Coldplay are rallying the troops for their curiously titled fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, which is set to hit stores mid-June. Taking cues from U2, the band enlists studio wiz Brian Eno to produce their newest record, while also having one of the most pretentious titles and covers for a mainstream band since, well, U2.

The first single, "Violet Hill" has just been released for free on the web, making its way across the world as 600,000 people downloaded it from Coldplay's site in the 24 hours after it was uploaded. And rightfully so, because Coldplay really step things up on "Violet Hill," charging forward with an evocative single that's enveloped in brooding atmosphere and blinding verses. The guitars effectively alternate between shimmering guitar lines and crunchy distortion that roars in a solo midway through as the drum pounds along militarily. Martin creates some stark religious imagery as well, with lines like, "Priests clutched onto bibles/And went out to fit their rifles/And the cross was held aloft". Because the hooks aren't handed to you on a silver platter, this one only gets better with repeated listens, which is a welcomed evolution in Coldplay's sound.

This isn't a shocker of a first single, and it won't divide Coldplay fans, but it is a pleasing development that suggests that the band is going darker and more methodical on the upcoming Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. If "Violet Hill" is any signifier, this will be the album you won't be able to ignore this summer.