| | Full Review | Ratings (764) |
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| 2.5 average | fromtheinside | September 26th 09 |
Breaking Benjamin don't necessarily regress on their latest effort as much as they refuse to progress. There isn't a moment on this disc that's exciting or worth subsequent listens. Every single song renders the same tiring mechanic of slow agonized vocals to carry the several boring verses leading into often anticlimactic choruses, a formal strong point for the band, resulting in a more than lackluster affair. The days of this band being an acceptable guilty pleasure have surely faded; save for a lenient middle section, Breaking Benjamin have released what may be their worst disc to date. It's like swimming in a bathtub, after the nostalgia of being in water wears off you'll notice that this isn't quite the experience it hyped up to be.
So if you must: What Lies Beneath, Crawl
5 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | PSM | February 10th 10 |
I really enjoyed this album. I'm probably one of the few that thought there was a step forward here for the band, or at least a non-negative change. The first few tracks strike me as slightly progressive musically, whereas I never got that impression with songs on their previous albums (I'm a fan of Phobia, by the way). A few of the songs aren't anything special, just fairly generic radio/anthem rock, but I still enjoyed the melodies in those songs. He does have a great ear for melody. The album is far from perfect but overall I listen to it on a regular basis now that the songs are stuck in my head. Side note: did anyone else notice that track number four sounds 100% different production-wise? I'm assuming it was mixed somewhere different than the rest of the album (or at least most of the songs on it). It's kind of a downer for me since I'm just getting into the album at this point as I'm listening through it and then all of the sudden it sounds like they threw in a production from a totally different album for one track. Maybe this is just me paying a lot of attention to production, something I've developed a big habit for recently.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 2.5 average | Kyle Hallman | December 2nd 09 |
Breaking Benjamin has never been genre pushing, ground breaking or anything we hadn't heard before. That all being said their albums have kept up with a consistent level of listen-ability and quality. They have yet to change from their style whatsoever. However they still make another album of the same style of rock as we've grown to expect from them. So if your into them, then this album should leave you pretty happy.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.5 great | renny48 | October 12th 09 |
This is their most solid album from start to finish for me. Its not as good as Phobia though. Nothing classic like "Breath".
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | NotMusicSmart | October 8th 09 |
i say that This Album was actually really nice. i was looking around to find out how many songs there were for the new album just in case i missed a song when i saw this.
i am interested in what other people have to say about different types of music and different singers/bands so i joined. I started listening to Breaking Benjamin only a year ago and i only just started finding their better songs. i really love the songs they make and i dont mind the fact that they haven't changed much (even though i really thing that Dear Agony is a bit different. Note: take my username seriously. I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT MUSIC) i dont mind cuz i'm affraid if they change their ways they'll make it worse and what-not. I loved their album but i am kinda hoping for more of the types of songs like Topless, Dance with the Devil, The Diary of Jane, and so cold. those are a couple of my favorites. 
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | DarknessPrevails | September 30th 09 |
Breaking Benjamin's best album in a while. I like it better than We Are Not Alone but less than Saturate. This album combines heavy riffs and amazing vocals and killer drums that even make the softer songs just as great, making Dear Agony a more emotional, heavy, and mature album than their previous album Phobia.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | alexanjah1 | September 28th 09 |
I think the riffs are to similer but i like the thoughness n bulk of the album
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Thefinalcountdown | September 26th 09 |
In my opinion this album is solid and shows some differences from what they have done before, Particularly the growls which should be used far more. I understand why some reviewers may say this is their worst disc to date but for me they are still a decent band to listen to.
Highlights: Crawl, What Lies Beneath, Lights out, Without You, Give Me a Sign
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.0 good | DeadStarShine | February 11th 13 |
Unfortunately, for an album that combines Breaking Benjamin's forces, Dear Agony ends up being frustrating for employing the same repetitive formula to every single song. Since they have been applying such structure for years and years, one would expect some change now. From the begining to the end of this album, there isn't a single song that slows into to a nice acoustic, an instrumental or even a simple cover, anything that differs from the riff-verse-chorus-bridge thing. It's like listening to one great song lasting for forty minutes. It's worth it: What Lies Beneath, Will not bow, Give me a sign (look for it in acoustic), Without you.
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| 5.0 classic | outsid3r78 | January 22nd 13 |
This album is hard-hitting, and yet still has some songs that somehow, in a way, tug at the heartstrings, such as "Give Me A Sign"
Bump |
| 0.0 | ASnideRemark | October 5th 12 |
Basically a carbon copy of their previous album "Phobia". Breaking Benjamin's latest effort won't change your mind on the band, in fact, for the most part, the instrumentation is slow, boring and unimpressive. The vocals are as always strong and the lyricism has taken a step up from the last album, but that alone won't make up for the awkwardly lagging pace of this album.
Bump |
| 1.0 awful | TrumGen | September 18th 11 |
everything wrong about music. generic and horrendous. yet gets so much unwarranted airplay
Bump |
| 3.0 good | JTP1987 | July 19th 11 |
knocking off that half star, it's just too depressing as a whole.
