Life Starts Now

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 US 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

Upon its release Life Starts Now has received mixed 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. A 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 tracks written by Three Days Grace.