One Direction slowed things down on Friday (October 25) when they premiered their new single, [article id="1715369"]"Story of My Life,"[/article] off their upcoming album, [article id="1715451"]Midnight Memories[/article].

While they opted for a peppy lead single, [article id="1710849"]"Best Song Ever,"[/article] to set the tone for their November 25 release, the guys went for a completely different sound for their ballad "Story of My Life," which opens with a folkie guitar arrangement and some heartbreaking lyrics.

"Written in these walls are the stories that I can't explain/ I leave my heart open but it stays right here empty for days/ She told me in the morning she don't feel the same about us in her bones/ It seems to me that when I die, these words will be written on my stone."

The song builds to the chorus, which swells with an almost tribal beat as the guys sing, "The story of my life, I take her home/ I drive all night to keep her warm/ And time is frozen (the story of, the story of)/ The story of my life, I give her hope/ I spend her love until she's broke inside/ The story of my life (the story of, the story of)."

YES - #StoryOfMyLife has hit radios across the world! If you haven't heard it yet - you can listen right here: http://t.co/wKFT01vr90 1DHQ x

— One Direction (@onedirection) October 25, 2013

So... Who wants to see a sneak peek of the #StoryOfMyLifeLyrics?! 1DHQ x pic.twitter.com/PhJ5UD4Lkc

— One Direction (@onedirection) October 25, 2013

Prior to the release, Niall Horan spoke to radio station Capital FM in the U.K. about the single, which was written with Graffiti6's Jamie Scott.

"He's written a lot with us on this album too. We were in Nottingham on tour when we were touring the U.K. back in February and March, and we just came into a room one day and he was like, 'I've got this song that I've written and I want to play [it for] you.' And we just fell in love with it the second we heard it," Horan said. "It's up there with the best that we've brought out but 'Story of My Life' might just take it."

The song officially hits retailers on Monday, October 28. And Niall teased what fans will see in the accompanying video. "It's a very passionate song and when you see the video that goes with it, it suits it as well," he said.