After reviewing all of their albums (not their EPs, sorry but I don't have any of them. If you want me to review their EPs I will do so my requests blog) I can say they are an interesting band with a unique sounds. However,they also have a couple of quirks.
The quirks are in every album they wrote they had hard to understand lyrics, as the songs were written more about blending with the music, and not for creating a story like in Folk music. Another quirk is the way the signer swears sometimes, in his accent it sounds a little funny, and he also tends to rush the swearing sometimes. That and its just that Ben sounds funny when he says words sometimes. Also, the band tends to use the same song structure and subjects a lot of the time of soft verse and hard chorus, with a climax, solo, and conclusion (the subjects being about struggle, suffering, bad relationships, and breaking up.) Lastly, for some reason this band has been through a total of six drummers, which is two more people than how many bass players Metallica has been through. lol
Quirks aside, they have a very unique kind of sound that involves a balance between all of the instruments all it only eventually became focused on guitar and vocals (which are good in their own right, Ben has a very unique voice). At the start with Saturate they were full of energy eager to let every instrument have an intro or a solo. However, when We Are Not Alone came out they cut back on the solos, but they were still pretty prominent. In W.A.N.A. the band took a much heavier approach to the song writing (but also made sure to add in some soft songs). In Phobia there were few solos, but the band members played pivotal parts together in creating the band's best sounding album to date. It was only in Dear Agony where the guitar and vocals took center stage, but it was written and executed poorly. This is most likely because of the emotion of the songs, and because Breaking Benjamin had thrived off a healthy balance for so long. I'd say every musician in their group is very skilled at what they do, even the latest drummer (though each drummer has had their own distinct style.)
For years I was proud to say that there was a modern alternative metal band that wasn't "Emo", but unfortunately Dear Agony fits in that stereotype (minus the post-pop punk feel). Though Dear Agony has disappointed me, it does make me happy to say that they only had one week album. (Ratings of albums at the bottom of the page.)
Another interesting thing that I noticed back in 2007 was how often Breaking Benjamin was used in Animae Motion Videos as a soundtrack, and how perfectly their music fits in with video games. I know for a fact that Ben is an avid video game player, which is probably why they did Blow Me Away for Halo 2. To me it is not unlikely that he choose to write his music in a similar style to most game compositions (see the guitar cover of "The Diary of Jane" below and see what I mean).
For me personally, it may just be the audience that Breaking Benjamin targets, but I can relate a lot to some of their songs and lyrics as they have been here helping me through the years.
Overall, even if Dear Agony was a disappointment, I am proud to say that Breaking Benjamin was my first rock band that I truly got into.
Ratings:
Saturate: *****
We Are Not Alone: ****
Phobia: *****
Dear Agony: ***
Just try and tell me you CAN'T hear this as the boss music in a Megman X Zero game!
Diary of Jane Guitar cover:
Showing posts with label Breaking Benjamin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breaking Benjamin. Show all posts
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Breaking Benjamin- Dear Agony
2009 was a very hard year for me, the summer in particular held a series of painful events that made me mature and shattered the remaining hopes from my childhood (like thinking the world revolves around me. lol). 2009 is also the year Dear Agony came out. Kind of funny how fate (and target audiences) work some times, eh? This album represented my emotions down to a T. However at the time I was hoping for this album to lift my spirits, not cast me down. Today I am looking at the latest installment in the Breaking Benjamin discography: Dear Agony.
Note: I can't give the names of the people who helped produce and mix the album because Breaking Benjamin never added this album to their discography for some reason on their website, Shallowbay.com
Title: Dear Agony
Year: 2009
Genre: Emotional Metal, Techno Rock
Artist(s): Breaking Benjamin
Copyright: © 2009 Holly Wood Records
Songs:
1. Fade Away
This track pretty much sets the mood of the album. The lyrics subjectively are similar to Next to Nothing, in that it tells of a broken up relationship from the perspective of both partners. It ends with the heart broken person saying they will fade away from this life, rather than the person moving on like in Next to Nothing. It is dramatic and very whiny in tone and emotion, which fits the lyrics. There is a slight guitar solo, but it doesn't really impress me or carry me anywhere. This song sounds pretty standard in terms of modern rock music with nothing truly noteworthy, and it tends to drag on. 1 out of 5 stars.
2. I Will Not Bow
This is the main single of the album, and it is also the song that set my expectations high for the album (what better way to follow Phobia than to write a hard rock album with awesome songs like this?). It is a very intense hard rock song that grabs your attention and puts you in a triumphant mood, like you could beat Ninja Gaiden without cheats. The lyrics tell of a man in a struggle who wishes to become victorious and forsake the world to live life on his own terms, one of my favorite songs off the album. My only complaint is that the contrast between this song and the rest of the album it barely fits in. 5 out of 5 stars.
3. Crawl
A very angst driven song, but not exactly like Topless. The lyrics tell of a couple in an abusive relationship, with lyrics from the perspectives of both people. The lyrics end with the victim becoming as evil as the abuser. The mood of the instruments fits the emotion of the lyrics well, but I get the feeling the instruments are being there purely for support to just let Ben's voice do all of the emotional styling. Better than Fade Away, but still nothing special. 3 out of 5 stars.
4. Give Me a Sign
This is the second single on the album. Somewhat slow, and very minimalistic, this song has a very whiny tonality to it as well. The lyrics tell of someone who is near death and feels no hope anymore, and someone else who is a loved one who wants to save the dying person. I recognize that the rhythm guitar is trying to make the same hypnotic echo effect like it did in Phobia, but it just comes off as mellow dramatic. The only real thing I like about this song are the lyrics in the "God help me I've come undone" and "There's something buried in the words" parts (the latter of which is the climax.) Somewhat enjoyable, but fails to be enjoyable as a whole. 3 out of 5 stars
5. Hopeless
It starts off with a slow and somewhat promising intro, but breaks into generic guitar riffs. The emotion goes from feeling somewhat lively, then to the person realizing his fate. The lyrics tell of someone who drowned themselves out of guilt and their spirit is starting their descent into hell. The instrumentation bothers me at parts, but I really like Ben's singing in this song, I can tell he actually cared about this one, plus there is a good balance between the screaming and clean vocals. Overall a decently enjoyable song 4 out of 5 stars.
6. What Lies Beneath
The tonality of this song is very fight filled, you can tell they wrote this about a struggle. The meaning of this song is yet again about an abusive relationship from both perspectives, except the victim is calling their partner the devil. This song is the closest I can hear to Phobia and We Are Not Alone, albeit a tiny bit whiny. This is the best hard rock song on the album next to I Will Not Bow. Overall a very enjoyable piece. 4 out of 5 stars.
7. Anthem of the Angels
This song starts off low key with a violin and a cello playing together, then breaks into heavy guitars. It returns to the classic style of Breaking Benjamin of soft and hard parts, and building up to a climax. The lyrics tell of someone who is near a dying loved one, and at the start of the song the caring person says they wish to join to the dying person, but later in the song the caring person accepts that their loved one is going to die. I like how clearly the bass comes through and how good the string section sounds, along with how good Ben's singing is. Overall this track is probably the best on the album so far. 5 out of 5 stars.
