U2's new album, Songs of Experience, was inspired by how the band dealt with a serious health issue that recently affected Bono.
The singer would not reveal the nature of the crisis in a recent NME interview, but he says it was even more serious than the bike accident that put him in the hospital several years ago.
"Edge wasn’t fibbing when he said that we had to stop and take account of what was going on in the world," said the frontman.
"He just didn’t want to mention what was going on in my world. I don’t want to get too into the details of it, for fear of the melodramatic reality-TV kerfuffle. A lot of people have these moments. I’ve had a few. Not quite at this level."
Edge added that the "major fright" ended up bringing the best out of Bono as a songwriter.
Much of the lyrics were written as if from beyond the grave. Bono credits poet Brendan Kennelly for inspiring the approach.
Songs of Experience was initially meant to be released as a companion to 2014's Songs of Innocence, but the band re-wrote and re-recorded much of the album after a series of world events, including Bono's medical concerns.
The new album is due out December 1.
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