Explosions (Three Days Grace album)

The band announced their seventh studio album, Explosions, after the release of "So Called Life".{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/three-days-grace-so-called-life-video-explosions-album/|title=Three Days Grace Seek Escape With Heavy New Song 'So Called Life', Announce New Album|website=Loudwire|last=Childers|first=Chad|date=November 29, 2021|access-date=May 4, 2022}} They also announced tour dates for the spring that will take place in April and May 2022. In February 2022, the band officially revealed the track list and the cover art for the album.{{cite web|first=Chad|last=Childers|url=https://loudwire.com/three-days-grace-lukas-rossi-neurotic-lyrics-video/|title=Three Days Grace Team With Lukas Rossi on Anthemic New Song 'Neurotic'|website=Loudwire|date=February 17, 2022|access-date=March 4, 2022}}

The group began writing the album in February 2020. According to bassist Brad Walst, the album is about, "That feeling inside, like you're gonna explode."{{cite web|url=https://www.metaltalk.net/brad-walst-three-days-grace-matts-come-a-long-way-so-im-excited-for-the-future.php|title=Brad Walst, Three Days Grace – "Matt's Come a Long Way, so I'm Excited for the Future"|date=September 30, 2022|access-date=October 16, 2022}} He explained the process of recording the album, "We didn't see each other for the longest time. We recorded nine or ten songs separately, in different studios, and by ourselves, which we've never done before."{{Cite web|url=https://wallofsoundau.com/2022/05/06/brad-walst-three-days-grace-interview-2022/|title=Brad Walst – Three Days Grace 'Still Alive with Explosions'|last=Aarons|first=Ricky|date=May 6, 2022|access-date=May 11, 2022}} According to Walst, the album has the heaviest songs they've ever written and reminded him of their debut album.{{cite web|url=https://bravewords.com/features/three-days-graces-brad-walst-distinguished-gentlemen-among-young|title=Three Days Grace's Brad Walst − "Distinguished Gentleman Among Young"|author=Greg Prato|date=May 10, 2022|access-date=October 17, 2022}} Drummer Neil Sanderson talked about what inspired the record with Loudwire, "There is a common thread of theme going through it — the notion of just feeling like you have to self-center yourself in today's world, but then at the same time, you have to hear the opinions of everyone."{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/how-social-climate-inspired-three-days-grace-album-explosions-interview/|title=How Today's Social Climate Inspired Three Days Grace's New Album Explosions|last=Schaffner|first=Lauryn|date=December 3, 2021|website=Loudwire|access-date=May 15, 2021}}

In support of the album's release, the band embarked on a US spring tour from April and May 2022.{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/three-days-grace-spring-2022-us-tour-dates/|title=Three Days Grace Book Spring 2022 US Tour Dates|author=Chad Childers|website=Loudwire|date=November 15, 2021|access-date=February 17, 2024}} The group also headlined the Explosions Tour from July to November 2022 in North America, with support from Wage War and Zero 9:36 for American dates, and The Warning and The Standstills for Canadian dates.{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/three-days-grace-announces-summer-fall-2022-north-american-tour-dates|title=Three Days Grace Announces Summer/Fall 2022 North American Tour Dates|website=Blabbermouth.net|date=April 11, 2022|access-date=February 17, 2024}} They also toured in Europe from September and October 2022.{{cite magazine|url=https://distortedsoundmag.com/three-days-grace-announce-european-tour/|title=Three Days Grace Announce European Tour|magazine=Distorted Sound|author=James Weaver|date=April 2, 2022|access-date=February 17, 2024}} The tour was a success with several shows selling out in Europe, most notably at TonHalle in Munich, Germany, grossing $70,195 from 2,000 tickets sold, according to Pollstar.{{cite web|url=https://news.pollstar.com/2023/05/30/three-days-grace-announces-fall-tour-with-chevelle/|title=Three Days Grace Announces Fall Tour With Chevelle|website=Pollstar|author=Oscar Areliz|date=May 30, 2023|access-date=February 17, 2024}} They later joined Shinedown on the Revolutions Tour from April to May 2023.{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/shinedown-announces-april-may-2023-u-s-tour-with-three-days-grace|title=Shinedown Announces April/May 2023 U.S. Tour With Three Days Grace|work=Blabbermouth.net|date=January 23, 2023|access-date=April 20, 2023}} The tour was also a success, notably the concert at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington grossing $522,870 off of 7,123 tickets sold. The group co-headlined a tour alongside Chevelle in the fall of 2023 with support from Loathe.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/events/chevelle-three-days-grace-and-loathe-announce-fall-2023-tour|title=Chevelle, Three Days Grace and Loathe Announce Fall 2023 Tour|magazine=Revolver|author=Will Navidson|date=May 30, 2023|access-date=July 9, 2023}}