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| 3.0 good | RikRoach7 | July 9th 11 |
On their forth album BB fail to surprise. Dear Agony can't hold a candle up to Phobia, which is a great record. This one has gone a little too soft and boring, but it still has its moments. I would like to mention Lights Out and Crawl at this place.
Bump |
| 5.0 classic | promiseswept | February 10th 11 |
Yeah it's arena rock but this is BB at their finest. "Without You," "Hopeless," and "What Lies Beneath" are all great takes at reinventing BB and showing that they can show their softer side too.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | aemaeth | September 19th 10 |
It is an alternative album, plain and simple. As an alternative album is is good, nothing special. Musically it is about the same as everyone of their other albums. The songs on a whole aren't great, but it is a more consistent album then their previous works.
Bump |
| 0.0 | Brandon Harvey | March 31st 10 |
i found this album to be quite monotonous and drowzy. i liked their older stuff like polyamorous but now this new album (with the exception of maybe two songs) is like a slow song borefest. i hate when bands lighten up to the degree that it makes you sleepy listening to them.
Bump |
| 0.0 | MrDoobie | January 14th 10 |
Breaking Benjamin and their pseudo-alt rock ilk (Nickelback, Daltrey) fail to get anything out of me except for a bit, "meh".
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| 2.5 average | Murderfists | January 10th 10 |
Breaking Benjamin aren't necessarily bad at making music. Many of their songs really are a joy to hear on occassion, however the album "Dear Agony" in general is really quite bland.
I'm sure there are occassions or instances in people's lives where this album will cheer them up, but really all of the themes lyrically involve lead singer Benjamin Burnley calling out to a mysterious "someone" (which we will assume female).
This whole album comes across as Alternative Metal with real Emo sprinkles.
Bump |
| 1.0 awful | alakazam9891 | October 13th 09 |
This album is insipid, queefy, and all-around bad. Good music, where are you when I need you?
Bump |
| 2.5 average | Motiv3 | October 1st 09 |
breaking benjamin rehash the same old shit they always ever did... evidence that mainstream rock is more watered down than ever.
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| 2.5 average | Dreakon | September 28th 09 |
Do you know how much variety Phobia had? This is pretty much like that, only with the variety taken down a notch. The biggest thing that bugged me about this album is the recycled use of lyrics from the other albums... just little lines like "you take my breath away" that pretty much sound like they ripped it directly from the song Breath on Phobia. Other than that though, it's a relatively solid, catchy album.
Good for Breaking Benjamin fans, probably nothing that'll get you into them if you've already heard their stuff though.
Bump |
| 5.0 classic | enp123 | May 20th 13 |
| 3.5 great | Kiyo | April 27th 13 |
| 2.5 average | Spanky | April 12th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Blace | April 11th 13 |
| 2.5 average | chayka | April 11th 13 |
| 2.0 poor | mh13 | March 13th 13 |
| 3.5 great | brunch | March 13th 13 |
| 3.0 good | amkunz | February 25th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | dtr019 | February 25th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Conexus | February 24th 13 |
| 2.5 average | Eddy | February 14th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | kvasha | February 7th 13 |
| 2.5 average | Tyler G | January 31st 13 |
| 2.0 poor | Hoppip | January 27th 13 |
| 1.5 very poor | br1nk | January 2nd 13 |
| 3.0 good | setton | December 26th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Streams | December 17th 12 |
| 2.0 poor | Dask | December 4th 12 |
| 3.5 great | dce09 | November 8th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | pbass0 | November 3rd 12 |
| 3.0 good | Adam | November 3rd 12 |
| 2.5 average | Sunlar | October 29th 12 |
| 3.0 good | fyffe | October 21st 12 |
| 3.0 good | Zachary | September 27th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Bang2014 | September 24th 12 |
| 3.5 great | michau | September 15th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | htherlee | September 6th 12 |
| 3.0 good | ryanX | August 29th 12 |
| 2.0 poor | Deviant STAFF | August 23rd 12 |
| 1.0 awful | sbtcg | August 21st 12 |
| 2.5 average | random | July 30th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Jotac | July 22nd 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | DANcore | July 18th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Austin | July 18th 12 |
| 3.0 good | WSH | July 7th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Kaz64 | July 5th 12 |
| 1.5 very poor | Eofofo | July 4th 12 |
| 3.0 good | chris | June 26th 12 |
| 1.0 awful | tysly | June 14th 12 |
| 3.5 great | boofie | June 13th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Myles7 | April 28th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | MrOx93 | April 28th 12 |
| 1.0 awful | Yotimi | April 27th 12 |
| 2.5 average | JohIV | April 24th 12 |
| 2.5 average | Guzzo | April 19th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Splint | April 17th 12 |
| 2.0 poor | Maniac | April 17th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | DylanP | March 31st 12 |
| 2.5 average | neuli | March 26th 12 |
| 2.0 poor | RobotE | March 26th 12 |
| 3.0 good | iGuter | March 23rd 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Xinlo | March 21st 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | bain89 | March 9th 12 |
