Transit of Venus | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 2, 2012 | |||
Recorded | January 5 – July 31, 2012 | |||
Studio | Revolution Studios, Toronto | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 41:40 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Producer | Don Gilmore | |||
Three Days Grace chronology | ||||
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Singles from Transit of Venus | ||||
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Transit of Venus is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was released on October 2, 2012 through RCA Records. The album is the band's first to be released under the record label, following the folding of their former label, Jive Records, in 2011. [2] The album was produced by Don Gilmore and recorded at Revolution Studios in Toronto. [3]
On June 5, 2012, the same day as Venus' visible transit across the sun, the band released the album title and release date. [4] The album spawned three singles ("Chalk Outline", "The High Road" and "Misery Loves My Company"). It is the band's last album to feature lead singer Adam Gontier, who departed the band on January 9, 2013. [5]
The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. [6] It was nominated for Best Rock Album at the Juno Awards of 2014. [7]
On June 5, 2012, the same day as the transit of Venus, the band announced the album title, as well as a release date set for October 2. [4] According to guitarist Barry Stock, their fans thought of the title who started speculating what the new album would be called on website forums a year prior. [8]
"We went for a tighter, more articulated sound on this record", said Neil Sanderson, the drummer of the band. "The music we were writing was a little more intricate than in the past, and we've been experimenting with new instruments. We wanted to present these new ideas concisely without going over-the-top in ambience and overall production." [3] The album was recorded at Revolution Studios in Toronto and produced by Don Gilmore. [3] The band took a different approach on this album heading into the studio, spending three and a half months working and writing songs, where in the past, the songs were already written and only had to spend a month in the studio recording. [9] The group also decided to cut back on layering guitar parts and experimented with different ideas, taking a "more industrial turn." [10] Stock wanted to go with a simplier sound, combining the rig he uses in studio and on the road. He used a Tiny Terror and Diesel VH4 amp. [8] The album was influenced by Nine Inch Nails. [10] Adam Gontier described the material as angsty and dark. Gontier also stated that "Give Me a Reason" was the most personal song off the record, dealing with his family life and the issues he had over the last couple of years. [9] The album was made available to stream online on September 27, 2012. [11] A Best Buy exclusive of the album was released on October 12, which contained the CD and a T-shirt bundle. [12] In promotion of the album, they played some concert shows in the US in October 2012, [13] as well as performing at the Rock Allegiance Festival. [14] The band co-headlined a US arena tour with Shinedown that began in early 2013. [6] The group extended the tour throughout April and May. [15]
"Chalk Outline" is the first single of the album and was released on August 14, 2012. [3] Loudwire gave the song a 4/5 rating, saying that "Adam Gontier attacks the track with as much angst and aggression as ever." [16] Eviqshed.com gave the single 5/5, praising the fact the band took a different direction musically. [17] The lyric video to the song was published on YouTube on Three Days Grace's Vevo account on August 13 [18] and the official music video was published on October 5. [19] "The High Road" was released as the album's second single on January 22, 2013. [20] "Misery Loves My Company" was released on May 14, 2013, as the third and final single. [21]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Artistdirect | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Inspirer Magazine | (8/10) [23] |
Loudwire | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Melodic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Lantern | A- [26] |
Upon its release, the album was met with generally favorable reviews by mainstream music critics, citing the band's different musical direction. Loudwire gave the album a 4 out of 5, saying that "Three Days Grace has stepped out of their comfort zone, ditched the formula, and went all in, holding nothing back in the true spirit of rock." [24] Another positive review came from Artistdirect's Rick Florino, who said that "Three Days Grace have undeniably progressed here, and the results are nothing short of incredible." [22] Johan Wippsson of Melodic wrote that in Transit of Venus "there's an aggressive undertone, which sets a perfect alternative touch on the album." [25] Dan Hope of The Lantern stated, "Some Three Days Grace fans might be initially rebuffed by the increased impact of studio production on this album, but overall, it is another fantastic chapter to the band's discography." [26]
Gregory Heaney at AllMusic describes the album as "more refined than anything they've done before". Heaner adds that the "level of atmosphere" on the album allows Three Days Grace to stand out among other post-grunge bands. [1] An article by music journalist Clayton Petras in Inspirer Magazine gave the album a positive review, mentioning that although the album "opens with some eerie notes and a crooning Adam Gontier that we're not quite used to", it goes on to mention that the album settles into "the gruff, rugged sound we've come to expect from the band". [23]
The album peaked at number 4 on the Canadian Albums Chart. [27] It also debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, [6] selling 48,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week, [28] two positions behind the band's previous album Life Starts Now , but the same position as One-X . Transit of Venus reached number No. 1 on U.S. Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums, [29] No. 3 on both the U.S. Billboard Top Rock Albums and U.S. Billboard Top Alternative Albums, [30] [31] and at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Top Digital Albums. [32] On Loudwire, the song "Chalk Outline" won the website's Rock Song of the Year award for 2012. [33] The song topped the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks charts debuting at No. 1 and remaining in this position for 13 consecutive weeks, [34] before dropping to No. 3 on its seventeenth week on the chart. [35] The song also reached No. 1 on the Active Rock Radio chart, and remained in this position for eleven weeks. This makes "Chalk Outline" the ninth Three Days Grace song to top Active Rock Radio. [36] "Chalk Outline" also peaked at No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, [37] No. 7 on the U.S. Billboard Rock Songs, [38] No. 15 on the U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs Chart, [39] and No. 65 on the Canadian Hot 100. [40] "The High Road" debuted at number 50 on the Canada Rock chart on the week of December 22, 2012, making it the last song from the band with Gontier to enter the charts before his departure in January 2013. [41] [5] Both "The High Road" and "Misery Loves My Company" topped the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart. [42] The album has sold 258,000 copies in the U.S. as of March 2015. [43] In February 2018, Transit of Venus was certified gold in Canada. [44]
