Transit of Venus (album)

Transit of Venus
Studio album by Three Days Grace
Released October 2, 2012 (2012-10-02)
Recorded January 5 – July 31, 2012 at Revolution Studios, Toronto
Genre Post-grunge, alternative metal,[1] hard rock[1]
Length 41:40
Label RCA
Producer Don Gilmore
Three Days Grace chronology
Life Starts Now
(2009)		 Transit of Venus
(2012)		 Human
(2015)
Singles from Transit of Venus
  1. "Chalk Outline"
    Released: August 14, 2012
  2. "The High Road"
    Released: January 22, 2013[2]
  3. "Misery Loves My Company"
    Released: May 14, 2013

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.[3] The album was produced by Don Gilmore and recorded at Revolution Studios in Toronto.[4]

On June 5, 2012, the same day as Venus' visible transit across the sun, the band released the album title and release date.[5] The album spawned three singles ("Chalk Outline", "The High Road" and "Misery Loves My Company"). It is the last of the band's albums to feature former lead singer Adam Gontier.[6] The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.[7]

Transit of Venus was nominated for Best Rock Album at the Juno Awards of 2014.[8]

Background and recording

"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."[4] On August 1, 2012, the band announced that they had finished the recording process of the album, saying in a Facebook post: "Going out on a limb here but I think this record....is actually....finished....wow...what a great journey....thanks to Don Gilmore."[9] The album was made available to stream online on September 27, 2012.[10]

"Chalk Outline" is the first single of the album and was released on August 14, 2012.[11] It was released with a lyric video. Loudwire gave the song a 4/5 rating, saying that "Adam Gontier attacks the track with as much angst and aggression as ever."[12] Eviqshed.com gave the single 5/5, praising the fact the band took a different direction musically.[13] The lyric video to the song was published on YouTube on Three Days Grace's Vevo account on August 13[14] and the official music video was published on October 5.[15]

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Artistdirect[16]
Inspirer Magazine(8/10)[17]
Loudwire[18]
Melodic[19]

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."[18] Another positive review came from Artistdirect, which said that "Three Days Grace have undeniably progressed here, and the results are nothing short of incredible."[16] Johan Wippsson of Melodic wrote that in Transit of Venus "there's an aggressive undertone, which sets a perfect alternative touch on the album."[19]

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".[17]

Chart performance

The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200,[7] selling 48,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week, two positions behind the band's previous album Life Starts Now, but the same position as One-X. Transit of Venus also featured at No. 1 on U.S. Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums, No. 3 on both the U.S. Billboard Top Rock Albums and U.S. Billboard Top Alternative Albums, and at No. 4 on both U.S. Billboard Top Digital Albums and on the Canadian Albums Chart. On Loudwire, the song "Chalk Outline" won the website's Rock Song of the Year award for 2012.[20] The song topped the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks charts debuting at No. 1 and remaining in this position for 13 consecutive weeks,[21] before dropping to No. 3 on its seventeenth week on the chart. 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.[22] "Chalk Outline" also peaked at No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles,[23] No. 7 on the U.S. Billboard Rock Songs,[24] No. 15 on the U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs Chart,[25] and No. 65 on the Canadian Hot 100.[26] The album has sold 258,000 copies in the U.S. as of March 2015.[27]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Three Days Grace, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sign of the Times"  Three Days Grace, Jaren Johnson3:11
2."Chalk Outline"  Three Days Grace, Craig Wiseman3:02
3."The High Road"  Three Days Grace, Chris Tompkins3:13
4."Operate"  Three Days Grace, Matt Walst3:22
5."Anonymous"   3:13
6."Misery Loves My Company"  Three Days Grace, Wiseman2:42
7."Give In to Me" (Michael Jackson cover)Michael Jackson, Bill Bottrell3:19
8."Happiness"   2:53
9."Give Me a Reason"   4:03
10."Time That Remains"  Three Days Grace, Chris Wallin3:12
11."Expectations"  Three Days Grace, Wallin2:43
12."Broken Glass"   3:21
13."Unbreakable Heart"  Three Days Grace, Rob Hawkins, Tompkins3:26
Total length:41:40

