Three Days Grace and I have a history. I hear a snippet of one of their songs and become absolutely entranced, an invisible string pulling me towards the beat. Their magnetism is profound. I have a habit of finding a new song I like and listening to it repeatedly until I tire of it, tapping the play button repeatedly like I’m stuck in that moment forever until I eventually move on to another.
That has yet to happen with their song “Animal I Have Become.” I first heard this song when I was on Instagram. The familiar frozen hands clutching my device, only moving my body to skip to the next video. I was trapping myself in casual doom-scrolling. I’ve heard bits of this song before, but this time, it felt different. I was compelled to listen to it, and so I did.
The song is composed of that familiar, dated sound of the 2000s. The emphasis on bass guitar, a steady drumbeat you could march to, the rage-fuelled energy. Three Days Grace, I’ve learned, is almost identical to Nickelback in some ways. They have a classic sound, one that represents the music of their era. They have iconic rock and roll intentions with a bit of a harder edge, something that isn’t inherently dangerous but may cut you if you aren’t careful.
“Animal I Have Become” is emphatic. It brings you a killer chorus repeating the same mantra over and over again: “So what if you can see the darkest side of me?/ no one would ever change the animal I have become.” Its darker, grittier tone makes for a powerful rock anthem equally suited for a rage room or a family barbecue. It’s versatile; something your dad would listen to in the summertime during your childhood, boombox on the pavement blaring. Or maybe it’s a melody for younger ears – something an angsty teen would play in their headphones while gaming, pizza face pressed close to the screen.
“Animal I Have Become” has yet to lose its sparkle. It still hits the right spot in my brain, the spot where only a good song can. It’s filled with discontent; it lets you know it isn’t happy and tells you exactly why. The repetitive guitar and consistent structure make it feel generic, almost universal. But the emo-esque lyrics turn it into an anthem, and the vocals emphasize that. It is a sound that I simply cannot escape…not yet, at least.
