On Friday (July 2) Imagine Dragons released 'Wrecked,' a new song off their upcoming fifth studio album Mercury—Part 1. This will be the band’s first album released in three years. They last released Origins back in 2018.
'Wrecked' follows the release of 'Follow You' and 'Cutthroat,' and continues to show fans what they can expect from the next body of work from Imagine Dragons. The track was written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee & Daniel Platzman and produced by Imagine Dragons.
In a statement, Reynolds revealed the heartbreaking inspiration behind the song—the loss of his beloved sister-in-law, Alisha Durtschi Reynolds, 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," Reynolds said.
"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," the frontman continued. "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."
Ultimately, Reynolds says, this song was his "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.”
For their fifth studio album, Imagine Dragons teamed up with producer Rick Rubin. According to a press release, fans can expect "a candid album that abandons metaphorically charged lyrics and instead embraces emotional extremities, holding nothing back." The title of the album is inspired by the word “mercurial.”
Mercury—Act 1 will be released on September 3, 2021.