8. Lights Out
This is the third single on the album. The emotion and sound in this album are very angst driven and very threatening. The lyrics in this song tell of the Devil commenting on how is going to kill someone by corrupting their life then poisoning their body while saying he can't afford to care for the person because it would make him stop trying to kill the person. The opening of the song is a little weak, though they do switch between heavy and soft. I think they do a good job of painting the picture of the lyrics, and the song becomes highly repetitive. The only really enjoyable part of this song is the short guitar solo. Overall an annoyingly repetitive song. 2 out of 5 stars.
9. Dear Agony
This song reminds a little of Here We Are, but a bit heavier. The emotion is very sincere and passionate. The lyrics describe the singers struggle with a lung infection in how he wishes to fight it but he feels highly threatened by death. The song is beautiful sounding, but perhaps too beautiful, as one might expect the song to be more desperate then going into triumph and hope. Instead it goes from passion into triumph, and then desperation in the chorus, which doesn't make much sense to me. The song is repetitive and has no climax, but is overall enjoyable, albeit somewhat confusing. 4 out of 5 stars.
10. Into the Nothing
Yet another very angst driven song, the song goes from heavy to soft. From what I can gather of the lyrics the song is about a couple where one of the partners is evil, and the other partner is trying to redeem the other partner as they are trying to escape something evil coming into their lives. I like how the bass manages to be prominent but not overpowering (the bass is a bit reminiscent of Iron Maiden in sound.) The song remains interesting and actually caries me like their older songs do, so this song is effective at creating a good mood and picture. Overall very enjoyable, albeit a bit whiny. 3.5 out of stars.
11. Without You
This song has a very desperate and hopeful sound to it. The lyrics in this song tell of a partner in an abusive relationship who wants to make their partner see the error of their ways, but as the song ends the person realizes it is best to let the abusive one go. In the end the victim forgives the abuser. There is a slight hypnotic sense to this piece, and you can really tell Ben is emoting well in this song. Also the last chorus is very convincing, the climax is great and it leads into a very well written string section. My favorite song off the album, it is a great choice to close the album with. It's only shortcoming is that it doesn't really feel solid to me, just like all of the songs on this album. 5 out of 5 stars.
Audio Mixing:
The mixing in this album is a bit traditional and generic, but it works. The instruments come through very clearly, and the bass in songs like in Anthem of the Angels and Into the Nothing is very prominent but not overpowering. The guitars go from a kind of muddy distortion to a crystal clear reverberation, which is a strange contrast. The drums remain consistent in volume, but the volume is turned down at parts to bring the guitars and string sections (which works, but it is still unfortunate for the drummer.) From what I can tell the instruments remain in both speakers, and they only bring up volume for dramatic effect. I'm pleasantly surprised at parts by the mixing, though I feel the mixing on Phobia was a bit better.
Singing:
The singing is a bit lacking on this album. Ben's scream sounds more tired now rather than filled with energy like it used too. I guess this is bound to happen after so many years of touring and screaming at the top of his lungs (probably with out protecting his voice), I mean just look at Robert Plant and James Hetfield these days. That and his voice is bound to change as he gets older. My other issue is that Ben doesn't really emote as well as he did in Phobia, though he did a good job with With Out You. Ben's natural tone is good, but you can tell he's been smoking and that he is struggling with a lung infection. He does manage to sound good on songs like Hopeless and Anthem of the Angels. Lastly, Ben has finally enunciated his words well enough to create understandable phrases that don't sound awkward or out of time.
Instrumentation:
This is where the album truly suffers. I feel like in every song the instruments were only there for support of the vocals (which are lacking in there own way.) Plus the only solos are for guitar, no bass or drums. The structure is generally the same with their previous albums with the soft and heavy verse to chorus and building to a climax, but without many memorable climaxes. The tonality is generally miserable and very canned in.
What I didn't like:
The songs feel incomplete and canned with unconvincing singing. Plus there was an overall generic feeling to the album.
What I did like:
The string arrangements were very beautiful, and a couple of the songs are worth hearing.
Who would enjoy this album:
Fans of music about personal suffering, and people who like music with implied themes of Christianity.
Overall:
I know I may be sounding a little harsh here, but the album has managed to surprise me with a few of the songs being enjoyable to listen too (I was intending to give the album only one star). I think the album sounds the way it does is because of the singer being at risk of dying from a lung infection and the band almost breaking up (no pun intended). Breaking Benjamin is now on hiatus due to Ben being sick. I would rather have a mediocre album than the group splitting up, but that is what happened with Metallica's St. Anger (though this album is much similar to Re-Load), which shows that change isn't always a good thing. The events behind the writing doesn't excuse the song writing when comparing this album to Phobia because its like we went straight from Master of Puppets to Re-Load (a big unwanted change that feels incomplete and has a lot of filler). Overall the album is okay on its own that may grow on you eventually, but a let down when compared to Phobia because of the incomplete and generic sound. Next time I will start my requests blog by reviewing Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin.
Rating: ***
I Will Not Bow music video:
Give me a Sign music video:
Lights Out unofficial video:
Note: I can't give the names of the people who helped produce and mix the album because Breaking Benjamin never added this album to their discography for some reason on their website, Shallowbay.com
Title: Dear Agony
Year: 2009
Genre: Emotional Metal, Techno Rock
Artist(s): Breaking Benjamin
Copyright: © 2009 Holly Wood Records
Songs:
1. Fade Away
This track pretty much sets the mood of the album. The lyrics subjectively are similar to Next to Nothing, in that it tells of a broken up relationship from the perspective of both partners. It ends with the heart broken person saying they will fade away from this life, rather than the person moving on like in Next to Nothing. It is dramatic and very whiny in tone and emotion, which fits the lyrics. There is a slight guitar solo, but it doesn't really impress me or carry me anywhere. This song sounds pretty standard in terms of modern rock music with nothing truly noteworthy, and it tends to drag on. 1 out of 5 stars.
2. I Will Not Bow
This is the main single of the album, and it is also the song that set my expectations high for the album (what better way to follow Phobia than to write a hard rock album with awesome songs like this?). It is a very intense hard rock song that grabs your attention and puts you in a triumphant mood, like you could beat Ninja Gaiden without cheats. The lyrics tell of a man in a struggle who wishes to become victorious and forsake the world to live life on his own terms, one of my favorite songs off the album. My only complaint is that the contrast between this song and the rest of the album it barely fits in. 5 out of 5 stars.
3. Crawl
A very angst driven song, but not exactly like Topless. The lyrics tell of a couple in an abusive relationship, with lyrics from the perspectives of both people. The lyrics end with the victim becoming as evil as the abuser. The mood of the instruments fits the emotion of the lyrics well, but I get the feeling the instruments are being there purely for support to just let Ben's voice do all of the emotional styling. Better than Fade Away, but still nothing special. 3 out of 5 stars.
4. Give Me a Sign
This is the second single on the album. Somewhat slow, and very minimalistic, this song has a very whiny tonality to it as well. The lyrics tell of someone who is near death and feels no hope anymore, and someone else who is a loved one who wants to save the dying person. I recognize that the rhythm guitar is trying to make the same hypnotic echo effect like it did in Phobia, but it just comes off as mellow dramatic. The only real thing I like about this song are the lyrics in the "God help me I've come undone" and "There's something buried in the words" parts (the latter of which is the climax.) Somewhat enjoyable, but fails to be enjoyable as a whole. 3 out of 5 stars
5. Hopeless
It starts off with a slow and somewhat promising intro, but breaks into generic guitar riffs. The emotion goes from feeling somewhat lively, then to the person realizing his fate. The lyrics tell of someone who drowned themselves out of guilt and their spirit is starting their descent into hell. The instrumentation bothers me at parts, but I really like Ben's singing in this song, I can tell he actually cared about this one, plus there is a good balance between the screaming and clean vocals. Overall a decently enjoyable song 4 out of 5 stars.
