Photo by Michael Marcelle

Arcade Fire have announced their highly anticipated sixth studio album WE will release on May 6, via Columbia Records. Along with the announcement of the album, the Canadian indie rock outfit released the first single off the album “The Lightning I, II” with an accompanying video.

WE was recorded in multiple locations including New Orleans, El Paso, Texas and Mount Desert Island, Maine and sees band members Régine Chassagne, Win Butler, Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury, Jeremy Gara and Will Butler explore the isolation, reconnection, despair and joy. According to Butler, the album is “the longest we’ve ever spent writing, uninterrupted, probably ever,” and is distilled into a two-sided 40-minute LP.

The album is split into two sides; side “I” which focuses on loneliness, isolation and fear and side “WE” which is a blissful expression of joy due to reconnection. The video for “The Lightning I, II” was directed by Emily Kai Bock, and in black-and-white captures, the energy and chaos felt by many over the past few years.

Watch the video for “The Lightning I, II” below:

WE Tracklist

“I”

Age of Anxiety I
Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole)
End of the Empire I-IV

“WE”

The Lightning I, II
Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)
Unconditional II (Race and Religion) 
WE