My Darkest Days
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2005 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada |
| Founder | Matt Walst |
| Defunct | 2013 |
| Headquarters | Peterborough , Canada |
| Products | Rock music |
My Darkest Days was a rock ensemble originating from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, composed of lead singer Matt Walst, bassist Brendan McMillan, drummer Doug Oliver, guitarist Sal Costa, and keyboardist Reid Henry. They caught the attention of Chad Kroeger from Nickelback and subsequently secured a contract with his label, 604 Records. Their most notable hit is the 2010 track "Porn Star Dancing".
In June 2010, the group embarked on a tour alongside Sick Puppies, Janus, and It's Alive, during which they shot the "Porn Star Dancing" video in Las Vegas. By August that year, they were touring with Trapt, Skillet, and Papa Roach. The music video for "Porn Star Dancing" includes appearances by Kroeger, American rapper Ludacris (in the extended version), and Black Label Society’s guitarist Zakk Wylde.
The band ceased activity in 2013 after Matt Walst took over as lead vocalist for Three Days Grace, a band that also features his brother Brad.
Formation and early period
Established in 2005 by Matt Walst from Norwood, Ontario, My Darkest Days originally consisted of bassist Brendan McMillan, drummer Doug Oliver, and guitarist Chris McMillan, who was later succeeded by Paulo Neta and eventually Sal Costa. Rather than joining his brother Brad Walst’s band Three Days Grace, Matt opted to create his own group. Early in their career, they supported acts such as Three Days Grace, Nickelback, and Papa Roach. In 2008, they won the Rock Search competition hosted by 97.7 HTZ FM in St. Catharines, Ontario, which awarded them studio time, promotional exposure, and funding for an extensive year-long tour.
Debut release (2009–2011)
After hearing their demo while touring, Chad Kroeger signed My Darkest Days to his label. Their initial single under this partnership was "Porn Star Dancing," which featured Kroeger and Zakk Wylde; a remix version included rapper Ludacris. Their eponymous debut album was launched on September 21, 2010, showcasing collaborations with guitarist Orianthi and country-pop artist Jessie James on a cover of a Duran Duran song. The track "The World Belongs to Me" was also featured on the soundtrack for Saw 3D.
The band earned the title of "Best New Band of 2010" from hardDriveXL after reaching number one on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and FMQB’s Active Rock charts. "Porn Star Dancing" received gold certification in both Canada and the United States.
In March 2011, the band experienced a minor bus accident resulting in slight injuries and one canceled performance. They announced intentions to begin studio sessions in October 2011 with producer Joey Moi to develop new songs.
Sick and Twisted Affair era (2012)
The lead single from their sophomore album, "Casual Sex", was released digitally on January 17, 2012, following its radio debut on Canadian rock stations on January 13. Their second album, Sick and Twisted Affair, was released on March 26, 2012, featuring singles like "Casual Sex" and the title track "Sick And Twisted Affair". In April 2012, the band supported Nickelback, Bush, and Seether during Nickelback’s Here and Now World Tour. The song "Save Yourself" was included in the soundtrack for the video game NHL 13. Guitarist Sal Costa departed from the group in early 2013.
Following the departure of lead singer Adam Gontier from Three Days Grace in 2013, Matt Walst stepped in as the touring frontman and was subsequently confirmed as the permanent lead vocalist. In October 2024, Gontier rejoined the band as a co-lead vocalist alongside Walst, resulting in a dual-frontman arrangement. On August 22, 2025, the group unveiled their eighth studio album, Alienation, marking their first release featuring both vocalists.
Ex-guitarist Sal Costa launched Smashing Satellites in 2014, producing two EPs, one full-length album, and a single by 2016.
While Walst concentrated on Three Days Grace activities, other band members engaged in side ventures: Doug Oliver established the country ensemble Cold Creek County in 2013; Reid Henry and Brendan McMillan formed "Deadset Society," which toured across the United States. Their single "Like a Nightmare" climbed to number 2 on SXM Octane and various active rock radio charts.
After Deadset Society disbanded, three of its members formed "Tense Machine" in May 2019. Their initial single "Best Mistake" entered the US Active Rock top 50 and accumulated over 250,000 streams. The album Echoes, released in 2020, garnered close to one million streams.
In June 2020, Reid Henry introduced a solo endeavor with the track "Monster," co-written by McMillan; it received airplay on US Active Rock stations and achieved significant streaming numbers. His follow-up solo release, "The Blind," appeared in December 2020.
Although My Darkest Days is currently inactive, their official social media accounts remain operational.
Members
- Current lineup
- Matt Walst – lead vocals, guitar
- Reid Henry – keyboards, backing vocals, guitar
- Brendan McMillan – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Doug Oliver – drums, percussion
- Past members
- Sal Costa – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Chris McMillan – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Paulo Neta – lead guitar, vocals
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Highest chart rankings | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | US | US Alt |
US Rock | ||
| My Darkest Days |
|
11 | 38 | 9 | 12 |
| Sick and Twisted Affair |
|
29 | 29 | 9 | 11 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | AUS | US | US Alt |
US Main |
US Rock | ||||||||||||||
| 2010 | "Porn Star Dancing" (featuring Zakk Wylde and Chad Kroeger) | 40 | — | 90 | 21 | 1 | 7 | My Darkest Days | |||||||||||
| 2011 | "Move Your Body" | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | ||||||||||||
| "Every Lie" | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | |||||||||||||
| 2012 | "Casual Sex" | — | — | — | — | 22 | 46 |
Sick and Twisted Affair |
- |
"Sick and Twisted Affair" | — | — | — | — | 37 | — | |||
Awards and nominations
| Year | Awarding Body | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Juno Awards of 2011 | New Group of the Year | Template:Nom |
References
Additional sources