6. What Lies Beneath
The tonality of this song is very fight filled, you can tell they wrote this about a struggle. The meaning of this song is yet again about an abusive relationship from both perspectives, except the victim is calling their partner the devil. This song is the closest I can hear to Phobia and We Are Not Alone, albeit a tiny bit whiny. This is the best hard rock song on the album next to I Will Not Bow. Overall a very enjoyable piece. 4 out of 5 stars.
7. Anthem of the Angels
This song starts off low key with a violin and a cello playing together, then breaks into heavy guitars. It returns to the classic style of Breaking Benjamin of soft and hard parts, and building up to a climax. The lyrics tell of someone who is near a dying loved one, and at the start of the song the caring person says they wish to join to the dying person, but later in the song the caring person accepts that their loved one is going to die. I like how clearly the bass comes through and how good the string section sounds, along with how good Ben's singing is. Overall this track is probably the best on the album so far. 5 out of 5 stars.
8. Lights Out
This is the third single on the album. The emotion and sound in this album are very angst driven and very threatening. The lyrics in this song tell of the Devil commenting on how is going to kill someone by corrupting their life then poisoning their body while saying he can't afford to care for the person because it would make him stop trying to kill the person. The opening of the song is a little weak, though they do switch between heavy and soft. I think they do a good job of painting the picture of the lyrics, and the song becomes highly repetitive. The only really enjoyable part of this song is the short guitar solo. Overall an annoyingly repetitive song. 2 out of 5 stars.
9. Dear Agony
This song reminds a little of Here We Are, but a bit heavier. The emotion is very sincere and passionate. The lyrics describe the singers struggle with a lung infection in how he wishes to fight it but he feels highly threatened by death. The song is beautiful sounding, but perhaps too beautiful, as one might expect the song to be more desperate then going into triumph and hope. Instead it goes from passion into triumph, and then desperation in the chorus, which doesn't make much sense to me. The song is repetitive and has no climax, but is overall enjoyable, albeit somewhat confusing. 4 out of 5 stars.
10. Into the Nothing
Yet another very angst driven song, the song goes from heavy to soft. From what I can gather of the lyrics the song is about a couple where one of the partners is evil, and the other partner is trying to redeem the other partner as they are trying to escape something evil coming into their lives. I like how the bass manages to be prominent but not overpowering (the bass is a bit reminiscent of Iron Maiden in sound.) The song remains interesting and actually caries me like their older songs do, so this song is effective at creating a good mood and picture. Overall very enjoyable, albeit a bit whiny. 3.5 out of stars.
11. Without You
This song has a very desperate and hopeful sound to it. The lyrics in this song tell of a partner in an abusive relationship who wants to make their partner see the error of their ways, but as the song ends the person realizes it is best to let the abusive one go. In the end the victim forgives the abuser. There is a slight hypnotic sense to this piece, and you can really tell Ben is emoting well in this song. Also the last chorus is very convincing, the climax is great and it leads into a very well written string section. My favorite song off the album, it is a great choice to close the album with. It's only shortcoming is that it doesn't really feel solid to me, just like all of the songs on this album. 5 out of 5 stars.
Audio Mixing:
The mixing in this album is a bit traditional and generic, but it works. The instruments come through very clearly, and the bass in songs like in Anthem of the Angels and Into the Nothing is very prominent but not overpowering. The guitars go from a kind of muddy distortion to a crystal clear reverberation, which is a strange contrast. The drums remain consistent in volume, but the volume is turned down at parts to bring the guitars and string sections (which works, but it is still unfortunate for the drummer.) From what I can tell the instruments remain in both speakers, and they only bring up volume for dramatic effect. I'm pleasantly surprised at parts by the mixing, though I feel the mixing on Phobia was a bit better.
Singing:
The singing is a bit lacking on this album. Ben's scream sounds more tired now rather than filled with energy like it used too. I guess this is bound to happen after so many years of touring and screaming at the top of his lungs (probably with out protecting his voice), I mean just look at Robert Plant and James Hetfield these days. That and his voice is bound to change as he gets older. My other issue is that Ben doesn't really emote as well as he did in Phobia, though he did a good job with With Out You. Ben's natural tone is good, but you can tell he's been smoking and that he is struggling with a lung infection. He does manage to sound good on songs like Hopeless and Anthem of the Angels. Lastly, Ben has finally enunciated his words well enough to create understandable phrases that don't sound awkward or out of time.
Instrumentation:
This is where the album truly suffers. I feel like in every song the instruments were only there for support of the vocals (which are lacking in there own way.) Plus the only solos are for guitar, no bass or drums. The structure is generally the same with their previous albums with the soft and heavy verse to chorus and building to a climax, but without many memorable climaxes. The tonality is generally miserable and very canned in.
What I didn't like:
The songs feel incomplete and canned with unconvincing singing. Plus there was an overall generic feeling to the album.
What I did like:
The string arrangements were very beautiful, and a couple of the songs are worth hearing.
Who would enjoy this album:
Fans of music about personal suffering, and people who like music with implied themes of Christianity.
Overall:
I know I may be sounding a little harsh here, but the album has managed to surprise me with a few of the songs being enjoyable to listen too (I was intending to give the album only one star). I think the album sounds the way it does is because of the singer being at risk of dying from a lung infection and the band almost breaking up (no pun intended). Breaking Benjamin is now on hiatus due to Ben being sick. I would rather have a mediocre album than the group splitting up, but that is what happened with Metallica's St. Anger (though this album is much similar to Re-Load), which shows that change isn't always a good thing. The events behind the writing doesn't excuse the song writing when comparing this album to Phobia because its like we went straight from Master of Puppets to Re-Load (a big unwanted change that feels incomplete and has a lot of filler). Overall the album is okay on its own that may grow on you eventually, but a let down when compared to Phobia because of the incomplete and generic sound. Next time I will start my requests blog by reviewing Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin.
Rating: ***
I Will Not Bow music video:
Give me a Sign music video:
Lights Out unofficial video:
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Breaking Benjamin- Phobia
I apologize for how long it has taken for me to write a follow up to We Are Not Alone, school has been hectic as of late. This is by far my favorite Breaking Benjamin Album in their discography. It has remained in my heart, soul, and mind since it came out in 2006 (has it really been five years already? Jeez, I'm getting old. lol) This is their third studio album and it has many fan favorite songs. This album is different from the previous two in the way it sounds, and today we will see if that change truly was for the better.
Title: Phobia
Year: 2006
Genre: Alternative Metal, Hard Rock, Alternative Blues, and Techno Rock
Artist(s): Breaking Benjamin
Copyright: © 2006 Holly Wood Records
Songs:
1. Phobia (Intro)
Truly something that sets this album apart from the previous two is the instrumental opening. We get to hear the band jamming out on their instruments to sounds like planes moving buy and flight stewardesses speaking in numerous languages (though that is ironic if we remember the meaning of Break my Fall.) We hear the noise of a door opening to signify the start of the album. A unique way to start an album that shows they can be very experimental. 5 out of 5 stars.
