed the band over the years.

Tracks such as “Giants,” “Dull Knives” and “Cutthroat” churn through an industrial experimentation of sounds, ranging from plucky strings, seething beats, grand electronic synths and riffs, over gentle falsettos to hardcore screaming. “Cutthroat” is an especially fun track, dabbling with a reverberating synth that threateningly shifts back and forth, like the grinding away of a hand saw, before sputtering into a heavy surge of staticky bass and chopped-up vocal samples.

Themes of perseverance come into play in “It’s Ok” and “No Time for Toxic People,” with gentle, carefree harmonies serving as reassurance to get through troubling thoughts and emotions. Lyrics such as “Take a look outside, it’s a beautiful day” are reminders to take in the positives rather than focus on the negatives, a nice balancing away from the more somber themes on the album.

“One Day” closes the album with a carefree strumming of folk guitar strings, paired with the Hawaiian-esque delivery of lines ending in the swift, upward-sloping tone of “ay”—“Sun on a cloudy day… the feel of a perfect wave… crashin’ upon your face…” Reynolds closes the track with a beachy series of vocals, ending the album in a happier place than it began. The track sounds like finding the light at the end of the tunnel, filled with optimism and positivity.

Almost 10 years after their debut, Mercury – Act 1 is a testament to how far Imagine Dragons has come. The album radiates a certain tenderness with each instrument, lyric and production choice. It’s arguably Imagine Dragons at their most open and vulnerable, with emotions ranging from intimate guitar strums to explosive hardcore-screaming vocals.