Since their debut album “Night Visions,” Imagine Dragons has seemed to non-stop deliver on every musical note. The pop-rock quartet is known for their lyrical masterpieces, like their 2012 smash hit “Demons,” and more recently their instant success “Believer.” Dan Reynolds, the band’s lead vocalist, has undoubtedly euphonious vocals that compliment and synchronize exceedingly well with the music the group creates.
The band announced their fifth album, which they dubbed “Origins”, via Twitter on Oct. 3, and set the release date for today, Nov. 9. There are currently two songs out now that will hold a place on the album, these being “Natural” and “Zero.”
“Natural” is one of those songs one could hear without much knowledge of their previous albums and still recognize it as an Imagine Dragons song. It’s packed with plenty of roaring vocals from Reynolds, which are accompanied by a pump-up-esque bass and music.
Many of Imagine Dragons’ songs are known to send messages along the lines of “don’t let weakness overtake you” and “awaken your abilities and prove them wrong.” “Natural” does just that, but has one of the most astonishing sounds we’ve heard from the band in recent years. Everything about the song makes fans appreciate the process they endure to deliver these melodious creations even more.
Reynolds has openly admitted that he’s dealt with depression and anxiety for quite some time, and in the song, he provides his personal solution:“You gotta be so cold to make it in this world.” He describes his system of defense against difficult situations as acting cold hearted. His powerful voice does an excellent job of portraying the solution.
The message of “Natural” serves as a reminder that overcoming emotional pain and trauma isn’t always without effort. It takes courage, will, and most importantly, strength.
“Zero,” another song set to be featured on “Origins,” is the second of the two tracks currently out now. It has a far calmer tone, opposed to Reynolds’ more common thunderous, dominating vocals. This song’s message is about the people that may not feel like they’re enough, best observed from the lyrics “Wide-eyed one with a mind full of wonder, 27 years and I’ve nothing to show.”
It’s both fundamentally and conceptually contrasting compared to “Natural,” but despite its differences, it’s still a wonderful tune that fans seem to be enjoying. The pace takes a far more rapid approach in terms of lyrical delivery and instruments. The swift and more fun vibe it gives off is what most likely earned it a place in the 2018 movie “Ralph Breaks the Internet.” It makes perfect sense for this type of song to be featured in a video game or internet-esque film, partly because the title “Zero” gives off a sort of coding or encryption-based tone.
Overall, “Natural” and “Zero” have served to impress. If these songs are just a small fraction of what to expect from “Origins,” fans are in for quite a gem. The approach they seem to be taking will likely, as usual, appeal to listeners everywhere. Even if it flops, which currently is unlikely, it will forever be apart of Imagine Dragons’ long-running legacy.
“Origins” was released today, as “Ralph Breaks the Internet” will hit the theatres Nov 21.
