EXCLUSIVE: Adam Gontier + Matt Walst Open Up About 'Alienation,' Longtime Friendship + What's Next For Three Days Grace

Ahead of the release of Three Days Grace's eighth studio album, Alienation, frontmen Adam Gontier and Matt Walst caught up with Loudwire Nights' Chuck Armstrong to reflect on the journey that led to this moment.

Listen to and watch the full conversation in the players near the end of this article.

"When we were 14, 15, 16, whatever, we wanted to get a record deal and just go on tour and play a different city every night," Gontier shared about the earliest days of Three Days Grace.

"I don't know if the goal was we want to be the biggest band in the world — it was just we want to do this, we just want to do it."

Though Walst wasn't in Three Days Grace in those early years — he joined when Gontier departed in 2013 — he still was very closely connected to the band.

"I used to watch Adam jam with my brother [Matt] and Neil [Sanderson]," Walst said.

"It was a huge inspiration for me to go out and start writing songs, I co-wrote on the first first record [Three Days Grace] ... To be doing this now is full circle."

Because of this history, when Gontier came back into the fold with Three Days Grace, it was easy for him and Walst to share their frontman duties.

"It's because of that foundation," Gontier admitted.

"We got in a room together to write and it just went great."

Balancing the Two Eras of Three Days Grace on Alienation

As Walst and Gontier opened up about their history together and the growing legacy of Three Days Grace, they also spent some time unpacking Alienation — including the song that as soon as they wrote it, they knew it was special.

"For me, it's 'Kill Me Fast,'" Gontier said, with Walst quickly agreeing.

"I specifically like the pre-chorus. I really like the song in general, but that specific part, every time I hear it, I get goosebumps...something about that part, it really resonates."

Whether it's "Kill Me Fast" or any other song on Alienation, the new album captures a significant moment in the history of Three Days Grace and it just might be the best album in their catalog.

READ MORE: That Time Three Days Grace Were In a Disney Movie

"We wanted to make sure on this album that we hit some of the classic vibe that the band had in earlier albums, as well as the newer stuff that Matt did," Gontier shared.

"[We tried] to find a balance of those two, those two eras."

What Else Did Three Days Grace's Adam Gontier + Matt Walst Discuss on Loudwire Nights?

• How Gontier tried to get the attention of Our Lady Peace producer Arnold Lanni: "I remember calling his office and getting his answering machine and then playing our tape through his answering machine. It was the only way we could get Arnold Lanni to hear music, right? That was super early on — he never called back."
• What went through Walst's head when he heard the news of Ozzy Osbourne's death: "It's' just crazy that you've put on a concert like two weeks before, three weeks before. I guess that's what he wanted to do, right? Finally put on a concert, because he wanted to the whole time [since] like 2019. It's pretty awesome that he got to do that before he passed away, but you know, you think these guys are going to live forever. I'm glad he got to do that concert."
• The greatest compliment Walst can give to the history of Three Days Grace: "Me and my friend Jesse Wynn were their biggest fans and we just followed them around to every show. First and foremost, [I am] a fan of the band."

Watch the Loudwire Nights Interview With Three Days Grace Below

Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Matt Walst and Adam Gontier joined Loudwire Nights on Thursday, Aug. 21, and Friday, Aug. 22; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.