2. The Diary of Jane
This is one of Breaking Benjamin's most popular songs. This song fits well in the alternative metal genre because it is heavy, but isn't angry, rather it sounds very exciting. The lyrics tell of a man who is trying to win the heart of a woman he loves but she isn't paying attention to him, he eventually becomes so devoted he realizes just how much of his life has been ruined by the unrequited love. This song has a slow build up and a heavy introduction, it switches from light to heavy in verse and chorus from with the chorus being the heaviest. In this song he screams when appropriate, and the climax is right at the last chorus with the backing vocals making a quiet but interesting melody with Ben until we get a soft outro. A very enjoyable piece that sounds unique and builds nicely to a climax. 5 out of 5 stars.
3. Breath
The second single off the album, this song is more low key than The Diary of Jane. This song has a very dark and serious feel to it. The lyrics tell of an ex couple who fight with each other very often and the singer is saying it is better if they stay apart. It starts with a slow build up in the intro and then goes to a heavy intro, followed by a soft verse heavy chorus pattern. The climax comes in on the "I'm waiting" lyrics. This piece is more relaxed than the previous song, but it remains just as enjoyable. 5 out of 5 stars.
4. You
This song is very low key with a soft verse and heavy chorus. It has kind of a depressing but mysterious feel to it. The lyrics are hard for me to decipher, but from what I can understand the singer feels like he has hit rock bottom but does not want to drag his lover down with him. This song is different from the previous two in the sense that in the sense that the climax is at the very end and even that is pretty low key. Musically simple, but still very enjoyable and very haunting. 5 out of 5 stars.
5. Evil Angel
This song has a very hopeful sound to it, which makes sense since the song is about the singer wishing for a savior to take him to a happier place. The song goes from soft to hard, and has an interesting guitar solo as the climax. This song is very exciting to listen too, and Ben's singing is very enjoyable in it. 5 out of 5 stars.
6. Until the End
This is the third single off this album. This song's emotion fits the tittle perfectly in that it is very triumphant against harsh odds. The lyrics tell of two people who fight very often, but the singer wants to win no matter what. This song manages to pull off being very hard rock oriented but also sounding happy at the same time, and it also has the first time I have heard this band swear on tempo so perfectly. A truly enjoyable and inspiring song. 5 out of 5 stars.
7. Dance With the Devil
This song is very different from the previous song. It is very low key but heavily dramatic at the same time. The lyrics tell of a man who is with a bad girlfriend and he is dancing with the devil by giving her another chance, at the end of the song he gives up on her and moves on. I used to dislike this song, but it has really grown on me. I like how hypnotic the guitars sound on the chorus, and how perfectly the entire band sets the mood musically. 5 out of 5 stars.
8. Topless
This song is very angst sounding, like if your stomach ulcer had a theme song. It is down tempo but still heavy. This all makes perfect sense considering the song is about a rapist and his victim talking to each other. This is the only song off the album that I don't really like, the instrumentation and the oddly harmonized singing I feel could have been a lot better if it were performed differently. That being said I do have to give them credit for making the music match the concept so nicely, that and I enjoy the instrumentation in the chorus. 3 out of 5 stars.
9. Here we Are
This song is another strong contrast to the previous one. This song is much more ballad like, meaning it is melodic and beautiful. The lyrics tell of an ex boyfriend who is talking to his former girlfriend about how pathetic he feels and how much of a drama queen she is. He wishes they could stop fighting and move on with their life. Well it uses the typical Breaking Benjamin song formula (soft to hard, build up to climax) it manages to really entrance me in the emotion of the song and feel for the character in it, it achieves this by again being very hypnotic. 5 out of 5 stars.
10. Unknown Soldier
This song is very triumphant, but not in a cheesy or typical way. Kudos to them for using a helicopter sound effectively. The lyrics tell of a soldier who is going to sacrifice him self to save someone he cares about, and that he looks forward to it. I like the overall feel of this song, the echo the guitar makes really helps to set the mood here. 5 out of 5 stars.
11. Had Enough
This is the angriest song Breaking Benjamin has ever written. Heavy and intense, the instrumentation lets you know that the singer is pissed. The lyrics tell of the singer being tired of fighting with an abusive con artist and that the singer will forever pity and hate the thief. I love this song because everything about it impresses from start to finish, with Ben screaming very convincingly "Heaven help you!" with the guitar solo in the background for the climax. If someone ever stole money from you, or if you had a greedy ex lover who broke your heart, this is the perfect song to dedicate to them. 6 out 5 stars
12. You Fight Me
This song is more down tempo and relaxed from Had Enough, but still very angst driven. The lyrics tell of two people, with one fighter loosing and the other dominating in a very menacing manner. This is where Breaking Benjamin got really experimental, it seems to me they wanted to do their own spin of combining rapping, techno, and hard rock. Or in other words their own original spin on Nu Metal, which makes me think Linkin Park served as an inspiration on this song. Some might say the lyrics are a little week and rushed during writing, but it flows nicely in the song so it doesn't matter to me. A very thought provoking piece. 5 out of 5 stars.
13. Phobia (Outro)
Similar yet different from the opening, this one plays more like a finishing climax in the sense that it is heavier as opposed to a slow build up with a very long guitar solo. It is similar in that there are noises and voices. The song ends with a an electric violin playing (the only time you would hear a bowed instrument if you have the Itunes version of this CD) and the door from the intro fittingly closing.
14. Diary of Jane Acoustic
If you have the hard copy CD or one of the early releases then you have this wonderful rendition of an otherwise great song. Featuring Sebastian Davin of Dropping Daylight on piano and David Eggar on cello, this piece is their most emotional and beautiful ballad to date as the combination of piano and cello along with Ben's heartfelt singing really help bring out the emotional nature of the unrequited love in this piece. The lyrics are the same as before, and the song is still very familiar sounding but different in a good way. 5 out of 5 stars.
Audio Mixing:
The band uses similar tricks as on their previous album, just with more noises and people talking this time around to help set moods and signify the beginning and end of the album. The sound quality is the best I have ever heard so far from this band. Again the audio quality changes to fit the mood of the song as it did in We Are Not Alone, but it retains a strong sense of consistency as well. I wouldn't say it sounds clear exactly, I would actually use the words shiny and warm to describe the sound because of the echo effects the guitars used along with the somewhat muddy and deep bass really makes me think of a crystal being held in front of a fire. I tip my hat off to audio engineers Ben Grosse and Paul Pavao for the job they did here.
Singing:
The singing on this album has improved greatly over the previous album. Ben emotes every line perfectly, and the swearing no longer comes off as awkward or off tempo. His singing on tracks like Evil Angel shows just how beautiful a voice Ben Burnely has, while every other song shows how proper emoting can make a voice very versatile. My only real complaint is that Ben still isn't pronouncing some of his words clearly which create moments similar to the swearing from We Are Not Alone in that they are somewhat off timing and sound strange. Otherwise the singing is top notch.
Instrumentation:
Four words this time: Versatile, emotional, hypnotic, and complex. Most of the songs follow the pattern of a soft verse and heavy chorus, but the band does change it up in a few songs. What really amazes me about the instrumentation is how in every song the instruments create the mood and picture of the lyrics so perfectly (I have yet to hear a song as angry as Had Enough, though to be fair I am going to review the Tool discography someday. lol) even in the song Topless. Another thing that is nice is that solos start to make a comeback in this album, though you need to know where to look (like the bass in You, or the Drums in the "Hold on" section in Dance with the Devil, and the guitar solo in the Outro.) The instrumentation is top notch and the best I've heard from this band.