"So Called Life" is the first single released from the album. The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart for four consecutive weeks marking the band's 16th number one on the chart.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/three-days-grace-ties-shinedown-most-mainstream-rock-airplay-number-ones/|title=Three Days Grace Ties Shinedown for Most Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1s|magazine=Billboard|last=Rutherford|first=Kevin|date=February 1, 2022|access-date=April 15, 2022}} "Neurotic" was released on February 17, 2022, as a promotional single, featuring Lukas Rossi. The second official single "Lifetime" was released on April 11, 2022.{{cite web|first=Chad|last=Childers|url=https://loudwire.com/three-days-grace-lifetime-video-2022-us-tour-mayfield-tornado-victims/|title=Three Days Grace Dedicate 'Lifetime' Video + U.S. Tour to Helping Mayfield Tornado Victims|website=Loudwire|date=April 11, 2022|access-date=April 13, 2022}} The song was dedicated to the people of Mayfield, Kentucky after an EF4 tornado hit the city in December 2021. The song peaked at number one, both on active and mainstream rock charts making it the bands 17th number one on the charts.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/three-days-grace-ties-shinedown-again-most-mainstream-rock-airplay-number-ones/|title=Three Days Grace Ties Shinedown Again for Most Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1s|magazine=Billboard|last=Rutherford|first=Kevin|date=July 6, 2022|access-date=July 17, 2022}} The third single, "I Am the Weapon" was released on September 27, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/rock/future-releases|title=Future Releases - Rock|website=All Access|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922001041/https://www.allaccess.com/rock/future-releases|archivedate=September 22, 2022|access-date=September 26, 2022}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/explosions-mw0003630377|title=Explosions – Three Days Grace Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards|last=Monger|first=Timothy|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=June 8, 2022}}

| rev2 = Distorted Sound

| rev2score = 7/10{{cite magazine|url=https://distortedsoundmag.com/album-review-explosions-three-days-grace/|title=Album Review: Explosions – Three Days Grace|magazine=Distorted Sound Magazine|last=McHugh|first=Dan|date=May 5, 2022|access-date=May 8, 2022}}

| rev3 = Metal Hammer

| rev3score = 4/7{{cite web|url=https://www.metal-hammer.de/reviews/three-days-grace-explosions/|title=Kritik zu Three Days Grace Explosions|work=Metal Hammer|last=Weckmann|first=Matthias|language=de|date=May 6, 2022|access-date=May 15, 2022}}

| rev4 = Rock N' Load

| rev4score = 9/10

| rev5 = Ultimate Guitar

| rev5score = 6.7/10{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/three_days_grace/explosions/49405/|title=Explosions Review - Three Days Grace|author=Travis Lausch|website=Ultimate Guitar|date=June 12, 2022|access-date=February 10, 2024}}

| rev6 = Wall of Sound

| rev6score = 7.5/10{{Cite web|url=https://wallofsoundau.com/2022/04/30/three-days-grace-explosions-album-review/|title=Three Days Grace – Explosions (Album Review)|website=Wall of Sound|last=Aarons|first=Ricky|date=April 30, 2022|access-date=May 13, 2022}}

}}

Explosions has been received with positive reviews. Rock N' Load gave the album a 9/10 rating complimenting Matt Walst's vocals on songs such as "Lifetime" and "A Scar is Born". Timothy Monger of AllMusic remarked, "the album feels like a continuation of the gritty, aggressive rock that has been the group's hallmark since the beginning." Dan McHugh of Distorted Sound stated, "Three Days Grace know how to reel off a tonne of crowd pleasers. The only issue is that the high-energy floor fillers are all crammed into the front end and this allows for the injected adrenaline to wain and dissipate as Explosions progresses." Ricky Aarons of Wall of Sound noted that "some may argue it's 'safe', it also continues to deliver new variations of their signature style, to a fanbase that's literally in the millions, and always craving new material."

