Painkiller (Three Days Grace song)

"Painkiller" is a song by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. The song was released on April 1, 2014, as the lead single from their fifth studio album Human. It is the first single released with new singer Matt Walst, following the departure of Adam Gontier. The song reached number-one on the US Mainstream Rock chart, which made it their eleventh number-one single.

Background
On March 28, 2014, the band officially announced that Matt Walst would be Adam Gontier's permanent replacement in the band. Within the announcement, it was teased that new music would be heard the following week and on March 31, the band premiered "Painkiller" on their YouTube channel. The song was officially released through iTunes on April 1. Drummer Neil Sanderson talked about the meaning behind the song in a making of video released on the band's YouTube account: "'Painkiller, that song is about how everybody is addicted to something. It's written from the perspective of the vice that you need to be addicted to. The love of the drug, it's the villain who taunts you into wanting more.'"

Composition
"Painkiller" was written by Johnny Andrews, Douglas Ryan Oliver, Neil Sanderson, Barry Stock, Brad Walst and Matt Walst while production was handled by Gavin Brown who also co-wrote the track. The song was recorded in Noble Street Studios, Toronto, Ontario, in late 2013. It was the first track they wrote with Matt, who had already written most of the chorus. Stock stated that they wrote the song from the perspective of how everyone has a vice and it drawing you back in.