What I didn't like:
The song Topless was not really my style.
What I did like:
To quote my self from my Saturate review, everything else especially since the lyrics are a a lot less vague now.
Who would enjoy this album:
Lyrics about rape and sex aside, I truly think this is an album everyone should have a chance to listen too.
Overall:
This album is radically different from their previous two albums (though some similarities remain), as such Breaking Benjamin is saying good bye to their Grunge roots. Also, after going over the album it is safe for me to say that in my eyes this is Breaking Benjamin's musical opus; their masterpiece. With beautiful singing, versatile and mood setting music, and great audio production Phobia is truly a wonderful album that everyone should have the chance to hear. Next time I will close their discography with their latest album, Dear Agony. Expect it to be less positive than the previous reviews and also shorter in style.
Rating: *****
Diary of Jane Music Video:
Breath Music Video:
Unofficial Unknown Soldier Music Video:
Title: Phobia
Year: 2006
Genre: Alternative Metal, Hard Rock, Alternative Blues, and Techno Rock
Artist(s): Breaking Benjamin
Copyright: © 2006 Holly Wood Records
Songs:
1. Phobia (Intro)
Truly something that sets this album apart from the previous two is the instrumental opening. We get to hear the band jamming out on their instruments to sounds like planes moving buy and flight stewardesses speaking in numerous languages (though that is ironic if we remember the meaning of Break my Fall.) We hear the noise of a door opening to signify the start of the album. A unique way to start an album that shows they can be very experimental. 5 out of 5 stars.
2. The Diary of Jane
This is one of Breaking Benjamin's most popular songs. This song fits well in the alternative metal genre because it is heavy, but isn't angry, rather it sounds very exciting. The lyrics tell of a man who is trying to win the heart of a woman he loves but she isn't paying attention to him, he eventually becomes so devoted he realizes just how much of his life has been ruined by the unrequited love. This song has a slow build up and a heavy introduction, it switches from light to heavy in verse and chorus from with the chorus being the heaviest. In this song he screams when appropriate, and the climax is right at the last chorus with the backing vocals making a quiet but interesting melody with Ben until we get a soft outro. A very enjoyable piece that sounds unique and builds nicely to a climax. 5 out of 5 stars.
3. Breath
The second single off the album, this song is more low key than The Diary of Jane. This song has a very dark and serious feel to it. The lyrics tell of an ex couple who fight with each other very often and the singer is saying it is better if they stay apart. It starts with a slow build up in the intro and then goes to a heavy intro, followed by a soft verse heavy chorus pattern. The climax comes in on the "I'm waiting" lyrics. This piece is more relaxed than the previous song, but it remains just as enjoyable. 5 out of 5 stars.
4. You
This song is very low key with a soft verse and heavy chorus. It has kind of a depressing but mysterious feel to it. The lyrics are hard for me to decipher, but from what I can understand the singer feels like he has hit rock bottom but does not want to drag his lover down with him. This song is different from the previous two in the sense that in the sense that the climax is at the very end and even that is pretty low key. Musically simple, but still very enjoyable and very haunting. 5 out of 5 stars.
5. Evil Angel
This song has a very hopeful sound to it, which makes sense since the song is about the singer wishing for a savior to take him to a happier place. The song goes from soft to hard, and has an interesting guitar solo as the climax. This song is very exciting to listen too, and Ben's singing is very enjoyable in it. 5 out of 5 stars.
6. Until the End
This is the third single off this album. This song's emotion fits the tittle perfectly in that it is very triumphant against harsh odds. The lyrics tell of two people who fight very often, but the singer wants to win no matter what. This song manages to pull off being very hard rock oriented but also sounding happy at the same time, and it also has the first time I have heard this band swear on tempo so perfectly. A truly enjoyable and inspiring song. 5 out of 5 stars.
7. Dance With the Devil
This song is very different from the previous song. It is very low key but heavily dramatic at the same time. The lyrics tell of a man who is with a bad girlfriend and he is dancing with the devil by giving her another chance, at the end of the song he gives up on her and moves on. I used to dislike this song, but it has really grown on me. I like how hypnotic the guitars sound on the chorus, and how perfectly the entire band sets the mood musically. 5 out of 5 stars.
8. Topless
This song is very angst sounding, like if your stomach ulcer had a theme song. It is down tempo but still heavy. This all makes perfect sense considering the song is about a rapist and his victim talking to each other. This is the only song off the album that I don't really like, the instrumentation and the oddly harmonized singing I feel could have been a lot better if it were performed differently. That being said I do have to give them credit for making the music match the concept so nicely, that and I enjoy the instrumentation in the chorus. 3 out of 5 stars.
9. Here we Are
This song is another strong contrast to the previous one. This song is much more ballad like, meaning it is melodic and beautiful. The lyrics tell of an ex boyfriend who is talking to his former girlfriend about how pathetic he feels and how much of a drama queen she is. He wishes they could stop fighting and move on with their life. Well it uses the typical Breaking Benjamin song formula (soft to hard, build up to climax) it manages to really entrance me in the emotion of the song and feel for the character in it, it achieves this by again being very hypnotic. 5 out of 5 stars.
10. Unknown Soldier
This song is very triumphant, but not in a cheesy or typical way. Kudos to them for using a helicopter sound effectively. The lyrics tell of a soldier who is going to sacrifice him self to save someone he cares about, and that he looks forward to it. I like the overall feel of this song, the echo the guitar makes really helps to set the mood here. 5 out of 5 stars.
11. Had Enough
This is the angriest song Breaking Benjamin has ever written. Heavy and intense, the instrumentation lets you know that the singer is pissed. The lyrics tell of the singer being tired of fighting with an abusive con artist and that the singer will forever pity and hate the thief. I love this song because everything about it impresses from start to finish, with Ben screaming very convincingly "Heaven help you!" with the guitar solo in the background for the climax. If someone ever stole money from you, or if you had a greedy ex lover who broke your heart, this is the perfect song to dedicate to them. 6 out 5 stars
12. You Fight Me
This song is more down tempo and relaxed from Had Enough, but still very angst driven. The lyrics tell of two people, with one fighter loosing and the other dominating in a very menacing manner. This is where Breaking Benjamin got really experimental, it seems to me they wanted to do their own spin of combining rapping, techno, and hard rock. Or in other words their own original spin on Nu Metal, which makes me think Linkin Park served as an inspiration on this song. Some might say the lyrics are a little week and rushed during writing, but it flows nicely in the song so it doesn't matter to me. A very thought provoking piece. 5 out of 5 stars.
13. Phobia (Outro)
Similar yet different from the opening, this one plays more like a finishing climax in the sense that it is heavier as opposed to a slow build up with a very long guitar solo. It is similar in that there are noises and voices. The song ends with a an electric violin playing (the only time you would hear a bowed instrument if you have the Itunes version of this CD) and the door from the intro fittingly closing.
14. Diary of Jane Acoustic
If you have the hard copy CD or one of the early releases then you have this wonderful rendition of an otherwise great song. Featuring Sebastian Davin of Dropping Daylight on piano and David Eggar on cello, this piece is their most emotional and beautiful ballad to date as the combination of piano and cello along with Ben's heartfelt singing really help bring out the emotional nature of the unrequited love in this piece. The lyrics are the same as before, and the song is still very familiar sounding but different in a good way. 5 out of 5 stars.
