Life Starts Now

Life Starts Now
Studio album by Three Days Grace
Released	September 22, 2009
Recorded	March–August 2009
Genre	Post-grunge, alternative metal
Length	43:25 47:45 (Japanese release)
Label	Jive/Zomba
Producer	Howard Benson
Three Days Grace chronology
One-X (2006) Life Starts Now (2009)
Singles from Life Starts Now
"Break" Released: September 1, 2009 "The Good Life" Released: February 9, 2010 "World So Cold" Released: August 3, 2010 "Lost in You" Released: February 1, 2011

Life Starts Now is the third studio album by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. The album was released on September 22, 2009. The album was produced by Howard Benson. This is the second time in a row the band has worked with him, after the commercially successful One-X. Life Starts Now expresses a lighter lyrical mood compared to the band's previous album.

Background and production

After being on the road for five years with Three Days Grace, bassist Brad Walst stated, "We all came home and got a hard dose of life," which the band then used to create a more "musically in-depth and personal album". He describes Life Starts Now as a record about "confronting life and how fragile it can be".

Pre-production for Life Starts Now began in January 2009 while the band began recording the music in Vancouver in March. The album was completed in August of the same year. After finalizing all aspects of the album, they officially announced that the album would be released on September 22, 2009.

Sales

The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 79,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week, thus becoming the band's highest-charting album to date. The album also debuted on the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart at number two, along with "Break" which peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Rock Songs chart and "The Good Life" at number 52 on the Canadian Hot 100 and number 1 on Billboard Rock Songs chart. With the exception of "Lost in You", all of the band's singles from the album topped the Billboard rock song charts.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
411mania
About.com
Allmusic
Amazon
Sputnikmusic
Ultimate Guitar

Upon its release Life Starts Now has received generally mixed to positive reviews from most music critics. According to Allmusic reviewer James Christopher Monger, who gave the album three out of five stars, "Life Starts Now continues the theme of One-X, Gontier's personal demons, but with a hint of sunlight." He compliments the album, saying it "treats the well-worn metal themes of anger, isolation, heartache, and redemption with the kind of begrudging respect they deserve, pumping out a competent flurry of fist-bump anthems and world-weary, mid-tempo rockers." Sputnikmusic gave the album a mixed review, saying, "It's not going to change rock music or win any awards, but it's worth a listen. But if you were expecting something great or new, then prepare to be disappointed." Ultimate Guitar gave the album one of its more positive reviews, saying "Life Starts Now still contains the catchy choruses and powerful riffs Three Days Grace has been known for, while it may be cliched. But the band members have undoubtedly evolved as musicians, pretty much entirely for the better. Life Starts Now is a very still enjoyable experience for old fans, but it gives what their past two albums left to be desired: a sturdy musical base."

The album's release was also met with some negative reviews. 411mania did give the album a 6 out of 10, but the written review was more negative, having this to say about the album, "Boring, bland, trite, tired, tried, and true are all words that I would use to describe Life Starts Now, the latest from Three Days Grace. This album is victim of lazy lyrics and uninspired riffs that have been repackaged to be resold again. If you're a fan of their first two albums, this will fit nicely into your collection, despite being of lesser quality. I'd avoid it, except for a few tracks." Another more negative review came from About.com reviewer Tim Grierson, who said, "The problem isn't that Life Starts Now doesn't have good songs—the problem is that there aren't enough of them and that even the strongest moments feel overly familiar. Frontman Adam Gontier continues to expose his tortured soul, but without consistently gripping tunes to back up his anguish, Three Days Grace seem stuck in their misery rather than transcending it."

The first single of the album, "Break" was featured as the opening theme to kick off the Texas A&M vs. Baylor University football game on October 15, 2011.

Accolades

The album has been nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2010 Juno awards. The album has been officially certified Platinum in Canada. It was also certified Gold in the US on March 1, 2011.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Three Days Grace.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Bitter Taste"	4:01
2.	"Break"	3:13
3.	"World So Cold"	4:03
4.	"Lost in You"	3:53
5.	"The Good Life"	2:53
6.	"No More"	3:45
7.	"Last to Know"	3:27
8.	"Someone Who Cares"	4:52
9.	"Bully"	3:39
10.	"Without You"	3:34
11.	"Goin' Down"	3:06
12.	"Life Starts Now"	3:08
Total length:		43:25

Japanese release
No.	Title	Length
13.	"World So Cold" (piano version)	4:20
Total length:		47:45

Notes

• The song "Goin' Down" was featured in an April 2010 commercial for the television show Criminal Minds. "Goin' Down" was also featured in an episode of the third season of Jersey Shore.

Personnel

• Adam Gontier – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Barry Stock – lead guitar
• Brad Walst – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Neil Sanderson – drums, percussion, piano, backing vocals

Production

• Chris Lord-Alge - Mixing
• Ted Jensen - Mastering

Chart positions

Chart (2009)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200	3
U.S. Billboard Top Rock Albums	2
U.S. Billboard Top Alternative Albums	2
U.S. Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums	2
Canadian Albums Chart	2
Australian Albums Chart	77

Year-end charts

Chart (2010)	Position
US Billboard 200	153