My Darkest Days

MY DARKEST DAYS Matt Walst: Vocals/rhythm guitars Brendan McMillan: Bass/backing vocals Doug Oliver: Drums/backing vocals Sal Coz Costa: Lead guitar/backing vocals “So many roads that I’ve taken/When nobody thought I could make it/And even though I had to go it alone/I still survived.” “World Belongs to Me” The world doesn’t yet belong to My Darkest Days, but they’ve come a long way since singer/guitarist Matt Walst, drummer Doug Oliver and bassist Brendan McMillan started the band, equally influenced by hard rock groups like Nirvana, Tool and Deftones, along with the songwriting approach of the Beatles, in the small town of Norwood, Ontario, where they grew up. Walst got a first-hand glimpse at what it takes to succeed from his older brother Brad, bassist and co-founder of platinum rock band Three Days Grace, which helped when the group set out to record their debut, self-titled Mercury Records album. “I learned to work hard and practice from them,” says Matt. “I learned how to write songs by watching how they took catchy riffs and put memorable melodies to them.” That approach comes through for everyone to hear on the new album, co-produced by Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger—who co-wrote a majority of the songs with My Darkest Days—as well as producer and engineer Joey Moi. The first single, the raucous, rollicking “Porn Star Dancing” leads the way, an instant stripper pole classic in the mode of Motley Crue’s “Girls Girls Girls,” and Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” featuring a Kroeger cameo in two different versions, a rocker with guitarist Zakk Wylde and a rap take courtesy labelmate Ludacris. “She wraps those hands around that pole/She licks those lips and off we go/She takes it off nice and slow/’Cause that’s porn star dancing.” “I don’t know if we intended to make it a strip club anthem, but I bet you will eventually hear it in every one,” laughs Doug. “Luda totally killed it,” remembers Matt. “We sent the song to him, he dug the track, and his rhymes are just awesome.” “To see him in person was so cool,” nods Sal. “He was so humble. With most rap stars, you wonder what makes them so special. But the minute Luda walked into the room, you knew right away why he is where he is. He just took control, literally grabbed the video camera and began rapping.” Taking their name from those moments where Matt says he draws his songwriting inspiration, My Darkest Days combine the rowdy celebration of rock sexuality alongside more personal observations about relationship. The salacious “Move Your Body” with its leering “You come on tapping at your back door, baby” come-on, and the sensual reggae world beat of “Setitonfire” (“I lose my mind/With the way you move”) are balanced by autobiographical tales like “Every Lie,” “Like Nobody Else” and the country twang of “Come Undone,” featuring sassy vocals from yet another labelmate, the comely Jessie James. “Half of our music is about partying and the other half is about shitty situations we’ve gotten ourselves into,” says Walst, who writes the group’s lyrics. “I believe you have to take the good with the bad, and that comes through in our songs.” “We wanted to show our diversity musically and lyrically,” says Sal, who joined the band almost a year ago just in time for a label showcase and to record their debut album. “As much as we are a heavy rock band, we’ve all gone through emotional moments that we want to put into our songs.” “It’s a fucked-up situation/When the one that you love is never enough/It’s a fucked up fascination/When the one that you trust is traded for lust.” “Fucked Up Situation” is perhaps the best example of the band’s ability to turn their life into a song that deals with an adulterous affair in a small town, where the sex has a nasty sadomasochistic side to it. “The lyrics remind me of a classic country song,” says Brendan. “Small town, cheating wife… people are always interested in that sort of thing.” “That chorus seems to hit home,” nods Matt. “Some people are in relationships where they love the person, but they need more.” “That’s the key to music and life in general,” answers Sal. “Balance, the yin and the yang. At the end of the day, that’s what we’re all about.” With the dubwise spaciousness of “Can’t Forget You” and the Police-like island rhythms of “Set it on fire,” My Darkest Days show their versatility. “I love writing with different people,” adds Matt. “I like having different flavors on the album. I’m a big fan of Top 40 and dance music as well as hard rock. It’s cool to bring all of those into our songs.” “If I had my way/I’d spend every day/Right by your side/And if I could stop time/Believe me/I’d try for you.” “Without You” The band is also capable of the wide-screen cinematic epic, such as “World Belongs to Me,” which begins with what sounds like the X Files theme—an irony, since much of the album was recorded at the show’s one-time base of Vancouver, home of Nickelback— and the closing, flick-your-cell phone arena-rock anthem, “Without You,” both of which can be seen as nods to the band’s loyal and growing fan base. And now, My Darkest Days are set to reap the rewards of the 10,000 hours Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers insist you need to perfect your craft. Having shared the stage with Three Days Grace, Theory of a Deadman, Papa Roach and more, the group has honed their live act, winning several talent contests in their native Canada. Even with a major label debut ready to hit the streets, My Darkest Days maintain their focus. “Our day-to-day life hasn’t changed, even if the stakes are definitely higher,” says Brendan. “We still practice every day. There’s no screwing around. It feels good to know all those days, living on nothing, were actually worth it.” “We’re willing to do whatever it takes,” adds Sal. “In the end, we just want to get our message out to the world.” .

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