"We don't write songs which shy away from witnessing a world in its trauma, its rage and pain." U2 surprise-release new six-song EP Easter Lily

U2 are celebrating Easter with the surprise Good Friday release of a new EP, Easter Lily.

The six-track collection is the follow-up to the quartet's Days Of Ash EP, which was released on Ash Wednesday, February 18.

In comparison to that politically-charged, "defiant" EP, the Irish quartet's new EP is described as a "much more reflective set of songs... emerging from a more personal, private place that some may retreat to in such times – exploring themes of friendship, loss, hope, and ultimately, renewal."

As with its predecessor, the Easter Lily EP is accompanied by a digital e-zine edition of U2’s own fanzine Propaganda, which includes lyrics for each song, contributions from all four band members, and an interview with long-time producer Jacknife Lee, formerly of Compulsion.

"I think this is an important era for the band," says Lee. "They have not sounded so energised in decades."

"These songs are personally revealing but definitely not prescriptive," says guitarist The Edge. "They're about where we go, what works for us. The songs we feel compelled to make sense of it all.

"Our hunch is that our audience is as hungry as we are for something to hold on to in these difficult times. We don't write songs which shy away from witnessing a world in its trauma, its rage and pain and in these more spiritual songs we bear witness to the source of the strength we have found to walk through this world."

On the band's social media channels, frontman Bono adds, "We are in the studio, still working towards a noisy, messy, ‘unreasonably colour xerox’ album to play LIVE… which is where U2 lives. We still look to vivid rock n roll as an act of resistance against all this awfulness on our small screens. These are for sure ‘wilderness years’ for so many of us looking at the mayhem out there in the world. It’s a time that has our band digging deeper into our lives to find a wellspring of songs to try to meet the moment…

"With Easter Lily we ended up asking very personal questions like: Are our own relationships up to these challenging times? How hard do you fight for friendship? Can our faith survive the mangling of meaning that those algorithms love to reward? Is all religion rubbish and still ripping us apart…? Or are there answers to find in its crevices? Are there ceremonies, rituals, dances that we might be missing in our lives? From the rite of Spring to Easter and its promise of rebirth and renewal… Patti Smith’s album Easter gave me so much hope when it was released in 1978. I wasn’t yet 18. The title is a nod to her."

Bono signs off his message saying, "We will attempt hoopla and fanfare at a later date to remind the rest of the world we exist but in the meantime… this is between you and us."