U2 Drops Politically Charged Days of Ash EP With Six New Songs
U2 Drops Politically Charged Days of Ash EP With Six New Songs
U2 releases Days of Ash, a six-track EP addressing ICE, Ukraine, Iran, and the West Bank, with Ed Sheeran guesting on a defiant new track.
U2 has re-emerged from a long hiatus with a surprise six-song EP, Days of Ash, now streaming across platforms. The collection dives into pressing flashpoints around the world—from ICE raids in the United States to the wars and upheavals shaping Ukraine, Iran, and the Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The tracks — American Obituary, The Tears Of Things, Song Of The Future, Wildpeace, One Life At A Time, and Yours Eternally (ft. Ed Sheeran & Taras Topolia) — are accompanied by lyric videos, signaling the band’s intent to spark conversation and reflection as they tease a later album later in the year. Bono notes the songs are intentionally varied in mood, promising celebratory tunes will follow after a year marked by defiance and dismay.
American Obituary is introduced as a tribute to Renee Good, a protester killed by ICE in Minneapolis, with lines that evoke a mother’s voice demanding freedom for her children. Bono explains in a fanzine interview that the rhythm nods to Bob Dylan’s It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding), highlighting a thread of storytelling that moves from lament to resilience. The Tears of Things borrows its title from Richard Rohr’s 2025 book, signaling the EP’s contemplative approach to global sorrow and perseverance.
In addition to addressing these urgent realities, the band hints at a forthcoming album described as more defiantly joyful. drummer Larry Mullen Jr. has returned to the studio for new recordings, suggesting Days of Ash is a bridge between urgent commentary and the more expansive ideas they plan to explore on future releases.
