Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds has told Music Week the band’s third album Evolve marks a “point of arrival” for the band.
The LP dropped via Kidinakorner/Polydor Records on June 23 and went straight in at No.3 on last week's chart, with first-week sales of 20,217. It went one better in the US, debuting at No.2.
“This record was a really happy, colourful time period for all of us," said Reynolds. "It was the first time we took two years off the road, which I think we needed. We were all really burnt out in a lot of ways. We wanted to give the world a break from us as well because I think they were burning out on us.
“We took some time away, and took some really needed time to get mentally and physically healthy. I had been dealing with a lot of depression, and really faced it and dealt with it head on. I sought help and got to a really healthy headspace. I think that lyrically it really shows in the record. Hopefully, people can identify with that. It was a really fun record. We’re really anxious for people to hear it.”
The Las Vegas band, who are currently No.1 in the Billboard Artist 100, are expected back in the UK later this year following a one-off date at London’s Roundhouse last month. Their debut album, 2012's Night Visions has sold 541,577 copies in the UK, according to the Official Charts Company, while follow-up, 2015’s Smoke & Mirrors, gave the band their first UK chart-topper and went on to shift 179,558 units.
“I feel like [Evolve] is a point of arrival for us in many ways,” added Reynolds. “It’s the first record we’ve put out where I feel, sonically, it is cohesive. It speaks for what Imagine Dragons is, and it’s taken us years for us to find it. But part of that searching process was great.
“Now, we’ve reached a point where I just feel like happy and confident with where we are - happy with what we’ve done and happy with what Imagine Dragons stands for - and excited for the future.”
Read the full Music Week interview with Reynolds and guitarist Wayne Sermon here.