Audio Mixing:
The band uses similar tricks as on their previous album, just with more noises and people talking this time around to help set moods and signify the beginning and end of the album. The sound quality is the best I have ever heard so far from this band. Again the audio quality changes to fit the mood of the song as it did in We Are Not Alone, but it retains a strong sense of consistency as well. I wouldn't say it sounds clear exactly, I would actually use the words shiny and warm to describe the sound because of the echo effects the guitars used along with the somewhat muddy and deep bass really makes me think of a crystal being held in front of a fire. I tip my hat off to audio engineers Ben Grosse and Paul Pavao for the job they did here.
Singing:
The singing on this album has improved greatly over the previous album. Ben emotes every line perfectly, and the swearing no longer comes off as awkward or off tempo. His singing on tracks like Evil Angel shows just how beautiful a voice Ben Burnely has, while every other song shows how proper emoting can make a voice very versatile. My only real complaint is that Ben still isn't pronouncing some of his words clearly which create moments similar to the swearing from We Are Not Alone in that they are somewhat off timing and sound strange. Otherwise the singing is top notch.
Instrumentation:
Four words this time: Versatile, emotional, hypnotic, and complex. Most of the songs follow the pattern of a soft verse and heavy chorus, but the band does change it up in a few songs. What really amazes me about the instrumentation is how in every song the instruments create the mood and picture of the lyrics so perfectly (I have yet to hear a song as angry as Had Enough, though to be fair I am going to review the Tool discography someday. lol) even in the song Topless. Another thing that is nice is that solos start to make a comeback in this album, though you need to know where to look (like the bass in You, or the Drums in the "Hold on" section in Dance with the Devil, and the guitar solo in the Outro.) The instrumentation is top notch and the best I've heard from this band.
What I didn't like:
The song Topless was not really my style.
What I did like:
To quote my self from my Saturate review, everything else especially since the lyrics are a a lot less vague now.
Who would enjoy this album:
Lyrics about rape and sex aside, I truly think this is an album everyone should have a chance to listen too.
Overall:
This album is radically different from their previous two albums (though some similarities remain), as such Breaking Benjamin is saying good bye to their Grunge roots. Also, after going over the album it is safe for me to say that in my eyes this is Breaking Benjamin's musical opus; their masterpiece. With beautiful singing, versatile and mood setting music, and great audio production Phobia is truly a wonderful album that everyone should have the chance to hear. Next time I will close their discography with their latest album, Dear Agony. Expect it to be less positive than the previous reviews and also shorter in style.
Rating: *****
Diary of Jane Music Video:
Breath Music Video:
Unofficial Unknown Soldier Music Video:
Monday, January 31, 2011
Breaking Benjamin- We Are Not Alone
Breaking Benjamin's second studio album is very different from their first one. The album is much heavier and more serious, but does still retain a few similarities to Saturate. We Are Not Alone is what got me to like this group back in late 2005 when I got it as a birthday present from a friend, and now six years later I am going to revisit it and review it officially. Also, since my last review was so lengthy I have reformed my style to be more straight to the point.
Title: We Are Not Alone
Year: 2004
Genre: Alternative Metal, Post Grunge
Artist(s): Breaking Benjamin
Copyright: © Hollywood Records 2004
Songs:
1. So Cold-
The first song on this album is definitely one of the heaviest and angry of the album. The song is written about an extremely cold individual who the singer wishes who would change their ways. This is the the main single of the album and displays how well the band can play heavy metal. 5 out of 5 stars.
2. Simple Design-
This song is very happy sounding, yet serious. The song is written about the singer being out of a slightly troubled relationship that his girlfriend called off. He is saying that he will be a better boyfriend when the time comes. Truly an interesting combination of Alternative, Grunge, and Metal that creates a very nice sound with interesting embellishments from the instruments. 5 out of 5 stars.
3. Follow-
This song is neither happy nor angry, it's more like desperation crawling at hope. Definitely a more alternative metal piece it is heavy but not as heavy as So Cold. The lyrics are vague (what a surprise), but from what I can tell he is hoping to become close a girl but she doesn't want to acknowledge he exists. Definitely an enjoyable song with a healthy amount of alterations. 5 out of 5 stars.
4. Firefly-
This song somehow manages to sound happy yet angry at the same time. The lyrics are vague, but from what I can gather the song is written about the singer having a friend who is using him, though the singer catches the friend in the act but continues to do favors for the friend, eventually the singer looses interest because the friend is copying him too much and leaves him behind (somewhat reminiscent of Wish I May from Saturate) This one is fun to sing along too, the only part of the song that doesn't really fit in is when Ben uses the F word because it seems really rushed and goes against the tempo. 4 out of 5 stars.
5. Break My Fall-
Heavy and beautiful with a down tempo feel, this song was written about the singer's fear of flying and him asking for help in conquering that fear. The song is very enjoyable and has an interesting section towards the end where you can hear a pilot saying his plane is crashing. 5 out of 5 stars.
6. Forget It-
This song is even more beautiful and down temp than the previous song, in fact it is a ballad like Forever except slightly faster paced. The lyrics are about the singer talking to an ex-girlfriend and asking her to forget about something very embarrassing to him and for them to stop fighting, seeing as the song ends on a happy note with the singer saying "I can live forever here" he probably gets his wish granted. Breaking Benjamin wrote this song with help from Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, and it shows in how relaxing and pleasant to the ear it is. 5 out of 5 stars.
7. Sooner or Later-
This is the second single on the album, this is the song that got me into Breaking Benjamin (a person's first break up is always the hardest). Far from your ordinary breakup song, the music conveys very well the emotions of frustration, betrayal, and tired of breaking up. Towards the end of the song we get to hear Ben's extra high singing, which is just beautiful. 5 out of 5 stars.
8. Breakdown-
This song is serious, angry, yet fun all at the same time. We open with an interesting piano setting the mood nicely for the frustrated lyrics. The song is again somewhat vague as the only thing I can gather is that he intends to hire a prostitute, but he stops from going through with it because he feels cripplingly guilty about hiring her. This would explain the dry and heavy sound of the guitars. An enjoyable song with creepy imagery behind it. 5 out of 5 stars.
9. Away-
The emotions in this song are fact telling mixed with a sense of worried longing in the choruses. The lyrics tell of a lover arguing with the singer where it becomes so bad that she is at risk of being taken away to what I am assuming is a mental hospital. This song is very heavy yet light, an interesting combination but the song eventually drags on. 3 out of 5 stars.
10. Believe-
The angriest and heaviest song on the album, it is about the singer arguing with someone he really doesn't like and that he is forced to choose sides and "wrong rights." This song opens up a very aggressive and deep sounding bass intro that sets the mood perfectly for the song, Ben switches a lot between his screaming vocals and his clean vocals to show just how good he at both singing styles (You can actually understand the screaming vocals.) There is a little breakdown, then it builds back up
to the verse and closes on an amazing climax. A very intense song that is fun to sing along with (provided you don't throw out your voice.) 5 out of 5 stars.
11. Rain-
The most low key and beautiful ballad on the album, it is all acoustic instruments along with a string quartet and rain sound effects. The song is written about the lead singer staying in a relationship just so he won't have to be alone (A sad thing, but it does happen to people who hate being alone). The song is low key and lets off to a soft climax at the end. A very enjoyable piece. 5 out of 5 stars.