| 3.5 great | ebids | March 3rd 12 |
| 1.5 very poor | Wahknee | February 28th 12 |
| 3.5 great | BigHans | February 20th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Duted | February 8th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Stonik | February 4th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Themac | January 19th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Nate | January 8th 12 |
| 2.5 average | tekight | December 29th 11 |
| 3.5 great | ANJ45 | December 17th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Xyrnos | December 11th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | SRB829 | December 9th 11 |
| 3.0 good | Lesnar | November 21st 11 |
| 2.5 average | xxxzzz | November 21st 11 |
| 3.0 good | Dday | November 13th 11 |
| 2.5 average | awal16 | November 3rd 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Ninja27 | October 12th 11 |
| 3.0 good | vox001 | September 22nd 11 |
| 2.5 average | FFL | September 11th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Tot8 | September 11th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hunter25 | September 4th 11 |
| 2.5 average | Hybza | August 30th 11 |
| 2.5 average | Josh C. | August 30th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Akaad | August 29th 11 |
| 2.5 average | qdgyu | August 13th 11 |
| 3.0 good | Ben. K | August 12th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | TrstN01 | August 7th 11 |
| 2.5 average | pconn | August 7th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Kitana | July 13th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Shukal | July 11th 11 |
| 2.5 average | Jumaos | July 10th 11 |
| 3.0 good | Chris | July 10th 11 |
| 2.5 average | John | July 6th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Xeltos | June 6th 11 |
| 2.5 average | iZac | June 1st 11 |
| 3.0 good | Dan | May 28th 11 |
| 2.5 average | HHx66 | May 26th 11 |
| 2.5 average | Tanner | May 10th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Imoshen | April 8th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | cater13 | March 23rd 11 |
| 3.0 good | Apollo | March 18th 11 |
| 1.0 awful | Perrya | March 11th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Bog91 | March 9th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | cappoq | February 17th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | BCR1299 | February 15th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | JRay18 | February 12th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Rowdy | January 3rd 11 |
| 3.5 great | A7X92 | December 15th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | pencils3 | November 25th 10 |
| 3.5 great | upriit | November 19th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | BOates | November 9th 10 |
| 3.0 good | seifer | October 8th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | ABlake | October 4th 10 |
| 3.5 great | dgrona | October 3rd 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Meexxx | October 3rd 10 |
| 4.5 superb | jackd64 | September 25th 10 |
| 1.5 very poor | Niels | September 24th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | barus | September 18th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Hook | September 16th 10 |
| 2.0 poor | Del Mar | September 12th 10 |
| 1.5 very poor | VJ90 | September 10th 10 |
| 2.5 average | Moses77 | August 22nd 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | AlBo | August 10th 10 |
| 3.0 good | BG | August 8th 10 |
| 3.5 great | KSE19 | August 5th 10 |
| 3.0 good | ZuZo | July 30th 10 |
| 2.5 average | Adam | July 22nd 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rush22 | July 14th 10 |
| 1.5 very poor | fund it | June 23rd 10 |
| 3.5 great | mppwns | June 10th 10 |
| 3.0 good | James | May 22nd 10 |
| 3.0 good | tttsb | May 21st 10 |
| 2.5 average | Manon | May 18th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Fobeus | May 12th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | A7X444 | April 14th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | stum93 | April 12th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nathan | April 7th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | shOnA | March 31st 10 |
| 3.5 great | Drone | March 27th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Ian | March 14th 10 |
| 2.5 average | IzzyG | March 11th 10 |
| 3.0 good | cb123 | March 7th 10 |
| 2.5 average | Rob | March 3rd 10 |
| 3.0 good | Caged | February 26th 10 |
| 1.5 very poor | DarkSky | February 15th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | TTrent4 | January 18th 10 |
| 2.0 poor | KrisHQ | January 17th 10 |
| 2.0 poor | idk | January 16th 10 |
| 2.0 poor | DinoX | January 2nd 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Cole673 | December 29th 09 |
| 3.0 good | toxin | December 25th 09 |
| 2.0 poor | Zion | December 19th 09 |
| 2.5 average | Joel B. | November 30th 09 |
| 2.5 average | Nomos | November 10th 09 |
| 3.0 good | x31942 | October 24th 09 |
| 2.5 average | ccoon44 | October 22nd 09 |
| 3.5 great | leagle | October 12th 09 |
| 2.5 average | 2DW | October 9th 09 |
| 2.5 average | Aesir | October 6th 09 |
| 3.0 good | Acey | October 6th 09 |
| 3.5 great | Tom | October 5th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rayana | October 2nd 09 |
| 3.0 good | ameypv | October 1st 09 |
| 2.5 average | iganja | September 29th 09 |
| 5.0 classic | riyadh1 | September 28th 09 |
| 2.5 average | Irad | September 28th 09 |
| 2.0 poor | bloc | September 27th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rawrz | September 26th 09 |
| 3.5 great | AlexQ | September 26th 09 |
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