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After three years of silence since the release of their self-titled album, the Canadians from Norwood, Three Days Grace, return to the market with their new record "One-X".
During these years, the group has conducted an intense on-the-road activity, holding many concerts in an effort to expand their fan base. There has also been a new entry in the line-up with Barry Stock joining as lead guitarist to support the frontman and guitarist Adam Gontier.
It should be noted that two songs from this album ("Animal I Have Become" and "Riot") were included in the soundtrack of the wrestling game Smackdown vs Raw 2007.
The album continues the good things the band had shown us with their previous work, with songs with a simple structure, yet immediately emotionally engaging. While still following the path of its predecessor, that is the path of rock/metal, "One-X" turns out to be slightly more mature than the previous one, managing to blend more melodic and slow pieces with compositions where the powerful and distorted guitars and Gontier's rough and energetic voice take center stage. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lack of fine-tuning in the album's tracklist arrangement, as the more powerful songs are placed in the first part of the album, leaving us deprived of adrenaline afterward and making room for more melodic songs, but the adrenaline then returns to flow in abundance towards the final parts.
But now let's deconstruct the album and analyze it under a microscope.
It starts with "It's All Over" which, after an intro led by guitars only, explodes with its energy in the beautiful chorus, and here appears the first rather long and clean guitar solo, a new element given its almost total absence in the self-titled. It continues with "Pain", a fairly calm verse guided by sweet guitar arpeggios that contrast with the energy of the refrain. Moving on to "Animal I Have Become", the first single and also one of the best songs on the album, with a bass intro that perfectly sets the tempo and characterizes the piece. In the fourth position is the more relaxed "Never Too Late", which features the use of acoustic guitar and will also be one of the singles of the platter.
We move towards the central parts of the album with the next "On My Own", distinguished by the broken rhythm created by the guitars, and "Riot", a very angry track, where all the metal energy emerges. But the surprises come with "Get Out Alive" and "Over ‘n Over", which stand out from the rest of the album for their tranquil nature, in short, two ballads. While the former is very calm and sweet for two-thirds and structurally can remind of "Take Me Under", another of their songs from the first album, "Over ‘n Over" is accompanied by strings, creating an impactful sound, but overall it proves inconsistent and uninteresting compared to the others. In between these two, we find the rock verve of "Let It Die", accompanied by acoustic guitar in the verses. But the adrenaline returns with the beautiful and powerful "Time of Dying", the best of the album, also a song that perfectly describes their style with guitars that raise the volume and release great energy throughout the track.
Are they tired of playing? Not at all... Just listen to the next "Gone Forever" with its melancholic flavor and played at times with acoustics that follow the same scheme as "Never Too Late". And the album closes with a bang with the title track "One-X", which is certainly the most complete song and a sign of the quartet's maturation, opened by a drum solo, this I would define as a long ride supported by enveloping riffs, not to mention the excellent guitar solo and closed by great final choruses.
Compared to the debut album, there haven't been many changes at least in terms of genre, even though there is some stylistic-compositional innovation: the inclusion of some solos (a very commendable choice), greater use of acoustics compared to the past, some sonic experimentation from the use of new instruments (refer to "Over ‘n Over"), and a few more listenable ballads compared to the previous work, which didn't contain many true ballads. Also good are the lyrics, which mostly speak of melancholy, loneliness, and life.
