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Transit of Venus (album)

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Transit of Venus
Studio album by
Three Days Grace
ReleasedOctober 2, 2012 (2012-10-02)
RecordedJanuary 5 – July 31, 2012
StudioRevolution Studios, Toronto
Genre
Length41:40
LabelRCA
ProducerDon 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
  3. "Misery Loves My Company"
    Released: May 13, 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.[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, until his return in 2024.[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]

Background and recording

[edit]

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] Guitarist Barry Stock wanted to go with a simpler 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]

Reception

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Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Artistdirect[22]
Inspirer Magazine(8/10)[23]
Loudwire[24]
Melodic[25]
The LanternA-[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]

Chart performance

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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]

Track listing

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All lyrics are 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 Tompkins, Matt Walst3:13
4."Operate"Three Days Grace, 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

[edit]

Credits via AllMusic:[45]

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[44] Gold 40,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Release history and formats for Transit of Venus
Region Date Edition Format Label Ref.
Various October 2, 2012 Standard
RCA [51]
United States October 12, 2012 Best Buy exclusive CD [12]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Heaney, Gregory (October 2, 2012). "Transit of Venus - Three Days Grace : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  2. ^ "Unveiling The New Look RCA Records". FMQB. October 26, 2011. Archived from the original on November 8, 2011. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d "Three Days Grace To Unleash 'Chalk Outline' as First Single Off New Album 'Transit of Venus'". Loudwire. July 27, 2012. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Mary Ouellette (June 5, 2012). "Three Days Grace Announce New Album Title and Release Date". Loudwire. Archived from the original on December 15, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  5. ^ a b Childers, Chad (January 9, 2013). "Singer Adam Gontier Leaves Three Days Grace, Replaced by My Darkest Days' Matt Walst". Loudwire. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c "Shinedown, Three Days Grace Unite for Arena Tour". Billboard. November 12, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  7. ^ "The 2014 Juno Nominations Are Here! (And So Is A Sweet Playlist Of Nominated Guests)". CBC. February 4, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Justin R. Beckner. "Three Days Grace: 'We Let Our Fans Decide The Name Of New Album'". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Rick Florino (October 17, 2012). "Three Days Grace Talk "Transit of Venus"". Artistdirect. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Kevin C. Johnson (October 7, 2012). "Three Days Grace nails industrial feel for new album". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  11. ^ Ouellette, Mary (September 6, 2012). "Three Days Grace Offer Advance Stream of New Album 'Transit of Venus'". Loudwire. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  12. ^ a b "Transit of Venus [Best Buy Exclusive] - Three Days Grace (CD - RCA #)". AllMusic. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  13. ^ Chris Epting (October 8, 2012). "Three Days Grace' Adam Gontier on Helping Fans With Addiction Issues, The Canadian Band That Changed His Life". Noisecreep. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  14. ^ Matt Bishop (September 2, 2012). "In Transit with Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace". The Rock Revival. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  15. ^ Chad Childers (February 15, 2013). "Three Days Grace Add More 2013 Tour Dates With New Singer Matt Walst". Loudwire. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  16. ^ Chad Childers (August 13, 2012). "Three Days Grace, 'Chalk Outline' – Song Review". Loudwire. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  17. ^ Sylvie Lesas (August 13, 2012). "Three Days Grace Chalk Outline Single Review". Evigshed.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  18. ^ "Three Days Grace - Chalk Outline (Official Lyric Video)". YouTube. August 13, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  19. ^ "Three Days Grace Premiere Video for 'Chalk Outline'". Noisecreep. October 5, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  20. ^ "All Access - Rock Future Releases". All Access Mediabase. January 22, 2013. Archived from the original on January 13, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  21. ^ Spencer Kaufman (July 29, 2013). "AFI vs Three Days Grace - Cage Match". Loudwire. Retrieved February 14, 2024. with their latest single 'Misery Loves My Company'
  22. ^ a b Florino, Rick (September 27, 2012). "Three Days Grace "Transit of Venus" Album Review – 5 out of 5 stars - ARTISTdirect News". Artistdirect. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  23. ^ a b Petras, Clayton (October 20, 2012). "Album Review: Three Days Grace's Transit of Venus". Inspirer.nu. Archived from the original on April 17, 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  24. ^ a b Ouellette, Mary (September 6, 2012). "Three Days Grace, 'Transit of Venus' – Album Review". Loudwire. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  25. ^ a b Wippsson, Johan. "Three Days Grace, 'Transit of Venus' – Album Review". Melodic.net. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  26. ^ a b Dan Hope (October 1, 2012). "Album Review: Three Days Grace Transits Into New Flavor of Music with 'Transit of Venus'". The Lantern. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  27. ^ a b "Three Days Grace Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  28. ^ Bowar, Chad (October 10, 2012). "Three Days Grace + Papa Roach Score High Debuts on Billboard 200 Album Chart". Loudwire. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  29. ^ a b "Three Days Grace Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  30. ^ a b "Three Days Grace Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  31. ^ a b "Three Days Grace Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  32. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Digital Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  33. ^ Spencer Kaufman (January 16, 2013). "Three Days Grace Win Rock Song of the Year in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards". Loudwire. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  34. ^ "Billboard Mainstream Rock: Dec 15, 2012". Billboard. December 15, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  35. ^ "Billboard Mainstream Rock: Dec 22, 2012". Billboard. December 22, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  36. ^ Ryan. "New Three Days Grace Album Debuts at No. 5 on Billboard Top 200 Chart". Alternative Addiction. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  37. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History - Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  38. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History – Hot Rock & Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  39. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History – Alternative Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  40. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History – Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  41. ^ "Canada Rock: Week of December 22, 2012". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  42. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History – Mainstream Rock Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  43. ^ "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on March 21, 2015.
  44. ^ a b "Canadian album certifications – Three Days Grace – Transit of Venus". Music Canada. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  45. ^ "Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  46. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  47. ^ "Top Alternative Albums of 2012". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  48. ^ "Top Hard Rock Albums of 2012". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  49. ^ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  50. ^ "Top Hard Rock Albums of 2013". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  51. ^ "Transit of Venus - Three Days Grace (CD - RCA #88725-44974-2)". AllMusic. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
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