Audio Mixing:
The mixing on this album is very well done, while at a first listen you may not think so because of how dry the instruments sound sometimes. They do this on purpose. The point of making the sound different on each song is to give the song new life and better reflect the emotions the band is giving out in their music. On the down side the bass is hard to hear in some songs, and the drums are often put out in the back burner, but in some songs the drums and bass really come full forwards along with the singing. They also do things like putting some instruments in the right or left speaker, and add sound effects like they did in Rain and Break my Fall (which is common in Rock bands ever since the Beatles did back in the 60s.) Overall this album is more compressed than Saturate, but it is done very effectively.
The Singing:
The singing is beautiful, with Ben's voice being a bit easier to hear than the previous album. Ben's voice is not the same but is still good, for instance the scream has more depth to it now. The singing is also well balanced between the clean and screaming vocals (even in Believe), and the backup singers don't overpower the main voice. I especially like that we get to hear Ben's higher register at the end of Sooner or Later.
Instrumentation:
One word: complex. The guitars play separate melodies while the bass plays it's own supporting melodies, and the drums add interesting and well paced rhythm. The sound also varies by song, yet the songs still transfer very well to the next one. Unlike Saturate, the guitar solos were put in together with the singing, meaning technically there are very few solos in the album. Also, the playing of each instrument perfectly captures the emotions of the lyrics.
What I didn't like:
My only real complaints are the that audio mixing is dry on some songs, which works well conceptually but not everyone can pick up on that, especially on their first listen through. Plus the swearing didn't work as well it did in the last album. The lyrics were vague again, though not as bad as in Saturate. Also, Away tended to be a tad repetitive. Lastly, the sense of fun that Saturate had was traded in for a more serious feel.
What I did like:
I liked the overall sound of the album with the instruments, singing, mixing, and effects they used. It is an album with many colors to it (variety and versatility are important aspects of any musician.) I also like that some of the lyrics bring up good points about relationships and friendships and how they can end easily. I think in a way they pay homage to their influences of Tool by making songs that are complex but also considered catchy by many people.
Who would enjoy this album:
Fans of numerous Metal, Rock, and Alternative styles.
Overall:
This album is a far cry from Saturate, with a more somber and serious air to it. In fact this change alienated a fair number of their early fans. However, they pull off the change successfully and not obnoxiously like some other artists do when they radically change their style. Also, looking back at it now I am glad to say it is a solid rock album. This album is not their best work, but it is definitely not their worst. It is worth checking out for some very interesting and enjoyable songs.
Rating: ****
So Cold Music Video:
Sooner or Later Music Video:
Title: We Are Not Alone
Year: 2004
Genre: Alternative Metal, Post Grunge
Artist(s): Breaking Benjamin
Copyright: © Hollywood Records 2004
Songs:
1. So Cold-
The first song on this album is definitely one of the heaviest and angry of the album. The song is written about an extremely cold individual who the singer wishes who would change their ways. This is the the main single of the album and displays how well the band can play heavy metal. 5 out of 5 stars.
2. Simple Design-
This song is very happy sounding, yet serious. The song is written about the singer being out of a slightly troubled relationship that his girlfriend called off. He is saying that he will be a better boyfriend when the time comes. Truly an interesting combination of Alternative, Grunge, and Metal that creates a very nice sound with interesting embellishments from the instruments. 5 out of 5 stars.
3. Follow-
This song is neither happy nor angry, it's more like desperation crawling at hope. Definitely a more alternative metal piece it is heavy but not as heavy as So Cold. The lyrics are vague (what a surprise), but from what I can tell he is hoping to become close a girl but she doesn't want to acknowledge he exists. Definitely an enjoyable song with a healthy amount of alterations. 5 out of 5 stars.
4. Firefly-
This song somehow manages to sound happy yet angry at the same time. The lyrics are vague, but from what I can gather the song is written about the singer having a friend who is using him, though the singer catches the friend in the act but continues to do favors for the friend, eventually the singer looses interest because the friend is copying him too much and leaves him behind (somewhat reminiscent of Wish I May from Saturate) This one is fun to sing along too, the only part of the song that doesn't really fit in is when Ben uses the F word because it seems really rushed and goes against the tempo. 4 out of 5 stars.
5. Break My Fall-
Heavy and beautiful with a down tempo feel, this song was written about the singer's fear of flying and him asking for help in conquering that fear. The song is very enjoyable and has an interesting section towards the end where you can hear a pilot saying his plane is crashing. 5 out of 5 stars.
6. Forget It-
This song is even more beautiful and down temp than the previous song, in fact it is a ballad like Forever except slightly faster paced. The lyrics are about the singer talking to an ex-girlfriend and asking her to forget about something very embarrassing to him and for them to stop fighting, seeing as the song ends on a happy note with the singer saying "I can live forever here" he probably gets his wish granted. Breaking Benjamin wrote this song with help from Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, and it shows in how relaxing and pleasant to the ear it is. 5 out of 5 stars.
7. Sooner or Later-
This is the second single on the album, this is the song that got me into Breaking Benjamin (a person's first break up is always the hardest). Far from your ordinary breakup song, the music conveys very well the emotions of frustration, betrayal, and tired of breaking up. Towards the end of the song we get to hear Ben's extra high singing, which is just beautiful. 5 out of 5 stars.
8. Breakdown-
This song is serious, angry, yet fun all at the same time. We open with an interesting piano setting the mood nicely for the frustrated lyrics. The song is again somewhat vague as the only thing I can gather is that he intends to hire a prostitute, but he stops from going through with it because he feels cripplingly guilty about hiring her. This would explain the dry and heavy sound of the guitars. An enjoyable song with creepy imagery behind it. 5 out of 5 stars.
9. Away-
The emotions in this song are fact telling mixed with a sense of worried longing in the choruses. The lyrics tell of a lover arguing with the singer where it becomes so bad that she is at risk of being taken away to what I am assuming is a mental hospital. This song is very heavy yet light, an interesting combination but the song eventually drags on. 3 out of 5 stars.
10. Believe-
The angriest and heaviest song on the album, it is about the singer arguing with someone he really doesn't like and that he is forced to choose sides and "wrong rights." This song opens up a very aggressive and deep sounding bass intro that sets the mood perfectly for the song, Ben switches a lot between his screaming vocals and his clean vocals to show just how good he at both singing styles (You can actually understand the screaming vocals.) There is a little breakdown, then it builds back up
to the verse and closes on an amazing climax. A very intense song that is fun to sing along with (provided you don't throw out your voice.) 5 out of 5 stars.
11. Rain-
The most low key and beautiful ballad on the album, it is all acoustic instruments along with a string quartet and rain sound effects. The song is written about the lead singer staying in a relationship just so he won't have to be alone (A sad thing, but it does happen to people who hate being alone). The song is low key and lets off to a soft climax at the end. A very enjoyable piece. 5 out of 5 stars.
Audio Mixing:
The mixing on this album is very well done, while at a first listen you may not think so because of how dry the instruments sound sometimes. They do this on purpose. The point of making the sound different on each song is to give the song new life and better reflect the emotions the band is giving out in their music. On the down side the bass is hard to hear in some songs, and the drums are often put out in the back burner, but in some songs the drums and bass really come full forwards along with the singing. They also do things like putting some instruments in the right or left speaker, and add sound effects like they did in Rain and Break my Fall (which is common in Rock bands ever since the Beatles did back in the 60s.) Overall this album is more compressed than Saturate, but it is done very effectively.
