Review Summary: Sounding very much like a continuation of their sound from 'We Are Not Alone' mixed with tinges of where they left off with 'Dark Before Dawn', Breaking Benjamin is back with a very heavy and dark vengeance on this album. After a cool little intro, the al
Breaking Benjamin is a band that needs no introduction; they are an alternative/melodic metalcore band that has been operating on and off since 1999. Their fan base is sort of all over the place; I have seen people who love them, people who just kind of like them, and some who find it funny to poke fun at them and those who like them. I am not ashamed to admit that I fall in the first category, and this album release was one that I was looking forward to. With the release of lead single 'Red Cold River', the sound seemed that Breaking Benjamin was bringing it back to their heavier roots with a sound that was reminiscent of their first album. With the album out today, and my preordered CD in hand, I dove into this record and am happy to report that Breaking Benjamin has succeeded in a return to form. If you were in the latter category of the fan spectrum I listed, this album will not change your mind. However, if you were in either of the first two; I will come out and say TL;DR this album is worth your attention.
Sounding very much like a continuation of their sound from 'We Are Not Alone' mixed with tinges of where they left off with 'Dark Before Dawn', Breaking Benjamin is back with a very heavy and dark vengeance on this album. After a cool little intro, the album dives in strong with one of the pre-release tracks, 'Feed The Wolf', which contains the quintessential power of Breaking Benjamin, heavy guitars, great bass, and a mix of melodic singing and some heavy screams. This song also contains one of the coolest and ripping bridges on a Breaking Benjamin song, starting off strong. What proceeds forward from this is a trip down what Breaking Benjamin's strengths are, with a heavy hand on dark lyricism and sound. Benjamin sounds fantastic on this album, with his vocals and loud, guttural screams sounding very good on these new songs. There is a heavy focus on the guitars and prominent sound of bass in these songs as well, something I really admire. By the time you get to track 4, 'Tourniquet', it is very clear that as always these guys know how to write a hefty and catchy chorus, with verses that compliment their respective choruses nicely. There are some nuance differences to this album than their previous as well; while this is very much a Breaking Benjamin album there are subtle nuances that make these songs have a clear defined sound when compared to their previous albums, and this song is one of them.
Its not all fist pumping anthems though, as Breaking Benjamin shows off their softer side in 'The Dark Of You', a haunting and quite well made ballad that takes it down a notch from the rest of the album and stands out as a much slower song than their usual with lyrics about giving in to the darkness of the world and a fractured relationship in this fleeting world and its inevitable finality. Its a welcome breath of fresh air on this album, with some of my favorite lyrics on the album:
"Fade away to the wicked world we left, and I become the dark of you
Say a prayer for the wounded heart within, as I become the dark of you
Let go, when all has come to life
We live, we breathe, we die
They call me to the light, forever lost in time."
This song is followed up by one of my other favorites on the album, 'Down'. This song is just kicks, starting off with a haunting intro before erupting into a song that is both ferocious, but contains a pre chorus and chorus that are extremely catchy and seeping with rhythmic anthem quality that you will find yourself singing along with its chorus by the second time it comes around. Its a song almost the opposite of the previous track, being an anthem about rising up and not letting this life bring someone down to their lowest point; though the fight will be hard. There are a lot of songs with this firey passion that you cannot help but just delve into when you hear them; songs like 'Torn In Two', 'Blood', and 'Save Yourself' are songs of this caliber, and round out the bottom half of the track list with varying ranges of aggression and passion, showcasing Breaking Benjamin putting some of their best feet forward. Breaking Benjamin may not change their sound too often on their albums, but they sure as hell know how to craft their sound to different degrees that create a theme on each album and perfect it. 'Save Yourself' is an example of this, with the formula being switched and the verses being screamed while the chorus is a melodic clean sung stand out of the album. I will also say that closer 'Close Your Eyes' may be one of my favorite closers from one of their albums, containing a breaking of the clouds In the darker theme of this album:
"Take away the dark inside, and lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes, as we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life, hold on, just hold on
I will keep you here inside, just close your eyes"
Overall, I will have to say there is not a bad song on this album in my opinion. As I said previously, if you were never a fan of this band; this album won't offer you anything to change your mind. However, if you ever liked anything they've done, this album will have something for you. Sometimes the heaviness of the album can kind of blend together on your first listen, but as these songs start to form into their own entities you come to appreciate their nuanced differences between each other. Breaking Benjamin has put out a strong effort, and I may even dare to say that its their best album since 'Phobia', though with this being the first day of its release I will have to let time decide that one. I will be listening to this one a lot; its aggressive, its catchy, its melodic, it has bite, its passionate, its dark, it feels real. This is Breaking Benjamin putting out their best effort, and its a damn good listen if you are into this type of music.
Stand Out Tracks:
Feed The Wolf
Tourniquet
The Dark of You
Down
Torn In Two
Blood
Close Your Eyes
