Rock Rewind: Three Days Grace, From Norwood to the Return of Adam Gontier

Some rock bands come from big cities. Three Days Grace came from Norwood, Ontario, a small town of less than 5000 people. They turned that small-town ache into some of the most relatable hard rock of the past two decades.

Radio, arenas and millions of fans. And almost thirty years.

This Rock Rewind covers it all: who's in the band, where they started, how the lineup changed, and the albums that define them.

Meet the Band

Here is the current lineup of Three Days Grace:

• Adam Gontier: lead vocals, guitar (original singer, returned in 2024)
• Matt Walst: lead vocals (joined in 2013)
• Brad Walst: bass
• Barry Stock: guitar
• Neil Sanderson: drums, backing vocals

With Gontier back alongside Walst, the band is a five-piece with two lead singers. Fans have nicknamed the setup "Three Days Grace 2X."

The Origin Story: Norwood, Ontario

In the early 1990s, Adam Gontier, Neil Sanderson and bandmates Phil Crowe and Joe Grant formed a group in Norwood called “Groundswell”. They were teenagers playing the music they loved in a town where rock bands had to make their own scene.

Groundswell broke up in 1995. The friendships did not.

In 1997, Gontier and Sanderson teamed up again with bassist Brad Walst and started over and Three Days Grace was born. Gontier has said he and Brad bonded over a shared love of music, and that bond shaped the band from day one. Guitarist Barry Stock completed the lineup soon after.

The band's roots are still a point of local pride. In 2022, Gontier and the Walst brothers were honoured by Norwood District High School's Hall of Honour.

The Breakthrough: Three Days Grace (2003)

Three Days Grace’s self-titled debut arrived in 2003 and introduced the world to a sound that was angry, honest and easy to sing along to.

The lead single, "I Hate Everything About You," became a rock radio staple. It gave listeners a raw look at frustration and confusion, which is exactly what a lot of young fans wanted to hear. "Just Like You" and "Home" kept the momentum going.

Hit Albums

One-X (2006)

For many fans, this is the one. One-X turned a successful band into a major one. Its singles "Animal I Have Become," "Pain" and "Never Too Late" became defining songs of 2000s hard rock, and the first three singles from the album all topped the US Mainstream Rock chart.

The record dealt openly with addiction, struggle and survival. Songs like these helped fans feel less alone, and that connection is a big reason the band's following has lasted.

Life Starts Now (2009)

The follow-up kept the heavy hooks and added more polish. Life Starts Now reached number two in Canada and number three on the Billboard 200. It produced singles including "Break," "The Good Life," "World So Cold" and "Lost in You."

Transit of Venus (2012)

The band's fourth album took a more atmospheric, electronic-tinged direction. "Chalk Outline," "The High Road" and "Misery Loves My Company" came from this era.

It was also the last album with Adam Gontier on lead vocals for more than a decade, though no one knew that yet.

The Matt Walst Era: Human, Outsider and Explosions

After Gontier's exit, the band released three albums with Matt Walst out front: Human (2015), Outsider (2018) and Explosions (2022). Singles like "Painkiller," "The Mountain" and "So Called Life" kept the band on rock radio and on the road.

Lineup Changes: The Gontier Exit and the Walst Years

The band's biggest lineup change happened in January 2013, when Adam Gontier left Three Days Grace. By then he had sung on four albums and ten chart-topping Mainstream Rock singles in the US. The split wasn't smooth, and the band moved quickly to keep going.

The replacement came from close to home. Matt Walst, Brad's younger brother, had been the vocalist for My Darkest Days, another band from Norwood. He stepped in, and the group didn't miss a beat. With Walst out front, the band added another seven chart-topping Mainstream Rock singles.

Meanwhile, Gontier started a new chapter. He formed Saint Asonia with Mike Mushok of Staind, a group that released three albums, and he also performed as a solo artist.

For years, many fans assumed that was the end of the Gontier chapter. They were wrong.

The Return of Adam Gontier

In April 2023, Gontier joined his former bandmates on stage in Huntsville, Alabama for two songs. It was meant to be a one-off. Later that year, he joined them again in Nashville, where he lives. The crowd reaction was huge, and the idea of something bigger began to grow.

In early October 2024, the band teased the news with a voicemail from Gontier saying he'd be at the studio soon. The next day, the band made it official: Adam Gontier was back in Three Days Grace, and Matt Walst was staying too.

That was the twist. This wasn't a swap. It was a reunion with both singers on board.

Gontier has said the reunion felt natural and seamless. He has also been open about why he left, saying he needed time to get his life together and that he wasn't in a clear place at the time. In interviews since, he's called returning "a no-brainer" and confirmed he is back for good.

Alienation: The First Album With Both Singers

The new lineup's first release was Alienation, the band's eighth studio album, released August 22, 2025. It is their first album as a five-piece with two lead vocalists.

The lead single, "Mayday," arrived in November 2024 and marked Gontier's return to the band's sound. "Apologies" followed in May 2025, and "Kill Me Fast" was released to radio as the album's third single. Gontier and Walst have both named the pre-chorus of "Kill Me Fast" as a favourite moment on the record.

The album was written and recorded between October 2024 and January 2025, and it blends classic Three Days Grace energy with newer ideas. It also features a collaboration with violinist Lindsey Stirling on "Never Ordinary."

Why Three Days Grace Still Matters

Three Days Grace built a career on honesty. Their songs talk about anxiety, addiction, anger and heartbreak in plain language, and that's why they've continued to be a favourite.

They've also stayed loyal to their roots. A band from a small Ontario town ended up on stages around the world, and most of the core members are still from the same place.

Now, with Adam Gontier and Matt Walst sharing the mic, the band has been riding a new high. Longtime fans get the voice they remember. Newer fans get the voice they grew up with. Together, they make something new.

Your Turn

What's your favourite Three Days Grace song? Is it a deep cut from One-X, or something from the new album? Let us know.

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