A moderate amount might have made this rhythmic rocker extremely engaging, but the studio’s overproduction spoils everything but the steady, head-bumping chorus.

“ Chalk Outline” features some intelligently written lyrics and interesting use of imagery and metaphor, but unfortunately, these all go hand in hand with an agitating overabundance of electronic distortion. Barry Stock’s guitar riffs give off a deep hum that could be found on a Muse record, while Gontier delivers his best vocals of the whole album, complete with some of the most compelling lyrics Three Days Grace has ever written: “This is a sign of the times / Another mountain to climb / The sun burns as hard / As the flame in the devil’s eyes.” This ominous and heavy leadoff track doesn’t quite shine as a stand-alone single, but it does build momentum heading into the album’s first single. “Sign Of The Times” is one of the few examples where the new focus on innovative twists actually pays off, opening Transit Of Venus on a dynamic and promising note. But the majority will be able to see Transit Of Venus for what it is: an ambitious swing and a disappointing miss. There are some bright spots that return to form and there will undoubtedly be a group of loyal supporters who will follow along blindly as TDG sways them into enjoying this “innovative” twist on their music. The same can’t really be said of frontman Adam Gontier, whose vocals sound the same as always yet fail to deliver the same emotion and passion as before, but ultimately, the band’s efforts to add more intrigue to their gritty brand of rock forfeits any appeal Three Days Grace might have had with this record. In the end, Transit Of Venus just feels like it’s trying too hard. However, that overemphasis ruins the heavy power chord guitar riffs and gruff vocals that served as Three Days Grace’s recognizable trademark in the first place.

With the Canadian rockers’ fourth outing, there’s a clear emphasis on creating a new and more artistic brand of rock music. As soon as the album artwork for Transit Of Venus was released, it was hard to suppress creeping doubts that the band would regress further and further into mediocrity. Despite its commercial success, Life Starts Now was an undeniable step backward for Three Days Grace.

Three days grace first album lyrics