To date, the album has sold 44,000 equivalent album units in the US.

All lyrics written by Three Days Grace and Ted Bruner, all music written by Three Days Grace and Ted Bruner, except when noted.

{{Track listing

| title1 = So Called Life

| writer1 =

| length1 = 3:26

| title2 = I Am the Weapon

| writer2 = {{hlist|Matt Walst|Brad Walst|Barry Stock|Neil Sanderson|Simon Wilcox}}

| length2 = 2:55

| title3 = Neurotic

| writer3 = {{hlist|Sanderson|Lukas Rossi}}

| length3 = 3:18

| note3 = featuring Lukas Rossi

| title4 = Lifetime

| writer4 =

| length4 = 2:57

| title5 = A Scar Is Born

| writer5 =

| length5 = 3:33

| title6 = Souvenirs

| writer6 =

| length6 = 3:10

| title7 = No Tomorrow

| writer7 =

| length7 = 2:52

| title8 = Redemption

| writer8 = {{hlist|Johnny Andrews|M Walst|B Walst|Stock|Sanderson}}

| length8 = 3:10

| title9 = Champion

| writer9 = {{hlist|James Walst|M Walst|B Walst|Stock|Sanderson}}

| length9 = 3:01

| title10 = Chain of Abuse

| writer10 =

| length10 = 3:05

| title11 = Someone to Talk To

| writer11 =

| length11 = 2:53

| note11 = featuring Apocalyptica

| title12 = Explosions

| writer12 =

| length12 = 3:27

| total_length = 37:51

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese edition bonus track{{cite web|url=https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/threedaysgrace/discography/SICP-6457|title=エクスプロージョンズ|publisher=Sony Music Entertainment Japan|access-date=February 4, 2023|language=ja-JP}}

| total_length = 41:20

| title13 = Somebody That I Used to Know

| writer13 = Wally de Backer

| length13 = 3:29

}}

Credits retrieved from album's liner notes.{{Cite AV media notes|title=Explosions|year=2022|type=booklet|publisher=RCA}}

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Three Days Grace

• Matt Walst – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, composer, lyricist, producer
• Barry Stock – lead guitar, composer, lyricist, producer
• Brad Walst – bass guitar, composer, lyricist, producer
• Neil Sanderson – drums, backing vocals, piano, composer, producer, programmer

Additional musicians

• Lukas Rossi – guest vocals {{small|(3)}}, composer, lyricist
• Eicca Toppinen – rhythm cello {{small|(11)}}
• Paavo Lötjönen – rhythm/bass cello {{small|(11)}}
• Perttu Kivilaakso – lead cello {{small|(11)}}
• Mikko Sirén – drums, percussion {{small|(11)}}
• Lenny Castro – percussion {{small|(1–2, 9–10, 12)}}
• Matt Kelly – steel guitar {{small|(12)}}
• Jet Sanderson – additional vocals {{small|(10)}}

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Additional personnel

• Howard Benson – producer, organ {{small|(7–9)}}
• Ted Jensen – mastering (Sterling Sound, Nashville, Tennessee)
• Dan Lancaster – mixing engineer
• Ted Bruner – composer, lyricist, programmer {{small|(1, 4, 6, 7, 12)}}
• Mike Plotnikoff – recording engineer
• Marc VanGool – guitar technician, assistant engineer
• Hatch Inagaki – assistant engineer
• Rhys May – assistant engineer
• Paul DeCarli – editor
• Darren Magierowski – additional production / engineer
• Jill Zimmermann – additional production / engineer
• Jay Wud – programming {{small|(8, 11)}}

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Category:Three Days Grace albums

Category:2022 albums

Category:Albums produced by Howard Benson