The Cure have announced a new song – their first in 16 years – and the first sign of a return to the studio, from a band that has been postponing its impending comeback since at least 2019.

The band shared a short snippet of the song titled “Alone” on social media, along with close-up black-and-white images of a stone statue’s face.

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In the snippet of the song, which features drums and electric guitar, frontman Robert Smith sings the lyrics: “This is the end of every song we sing. The stars are clouded by tears…

In 2019, Robert Smith stated that the Cure entered the studio and recorded 19 10- to 12-minute songs, which were later said to comprise two albums. A few months later, he admitted that some reshoots were necessary, but insisted he would be “extremely bitter” if the 2019 release date didn’t materialize.

By the following February, when asked to confirm that an album would be coming that year, he replied: “No! I’m too old to commit to such stupid things.”