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Alienation (album)
2025 studio album by Three Days Grace From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Alienation (stylized as ฮ๐ซ๐จ๐ค๐ญฮ๐ณ๐จร๐ญ) is the eighth studio album by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was released on August 22, 2025, through RCA Records. The album marks the return of original vocalist Adam Gontier, who returned to the band in October 2024 following an eleven-year absence. It is their first as a quintet, as Matt Walst, who replaced Gontier in 2013, remained with Three Days Grace. This is also the band's fourth album to feature Walst as a vocalist.
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Background and recording
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On October 2, 2024, the band revealed via social media that they were in the studio with Adam Gontier teasing a possibility of new music in the works, posting a video with the caption ending "Three Days Grace 2X."[1] The following day, the band confirmed that Gontier had returned full-time, and that Matt Walst would continue his role as a singer as well, sharing lead vocals between the two. The band also confirmed that new music would follow.[2]
"A lot of the time in the studio, it just comes naturally. Who's gonna sing what and where. It's been a lot of fun. We have each other's backs and we cheer each other on when we do a good take. It's pretty cool to be part of."
โโMatt Walst on recording with Adam Gontier.[3]
Recording for the album took place in 2024.[4] On November 24, drummer Neil Sanderson told WRIF that they were almost done completing their eighth studio album.[5] The band finished recording the album in January 2025, with an expected release date later that year.[6] The group had been working with producers in Canada, United States and England, via Zoom.[5][6] They leaned into recording the album remotely, which they had done with their previous album Explosions.[7] The album's title was revealed to be Alienation and Sanderson spoke about the concept stating it is "a journey through inner collapse and outward defiance."[8] He also told Billboard that the name was a "nod" to their second studio album One-X, released in 2006 and how the title represents a "person who doesn't feel like they're amongst any sort of community."[9]
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Composition
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Like all their other albums (except for Transit of Venus), Alienation comprises 12 tracks, which Matt Walst described as a "pretty diverse album." He said the record contains some ballads and some heavier tracks.[10] All tracks were written in Nashville and at lead guitarist Barry Stock's home studio in Indiana.[9] They worked with three producers, Howard Benson, Dan Lancaster and Zakk Cervini, with the former recording vocals for Gontier and Walst at his home studio in Calabasas, California, and the latter two co-producing at a rented house in Franklin, Tennessee.[9] The group decided to write few songs at a time and head into the studio to record them "live and make them real," as described by Walst.[11] Gontier said the album features elements of "classic Three Days Grace," as well as some newer elements.[12] Bassist Brad Walst noted that working with Cervini helped them "explore some new musical territory," incorporating elements such as breakdowns and leaning into a heavier style.[13]
The first song written for the album was "Mayday", which Sanderson said "a lot of signs were pointing in the direction that we're right where we want to be."[9] The fifth track "In Waves" deals with themes of grieve and loss.[13] The seventh track "Never Ordinary", featuring Lindsey Stirling, was a song originally intended for her to release on her own.[9] The ninth track "Don't Wanna Go Home Tonight" is described as "90s alternative rock," different from the rest of the album and according to Brad Walst, was Stock's idea, who referenced "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins as inspiration.[13] The title track finds the group experimenting with a kalimba, which was originally Sanderson's idea and the rest of band thought was "cool."[13] The last track "Another Relapse" is described by Brad Walst as "pretty dark song," influenced by Pantera.[13]
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Release
On November 20, the band announced the album's lead single, "Mayday". The song was released on November 22, 2024.[14] In April 2025, the album covers of the band's previous albums and some YouTube music video thumbnails were changed to feature stick figures, leading to speculation of the band promoting their new album.[15] On May 8, 2025, Three Days Grace revealed the album's title and confirmed the release date for August 22, 2025. The next day, the band released the album's second single, "Apologies".[16] The album's track list and cover art was revealed that same day.[17] On June 20, the band released "Dominate" as a promotional single.[18] "Kill Me Fast" was released on July 25.[19]
Promotion
Ahead of the album's release, the group embarked on a tour in Canada with Volbeat in June 2025.[20] The band is set to tour in the United States with Breaking Benjamin from August to October 2025, with support from Return to Dust.[21][9] They will also embark on a European Tour with Badflower, starting on November 14, 2025, in Budapest and ending on December 13, 2025, in London.[22]
Critical reception
Rock N' Loud wrote a positive review for the album praising the group's growth in sound and stated, "One thing that is quickly apparent is the melodic quality that cuts right through; in no time, you will be warbling along with every track as they flow one after another. The production makes every song sound huge, anthemic in quality, adding to the unrelenting passion pouring through your speakers. The dual vocals do add that extra little bit of something special that demands your attention [...] There isn't a bad track on the album; each one hits harder than the last, thicker than the previous and more addictive as you get into it."[23]
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Track listing
All songs are written by Three Days Grace except where noted.[24]
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Personnel
Three Days Grace
- Adam Gontier โ lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Neil Sanderson โ drums, backing vocals, keyboards, programming
- Brad Walst โ bass guitar, backing vocals
- Barry Stock โ lead guitar
- Matt Walst โ lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Additional musicians
- Lindsey Stirling โ violin (7)[8]
Production
- Howard Benson โ production, vocal production
- Dan Lancaster โ production
- Zakk Cervini โ production, mixing
- Mike Plotnikoff โ audio engineer
- Alex Kortz โ audio engineer, digital editing
- Adam Haggerty โ audio engineer
- Hatsukazu "Hatch" Inagaki โ digital editing
- Paul DeCarli โ digital editing
- Julian Gargiulo โ assistant mixing
- Joe Rickard โ assistant engineer
- Junichi Murakawa โ assistant engineer
- Ted Jensen โ mastering
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References
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