More than one year after The Script's Mark Sheehan died, the Irish band is back with new music — and they're wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Sheehan, who was a founding member of the band alongside Danny O'Donoghue and Glen Power, died in April 2023 following a brief illness at age 46.

Months after Sheehan's death, O'Donoghue, 43, found himself turning to drinking and smoking as a coping mechanism. Then, on the "27th of December," he chose sobriety and has maintained it ever since.

"I'm going through a really, really tough time," O'Donoghue tells PEOPLE exclusively. "I think I'm handling it in the best way I possibly can."

Unsure if the band could continue making music, O'Donoghue says The Script decided to give it a go and wrote about what they were feeling — which led to the birth of Satellites.

The album is a poignant reflection on grief, loss, and healing. O'Donoghue speaks candidly about his experience with sobriety, the inspiration behind the album and the fun story behind their hit song “Breakeven.”

A Legacy of Music and Brotherhood

The Script's music has always been deeply personal, and Satellites is no exception. The album is a testament to the band's enduring brotherhood, even in the face of profound loss. "We lost our guitarist last year, Mark. So we left ourselves with nowhere to go, really. When something like that happens, it can really rock you. So, we tried to write, and then it just started getting a little better, a little easier with each song. We started to become more ourselves again, [trying to] work our way through some of the emotions that we'd been going through." O'Donoghue shares.

A Song for Mark

The song "Gone" is a direct tribute to Sheehan, reflecting on the suddenness of his passing and the lasting impact he had on the band. "It was when I came up with the lyrics of “Gone,” which deals directly with Mark's passing. The lyrics are, “Like a shooting star across the sky, in a second you were gone. Why do stars that light up twice as bright only burn for half as long?”" O'Donoghue says.

"I just thought that it was a beautiful way to remember somebody and celebrate their life as opposed to mourning the loss. In Ireland, that's what we try to do anyway. We try and, as much as you can, smile through the tears instead of letting them grasp you, surround you and pull you down. So that was the inspiration was to do something for us because we were in a mess. And then what it's done is, it's actually galvanized everybody to having something to aim at."

The song is a moving tribute to Sheehan's legacy, showcasing The Script's ability to transform raw emotion into meaningful music.

Finding Solace in Music

As The Script navigate the challenging terrain of grief and loss, they find solace in the shared experience of their dedicated fanbase. "We're not alone going through it. That's what we feel is really important. It's a bit of a movement right now for us to have been through all that we've been through. The mad part for me is that I know The Script family fan base longer than some of my friends in my life. We're at 17 years as a band, so people have known us and been invested in us longer than one of our in-ear monitoring guys I met last year."

The band's music has become a source of comfort and connection for both The Script and their fans, fostering a sense of shared vulnerability and resilience. "There's a song called “Home is Where the Hurt Is.” I can't even listen to it without welling up because it reminds me of my past and it has so much emotion built into that one song. Normally if I have that feeling like, 'Oh, I don't know if I want to perform this, it might be too much,' that's the song that rockets. That's the song that once you sing it that first time, everyone in the audience gets involved in it. I hadn't felt about a song like that since “For the First Time.”"

Finding Strength in Vulnerability

The Script's music serves as a powerful reminder that vulnerability can be a source of strength. O'Donoghue's openness about his struggles with grief and his journey to sobriety is a testament to this. "Guys are so s--- at talking about how they f---ing feel. All I'm here doing is trying to just show people, look, if you let it out, it's a lot better. If you let it out, great things can happen. People think you let it out, bad things are going to happen. Nothing but good has happened to me in my life."

The Power of Sharing

The Script's music has always been about sharing raw emotion and authentic experiences. O'Donoghue's willingness to be open about his struggles is a powerful reminder that vulnerability can be a source of connection and inspiration. "My whole entire career is me being really, really messed up, broken, going to write it down, and then that piece of paper going around to the rest of the world and everybody being like, “Oh s---, have you seen what this guy wrote? Oh, well, I want to go see this guy now” because of what he read in that moment. If I hadn't done that, it would've never happened. It would've stayed on the inside."

A Message of Hope

The Script's music is a message of hope and resilience. They are a testament to the power of human connection and the ability to overcome adversity. O'Donoghue's journey to sobriety and his continued commitment to making music in the wake of Sheehan's passing is a powerful inspiration to fans around the world. "The Script is just about being open. Music is about the truth. I chose to be very open and very upfront about it because I have to be. I just lost my best mate of 30 years. Everybody knows I'm hurting. I have an opportunity here to tell people through my experience what I did to get right."

A New Chapter

The Script's new album is a testament to their ability to evolve and adapt, even in the face of profound loss. The band has embraced a new chapter, incorporating new members and a fresh sound while staying true to their core values of vulnerability and authenticity. "And what I mean by that is you can't... I was talking about grief and I was saying, your friends might think that the best thing for you is like, “Oh, let's try and change your mind. Let's bring him out, have a few drinks, forget about that person or this, that.” Actually, the worst thing you can do is go and drink alcohol, because what you're inevitably doing is kicking those issues down the road. And it's bloody tough, man. I came back after I spent pretty much most of Christmas just drinking my ass off, trying to forget stuff. I came back on the 27th of December and I just said, “That's it.” So I quit alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine even. You can imagine all of those on the one day. I started going to church every day, and then I work out three times a week."

A New Beginning

The Script's new album is a testament to their resilience and their commitment to their craft. The band has embraced a new beginning, incorporating new members and a fresh sound while staying true to their core values of vulnerability and authenticity. "I don't know what it's doing, but it's just absolutely incredible, the turnaround. Even though I'm going through a really, really tough time, I think I'm handling it in the best way I possibly can."

A Lasting Legacy

The Script's new album 'Satellites' is a testament to the band's ability to navigate hardship and transform pain into meaningful music. It is a tribute to Mark Sheehan's legacy and a message of hope and resilience. The album is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, we can find solace and strength in music, friendship, and our shared humanity. The Script's new album is a journey through grief, loss, and healing, a powerful reminder that we are not alone in our struggles and that through sharing our stories, we can find strength and connection.

The Script's latest album, 'Satellites,' is out now.