By Kate Drexel –
Babes, parties, heartbreak and love—all of these are what most modern rock songs consist of these days. In this case, it is driven very hard by the fairly new Canadian rock band, My Darkest Days. As of March 26, 2012, they released their second album, Sick and Twisted Affair.
The band formed in early 2005 after front man Matt Walst was asked by his older brother, Brad, the bassist for rock band Three Days Grace, to play with them. He turned down the offer and decided to form a band with friends Brendan McMillan (current bassist), Doug Oliver (current drummer), and Chris McMillan (former lead guitarist). After replacing the lead guitarist twice, in 2009, Toronto native Sal Costa joined the band. During their years of attempting to be the rock-stars that they are today, they have sent out many demos to recording studios. According to Walst’s Facebook account, a week before the band was going to be evicted, they got the call they were waiting for—they had caught someone’s attention. Thus began the rise of the band’s career.
Their first self-titled debut album My Darkest Days was released on September 21, 2010. Their leading single featured Nickelback’s front man Chad Kroeger, Black Label Society’s front man Zakk Wylde and another version of the song features Ludacris. This single was released June 21 and was certified Gold in both Canada and the United States. Other singles from the record include “Move Your Body,” “Every Lie” and “The World Belongs to Me.” They went on tour and opened for bands like Three Days Grace, Default, Theory of a Deadman, Skillet, Papa Roach and Hinder.
On October 2011, My Darkest Days announced that they would start recording their new album with producer Joey Moi and his company Mountain View Records, in partnership with 604 Records. The band’s new vulgar yet catchy leading single, “Casual Sex,” was released on January 17, 2012. Their album Sick and Twisted Affair was released this past Monday, March 26.
In celebration of their successful release of their second record, the band had a “live chat” with their fans. In this situation, the fans would write them messages and questions and the boys would answer them via live video feed. The chat took place in Matt Walst’s home in Peterborough, Ontario.
What is the hardest part of making a song?
Matt: The hardest part of making a song is coming up with the initial idea, I think. You know, or just staying on topic of the, you know, song.
Reid: The story.
Matt: Yeah, the story, too. It’s probably the hardest parts, the words. The melody is fun and easy to make.
How did you come up with your band name?
Matt (to Brendan): Well your brother actually had it as his MSN, didn’t he?
Brendan: Yeah.
Matt: And then, we thought that was cool. Well, “Darkest Days”, then we put “my” on it…My Darkest Days.
What is the hardest song to play for all of you?
Sal: Oh that’s a tough one.
Brendan: Maybe “Again.”
Sal: Yeah, “Again” is a pretty weird one to play.
Matt: Yeah, that’s a hard one.
How did you come up with the song “Stutter”?
[All laugh]
Sal: “Stutter” is a cover!
Where did you guys get the idea to cover “Stutter”?
Matt: Ahhh, it’s at the end of…what’s that movie called…Double Take? Yeah, Double Take and I have that on cassette at my garage, which is where I hang out and smoke cigarettes and it comes on at the end of the movie, and I just picked up an acoustic and started jamming out to it.
How long did it take to make the new album?
Sal: Four and a half months, maybe?
Reid: Not even.
Doug: Like a week.
[All laugh]
Brendan: We started doing it a couple of weeks ago.
Sal: It was very quick.
Matt: One day!
Sal: Yeah, we didn’t have a lot of time to make this one.
What artist inspires you guys individually?
Matt: For me it’s Nirvana, Curt Cobain.
Doug: Nirvana.
Sal: I’d say Guns ‘N’ Roses for me.
Doug: Tool.
Brendan: Yeah, it’d be Tool and I’ll also say Puscifer.
Reid: Deftones or Nirvana.
Sal: Placebo!
What are your favorite stories from the road?
Brendan: I can’t remember.
Matt: We like it when we get to go shopping on our days off. Yeah, we go to Wally, Best Buy…
Brendan: Guitar Center.
Sal: It’s so funny. When we come back from tour, I never want to see a Walmart ever again. But it’s just like when we’re on tour, like going to Walmart its like “Yeah, let’s go to Walmart, man!”
How did the band start?
Brendan: Well, Matt’s dad had a twinkle in his eye.
Matt: Ahhh, we started out off in Norwood and then moved out to the city, met Sal and Reid…and then the rest is pretty much history.
Do you have any advice for songwriters?
Brendan: Keep writing.
Sal: Yes.
Brendan: Just trying to write over and over again.
Sick and Twisted Affair is available for purchase at your local music store and digital download.