Personnel

Credits via Allmusic:[28]

Three Days Grace
Additional musicians
  • Bill Bottrell – songwriter
  • Rob Hawkins – songwriter
  • Michael Jackson – songwriter
  • Jaren Johnson – songwriter
  • Chris Tompkins – songwriter
  • Chris Wallin – songwriter
  • Matt Walst – songwriter
  • Craig Wiseman – songwriter
Production
  • Don Gilmore – producer
  • David Wolter – A&R
  • Mark Kiczula – engineer
  • Keith Armstrong, Jason Dufour, Nik Karpen, Stephen Koszler, Andrew Schubert and Brad Townsend – assistant engineers
  • Brad Blackwood – mastering
  • Chris Lord-Alge – mixing
Artwork
  • Joseph Episcopo – stylist
  • Chris Feldman, Three Days Grace – art direction
  • Michael Muller – photography
  • Walter Nomura – illustrations

Chart positions

Chart (2012) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200[29] 5
U.S. Billboard Top Rock Albums[29] 3
U.S. Billboard Top Alternative Albums[29] 3
U.S. Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums[29] 1
U.S. Billboard Top Digital Albums[29] 4
Canadian Albums Chart[29] 4

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Heaney, Gregory (October 2, 2012). "Transit of Venus - Three Days Grace : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Rock Future Releases | Rock Music Radio Songs' Release Dates". AllAccess.com. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Unveiling The New Look RCA Records". FMQB. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Three Days Grace To Unleash 'Chalk Outline' as First Single Off New Album 'Transit of Venus'". Loudwire.com. July 27, 2012. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Three Days Grace Announce New Album Title and Release Date". Loudwire.com. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  6. ↑ Childers, Chad. "Singer Adam Gontier Leaves Three Days Grace, Replaced by My Darkest Days' Matt Walst". Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Shinedown, Three Days Grace Unite for Arena Tour". Billboard.com. November 12, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  8. ↑ CARAS/The JUNO Awards. "2014 Nominees & Winners - The JUNO Awards". junoawards.ca. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Wall Photos". Facebook. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  10. ↑ Ouellette, Mary (September 6, 2012). "Three Days Grace Offer Advance Stream of New Album 'Transit of Venus'". Loudwire.com. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  11. ↑ "The first single...". Facebook. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Three Days Grace, 'Chalk Outline' – Song Review". Loudwire.com. August 13, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Three Days Grace Chalk Outline Single Review". Evigshed.com. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Three Days Grace - Chalk Outline (Official Lyric Video)". YouTube (official account). August 13, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Three Days Grace Premiere Video for 'Chalk Outline'". Noisecreep. October 5, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  16. 1 2 Florino, Rick (September 27, 2012). "Three Days Grace "Transit of Venus" Album Review — 5 out of 5 stars - ARTISTdirect News". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  17. 1 2 Petras, Clayton (October 20, 2012). "Album Review: Three Days Grace's Transit of Venus". Inspirer.nu. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  18. 1 2 Ouellette, Mary (September 6, 2012). "Three Days Grace, 'Transit of Venus' – Album Review". Loudwire.com. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  19. 1 2 Wippsson, Johan. "Three Days Grace, 'Transit of Venus' – Album Review". Melodic.net. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Loudwire Music Awards - Part 2". Loudwire.com. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Billboard Mainstream Rock : Dec, 15, 2012". Billboard.com. December 15, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  22. ↑ "New Three Days Grace Album Debuts at No. 5 on Billboard Top 200 Chart". Alternativeaddiction.com. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Billboard Singles Charts". Billboard.biz. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  24. ↑ "Top Rock Songs & Charts, Rock Music Hits & Popular Rock Music Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  25. ↑ "Three Days Grace Album & Song Chart History - Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  26. ↑ "Canadian Hot 100". Acharts.us. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on March 21, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Awards". Allmusic.com.
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