Culture
Brad Walst on Adam Gontier’s return and the future of Three Days Grace
By: Bradley Cunningham
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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WOUB) – Three Days Grace begin a new chapter with Alienation, marking the return of original frontman Adam Gontier and showcasing his chemistry with longtime singer Matt Walst. For bassist Brad Walst, that connection is personal — Matt is his brother. WOUB’s Bradley Cunningham spoke with Walst about the energy of two frontmen and what fans can expect moving forward.
Find a transcript of their conversation, edited for length and clarity, below.
Bradley Cunningham: I saw your sets at Sonic Temple and Inkarceration and noticed real synergy between the two singers. How do you view this new live dynamic?
Brad Walst: It’s been a lot of fun. Watching Adam and Matt go back and forth has been pretty sweet. They’re both really chill, no ego, and their voices blend so well together. As a bass player, I just get to hang back and watch it all happen. Fans are into it, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.
What was it like writing the new record with Adam back in the room?
Walst: We’d been talking with Adam for a couple of years about the idea of writing together again, and eventually we all agreed to just get in a room and see what would happen. So we met at Barry’s studio on his property in southern Indiana. We’ve always started our writing sessions with acoustics, so we pulled out the guitars, and that first day we ended up writing three songs — all of which made the record.
The cool thing about Three Days Grace is that everybody contributes equally. If one of us isn’t happy with something, we all take another look at it. It’s almost like having five filters, and we’ve always worked that way. Having Adam back, bringing in his melodic, lyrical, and musical ideas, just added another strong writer to the project. It made the whole process really fun, and we had a great time making this record.
How did you balance two vocalists in the writing process?
Walst: Honestly, we weren’t really sure how it was going to work at first — most of it just happened organically. Adam and Matt are similar in personality, but their voices are very different: Adam’s got that sultry rasp, while Matt brings the clean power. At one point in the writing process, they were literally playing rock-paper-scissors to decide who would sing a part. It was fun and lighthearted, and in the end they just ended up singing on every song together. It all came together naturally, and it worked.
As a bassist, which track stands out most for you on the new album?
Walst: Mayday is definitely a standout — it’s a great bass track. Power also has a strong bass presence, and Another Relapse is another one that’s really bass-driven. The nice thing about this record was that I had plenty of time to sit with the songs. I usually like to wait until the vocals are finished before locking in, because you don’t want the bass stepping over a great melody — it should support it. Having Zach Servini on board was huge too. That guy’s a wizard — he works fast, has amazing ideas, and really felt like our sixth Beatle on this project.
You’ve said ‘less is more’ on bass. Could you extrapolate on that approach?
Walst: I try not to overcomplicate things. We’re a very melody-driven band, so I think the hardest part sometimes is knowing when not to play. Finding those spaces — the pauses and breathing room — is just as important as the notes themselves. A lot of bass players will plow through with eighths or sixteenths, but I like to leave room for the song to breathe.
Tone-wise, I’ve kept it pretty consistent over the years. I’ve always played Ernie Ball Music Man basses with heavy strings, which gives me that gritty, raw, grungy sound I love. I’ve stuck with that for about 25 years now. Some songs I smooth it out a little, some I push it harder, but overall I keep it pretty straight down the middle.
Not every bassist can share the stage with their brother. What’s it like to have your brother serve as your frontman?
Walst: Yeah, it’s pretty special to share the stage with my brother. He’s been doing this with us for almost 13 years now, which is crazy how fast the time’s gone. It’s just an awesome feeling — we keep each other up and positive, and we don’t really fight anymore. We beat the crap out of each other when we were younger, so that’s all taken care of. He’s a great guy, and I’m really proud of what he’s done for this band.
Beyond music, what inspires you creatively—do books, films, or sports ever influence your writing?
Walst: Yeah, for sure. We’ve got a lot of downtime on the road, so we end up watching a lot of shows and movies. Sometimes a concept or a scene will pop up and you think, “That’s a cool idea,” and it sparks something. But honestly, we treat writing more like therapy. We talk a lot about what’s going on in our lives and in the world, and we try to put that into the songs. We’ve always been pretty blunt and emotional with our writing. If someone’s struggling, we’ll talk it out and it usually ends up in a track. Luckily, we’ve got some really killer fans who connect with that and can relate to what we’re going through. That’s always been a big part of what makes this band special.
With Louder Than Life ahead, what can fans expect from the set, and what are you most looking forward to?
Walst: That’s such a great festival — we’ve played it a couple of times and it’s always a lot of fun. We’ll be throwing a few new songs into the set, which is exciting. We’ve been playing some of the older ones for years, so getting fresh material in there and seeing the crowd’s reaction will be awesome. We’ve only done about 30 shows with this new lineup, and I feel like each one gets better. By the time Louder Than Life hits, we’ll be rolling pretty good.
For fans picking up bass because of Three Days Grace, which track would you want them to learn first, and why?
Walst: The go-to seems to be Animal I Have Become — I see that one online all the time, and it’s kind of the classic Three Days Grace bass song. Lifetime is another favorite for me; it’s got a different vibe that makes it really fun to play. And from the new record, I’d say Mayday is a great one to learn.