U2 Announce New Album 'Carnaval de Luz', Featuring Dolly Parton's Final Recording

U2 have announced their first album of new material in nearly a decade, titled "Carnaval de Luz," scheduled for release on November 13.

The Edge, the band's guitarist, described the record as "a messy, provocative, sacred collection of songs," according to comments accompanying the announcement. The album will be U2's 16th studio release, marking a significant return for the Irish rock band after an extended gap since their last full collection of new material.

The album's twelve tracks close with a song titled "Torn," which features what has been described as the final recorded performance by Dolly Parton, who duets with U2 frontman Bono on the track. Parton, one of the most celebrated figures in country music, recorded her contribution to the song before her death.

U2 have remained one of the most prominent acts in rock music since forming in Dublin in the late 1970s, with a catalogue spanning several decades and numerous best-selling albums. A new full-length release from the band is likely to draw significant attention from longtime fans as well as the broader music industry.

The pairing of Bono and Parton on the closing track adds a notable cross-genre element to the album, bringing together one of rock's most enduring bands with a defining voice in country music. Further details on the album's other tracks, its production and any accompanying tour plans were not included in the initial announcement.

The November release date positions "Carnaval de Luz" as one of the notable rock album releases heading into the end of the year.