What can I say, the group may be unknown to many, but they definitely deserve to be listened to. In conclusion, a very good CD that confirms the band's skills, although in my opinion, the first one remains superior.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Pain (03:25)
Pain without love
Pain I can't get enough
Pain I like it rough
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all
You're sick of feeling numb
You're not the only one
I'll take you by the hand
And I'll show you a world that you can understand
This life is filled with hurt
When happiness doesn't work
Trust me and take my hand
When the lights go out you will understand
Pain (pain) without love
Pain (pain) can't get enough
Pain (pain) I like it rough
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all
Pain (pain) without love
Pain (pain) can't get enough
Pain (pain) I like it rough
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all
Anger and agony
Are better than misery
Trust me I've got a plan
When the lights go off you will understand
Pain (pain) without love
Pain (pain) can't get enough
Pain (pain) I like it rough
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all
Pain (pain) without love
Pain (pain) can't get enough
Pain (pain) I like it rough
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing
Rather feel pain
I know (I know I know I know I know)
That you're wounded
You know (you know you know you know)
That I'm here to save you
You know (you know you know you know)
I'm always here for you
I know (I know I know I know)
That you'll thank me later
Pain without love
Pain can't get enough
Pain I like it rough
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all
Pain (pain) without love
Pain (pain) can't get enough
Pain (pain) I like it rough
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all
Pain (pain) without love
Pain (pain) can't get enough
Pain (pain) I like it rough
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all
Rather feel pain than nothing at all
Rather feel pain
03 Animal I Have Become (03:54)
I can't escape this hell
So many times I've tried
But I'm still caged inside
Somebody get me through this nightmare
I can't control myself
So what if you can see the darkest side of me
No one will ever change this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal
(This animal, this animal)
I can't escape myself
(I can't escape myself)
So many times I've lied
(So many times I've lied)
But there's still rage inside
Somebody get me through this nightmare
I can't control myself
So what if you can see the darkest side of me
No one will ever change this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal
Somebody help me through this nightmare
I can't control myself
Somebody wake me from this nightmare
I can't escape this hell
(This animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal)
So what if you can see the darkest side of me
No one will ever change this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal
This animal I have become
05 On My Own (03:09)
I walk alone
Think of home
Memories of long ago
No one knows I lost
My soul long ago
Lied too much
She said that she's had enough
Am I too much
She said that she's had enough
Standing on my own
Remembering the one I left at home
Forget about the life I used to know
Forget about the one I left at home
I need to run far away
Can't go back to that place
Like she told me
I'm just a big disgrace
Lied too much
She said that she's had enough
Am I too much
She said that she's had enough
Standing on my own
Remembering the one I left at home
Forget about the life I used to know
Forget about the one I left at home
So now I'm standing here alone
I'm learning how to live life on my own
Lied too much
I think that I've had enough
Am I too much
She said that she's had enough
I'm standing on my own
Remembering the one I left at home
Forget about the life I used to know
Forget about the one I left at home
So now I'm standing here alone
I'm learning how to live life on my own
Forget about the past I'll never know
Forget about the one I left at home
06 Riot (03:52)
If you feel
So empty
So used up
So let down
If you feel
So angry
So ripped off
So stepped on
You're not the
Only one
Refusing
To back down
You're not the
Only one
So get up
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
If you feel
So filthy
So dirty
So messed up
If you feel
So walked on
So painful
So pissed off
You're not the
Only one
Refusing
To go down
You're not the
Only one
So get up
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
If you feel
So empty
So used up
So let down
If you feel
So angry
Just get up
(Let's start a riot)
(A riot)
(Let's start a riot)
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
(A riot)
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
07 Get Out Alive (04:34)
No time for goodbye he said
As he faded away
Don't put your life in someone's hands
They're bound to steal it away
Don't hide your mistakes
'Cause they'll find you
Burn you
Then he said
If you want to get out alive
Ooooooooh
Run for your life
If you want to get out alive
Ooooooooh
Run for your life
This is my last time she said
As she faded away
It's hard to imagine
But one day you'll end up like me
Then she said
If you want to get out alive
Ooooooooh
Run for your life
If you want to get out alive
Ooooooooh
Run for your life
If you want to get out alive
(If you want to get out alive)
Ooooooooh
Run for your life (life)
If you want to get out alive
(If you want to get out alive)
Ooooooooh
Run for your life
If I stay it won't be long
'Til I'm burning on the inside
If I go I can only hope
That I make it to the other side
If you want to get out alive
Ooooooooh
Run for your life
If you want to get out alive
Ooooooooh
Run for
If you want to get out alive
(If you want to get out alive)
Ooooooooh
Run for your life
If you want to get out alive
(If you want to get out alive)
Ooooooooh
Run for
If I stay it won't be long
'Til I'm burning on the inside
If I go I can only hope
That I make it to the other side
If I stay it won't be long
'Til I'm burning on the inside
If I go if I go
Burning on the inside
Burning on the inside
Burning on the inside
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By Trofeo
‘One-X’ is in my opinion truly an excellent work, confirming the quality leap everyone expected, that artistic maturity that was already obvious three years ago.
I truly believe that Gontier has an important voice, without which the album wouldn’t have this quality.