All lyrics are written by Three Days Grace, except where noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Sign of the Times" | Three Days Grace, Jaren Johnson | 3:11 |
2. | "Chalk Outline" | Three Days Grace, Craig Wiseman | 3:02 |
3. | "The High Road" | Three Days Grace, Chris Tompkins, Matt Walst | 3:13 |
4. | "Operate" | Three Days Grace, Walst | 3:22 |
5. | "Anonymous" | 3:13 | |
6. | "Misery Loves My Company" | Three Days Grace, Wiseman | 2:42 |
7. | "Give in to Me" (Michael Jackson cover) | Michael Jackson, Bill Bottrell | 3:19 |
8. | "Happiness" | 2:53 | |
9. | "Give Me a Reason" | 4:03 | |
10. | "Time That Remains" | Three Days Grace, Chris Wallin | 3:12 |
11. | "Expectations" | Three Days Grace, Wallin | 2:43 |
12. | "Broken Glass" | 3:21 | |
13. | "Unbreakable Heart" | Three Days Grace, Rob Hawkins, Tompkins | 3:26 |
Total length: | 41:40 |
Three Days Grace
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Artwork
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Weekly charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada) [44] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Edition | Format | Label | Ref. |
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Various | October 2, 2012 | Standard | RCA | [51] | |
United States | October 12, 2012 | Best Buy exclusive | CD | [12] |
Three Days Grace is a Canadian rock band formed in Norwood, Ontario, in 1992 originally as Groundswell. Groundswell played in various local Norwood backyard parties and area establishments before disbanding in 1995 and regrouping in 1997 under its current name.
Three Days Grace is the debut studio album by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace, released on July 22, 2003, through Jive Records. It was the band's only album as a trio, and also under Bertelsmann Music Group.
Adam Wade Gontier is a Canadian singer and musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist and main songwriter for Saint Asonia, but is best known as the former lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and founding member of the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. Gontier left Three Days Grace on January 9, 2013. In addition to his work with Three Days Grace and Saint Asonia, he has been involved in collaborations with other bands including Art of Dying, Apocalyptica, Breaking Benjamin, Skillet and Thousand Foot Krutch.
One-X is the second studio album by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace, released on June 13, 2006 as their sole album under Sony BMG, the successor to Sony Music Entertainment's original roots and Bertelsmann Music Group. The Sony BMG joint venture was dropped in 2008, which led to Bertelsmann's Sony BMG stake going back to Sony. Produced by Howard Benson, it is the band's first album recorded as a quartet, as Barry Stock joined the group and took over lead guitar from lead singer Adam Gontier.
"Animal I Have Become" is a song by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was released on April 10, 2006, as the first single from their second studio album, One-X. The song was released digitally on April 18, 2006. The song spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and two weeks at No. 1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song alongside "Riot" are used in the video game, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007. It is the band's first single with their fourth member Barry Stock. Critical reception to the song was generally favorable, with emphasis on the song's catchiness combined with its thick guitars.
Neil Christopher Sanderson is a Canadian musician. He is the drummer, backing vocalist, keyboardist, and co-founder of the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. He cites his influences as John Bonham, Danny Carey, and Stewart Copeland. He is also the co-founder of the American record label Judge and Jury.
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"Lost in You" is the fourth and final single released from Three Days Grace's third album, Life Starts Now. The song was released for radio airplay on February 1, 2011. Much like "Never Too Late", it was a crossover song to top 40 radio. The song is also the band's first entry into adult contemporary stations; the first stations being on CFIT-FM Calgary, CKSY-FM Chatham-Kent, CJRL-FM Kenora and WNIC Detroit.
"Chalk Outline" is the lead single from Canadian rock band Three Days Grace's fourth album, Transit of Venus. The band released many "snippets" of the song before August 14 to tease fans. It reached No. 1 on the U.S. Active Rock chart for a total of 10 weeks and won the "Rock Song of the Year" award given by Loudwire. Billboard ranked the song at number 8 on their "Greatest of All Time Mainstream Rock Songs" list.
"The High Road" is a song by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace, released as the second single from their fourth studio album Transit of Venus on January 22, 2013.
"Misery Loves My Company" is a song by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace, from their fourth studio album Transit of Venus released on May 14, 2013. The track became the band's tenth song to reach number-one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart in its November 2, 2013, issue. It is the band's eleventh No. 1 single in total. It is the last single to feature Adam Gontier on lead vocals.
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Matthew Jean Paul Walst is a Canadian singer, songwriter and musician. He is the current lead singer of the band Three Days Grace, which also includes his older brother Brad as bassist. Before joining Three Days Grace, he was the lead singer of My Darkest Days.
with their latest single 'Misery Loves My Company'