The Singing:
The singing is beautiful, with Ben's voice being a bit easier to hear than the previous album. Ben's voice is not the same but is still good, for instance the scream has more depth to it now. The singing is also well balanced between the clean and screaming vocals (even in Believe), and the backup singers don't overpower the main voice. I especially like that we get to hear Ben's higher register at the end of Sooner or Later.
Instrumentation:
One word: complex. The guitars play separate melodies while the bass plays it's own supporting melodies, and the drums add interesting and well paced rhythm. The sound also varies by song, yet the songs still transfer very well to the next one. Unlike Saturate, the guitar solos were put in together with the singing, meaning technically there are very few solos in the album. Also, the playing of each instrument perfectly captures the emotions of the lyrics.
What I didn't like:
My only real complaints are the that audio mixing is dry on some songs, which works well conceptually but not everyone can pick up on that, especially on their first listen through. Plus the swearing didn't work as well it did in the last album. The lyrics were vague again, though not as bad as in Saturate. Also, Away tended to be a tad repetitive. Lastly, the sense of fun that Saturate had was traded in for a more serious feel.
What I did like:
I liked the overall sound of the album with the instruments, singing, mixing, and effects they used. It is an album with many colors to it (variety and versatility are important aspects of any musician.) I also like that some of the lyrics bring up good points about relationships and friendships and how they can end easily. I think in a way they pay homage to their influences of Tool by making songs that are complex but also considered catchy by many people.
Who would enjoy this album:
Fans of numerous Metal, Rock, and Alternative styles.
Overall:
This album is a far cry from Saturate, with a more somber and serious air to it. In fact this change alienated a fair number of their early fans. However, they pull off the change successfully and not obnoxiously like some other artists do when they radically change their style. Also, looking back at it now I am glad to say it is a solid rock album. This album is not their best work, but it is definitely not their worst. It is worth checking out for some very interesting and enjoyable songs.
Rating: ****
So Cold Music Video:
Sooner or Later Music Video:
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Breaking Benjamin- Saturate
Back in 2005 these guys were my favorite artists, I was obsessed over them. Now I still listen to them but only casually as I have "grown" out of Rock & Roll to appreciate many different styles of music. Anyways, this is my tribute to who I think is the most unique commercial yet underground band in Rock music today. This blog is going to be longer than my previous one because the nature of the songs wont allow me to simply summarize all the songs and styles together. Also just as a warning, the lyrics tend to get dark and somewhat explicit.
Title: Saturate
Year: 2002
Genre: Alternative Rock, Post Grunge
Artist(s): Breaking Benjamin
Copyright: © Hollywood Records 2002
Songs:
1. Wish I May-
The first thing I would like to point out is that Ben Burnley's lyrics are very vague, and exist more to make you feel like you are in a new world where he is telling you life stories, rather than to create an easy to understand song. My interpretation of the lyrics is that Lead singer Ben Burnley is having a feud with someone who has alcohol abuse issues and wants to be friends with Ben. Ben tells the person they will be enemies if he continues to bother and fight him, and in the end with the lyrics "BLIND EYES SHINE THROUGH" the person finally understands and stops bothering Ben. The first thing you hear is the song growing in with the guitars playing and Ben using his screaming vocals (which I might say he has the cleanest sounding scream vocals I've heard so far of any band) right into a short interlude before the vocals come in. When the vocals enter you can hear Ben's unique tenor voice with his distinct Pennsylvanian accent. When the Chorus comes in the beat slows down and the guitars and bass provide beautiful and solid accompaniment. Verse 2 is the same as Verse 1. After the second Chorus we get a Bridge where the drums remain constant, and the guitars and bass keep playing the same lines over and over while Ben says "Oh no" and the lines continue until screams and they break into a guitar solo that has a single guitar, and then the rhythm guitarist Aaron fink joins in on the solo with Ben. Towards the end of the song the last interlude has the same accompaniment that the Chorus but has completely new singing, followed by the Intro guitar parts and then the guitars play repeat the same part when the "Blind eyes" lyrics on screaming vocals come in, where they finally resolve to the end and even at the end a single guitar can be heard playing slowly until it stops and the song stops after a few seconds of sustained notes. This song is heavy and serious, yet fun at the same time. A great song and a great way to start their first album. 5 out of 5 stars.
2. Medicate-
Yet again the lyrics here are hard to get. My interpretation is that the lead singer is caught in a physical relationship with someone, and they have intercourse so much he needs Viagra (hence the song title Medicate) to keep up to pace with her. Also, because she is good at understanding him she has broken his emotions and now all the singer has is empty physical love. Those lyrics are very sad, but the nature of the song points out how serious the issue is with a kind of urgent emotion in the Verse, and being somewhat angry during the Chorus. The song opens with all instruments jamming out together, then slows down to the Verse. During the Verse it is pretty low key with the lead singer harmonizing with him self in echoes building up to the Chorus. The Chorus is faster in pace has the guitars doing more work until until the break down and goes back to the Verse section. It continues in this pattern until Ben sings the Chorus three times, and after the second time we are lead to a kind of climatic scream with Ben and the other band members yelling "Yeah!" He then sings the Chorus again until it leads into the Outro where Ben is singing "doo woo doo" and it does this pattern until the chords stop being played and the song ends with the sound of a guitar being unplugged. While not the happiest song, it's a fun song to sing along with or just enjoy as a likable solid Rock tune. It also serves as a true reminder of what eventually happens to people in sex only relationships. 5 out of 5 stars.
3. Polyamorous-
Many of you would know this as the top single form the album. The song is about the lead singer having a friend who is basically a sex addict. The meaning of the song is unclear to me whether the lead singer intends to have a fight or sleep with the sex addict, but which ever option it is he intends to go through with it no matter what anyone tells him. This songs opens with a techno themed opening with music notes being echoed, then goes straight into rock playing. When the first Verse comes in the instruments sound very clear, and the first time in the album Mark James Keplaski's bass can really be heard well. The Verse switches between low key and fast playing until it enters the Chorus when Ben says "So!". When the Chorus comes in the guitars and Ben's singing speeds up and sounds fairly catchy. When the Chorus ends it goes into the second Verse, followed by the second Chorus. As the second Chorus ends it breaks into an interlude where Ben holds a high note and keeps singing "How do you know?" in long and short notes on the word "know", there is even a small guitar solo until Ben asks "Well how do you know?" when the music stops and then suddenly breaks into the Chorus. After the Chorus we get another guitar interlude that until the song ends with Ben screaming "Lets go!" over the guitars and the instruments end the song on a strong beat. Considering this is their first single and it never really sounded like anything else from that time period (to my knowledge at least) I would say that is leaving a very strong first impression with their future fans. Another solid rock piece. 5 out of 5 stars.
4. Skin-
This song is pretty simple lyrically, but still hard to make out. Either the song is about an aging serial killer, or the person is trying to act like the singer but is too old to do so and the singer is burning all of the impostor's things to teach him a lesson. On a side note, I am starting to think that either Ben hadn't really grasped how to write lyrics yet, or they cared more about the music on the album rather than the lyrical content. The song opens with the drums of former drummer Jeremy Hummel followed by the guitars playing the same riff, and the lead guitar does a small Intro solo and the voice comes in shortly after the solo. The Verse is very happy sounding and set at a steady pace. The Pre-Chorus has very loud bass, and The Chorus is where the guitar work really becomes noticeable, and where Ben's voice and the instruments gets louder. The Chorus ends with a single guitar playing a riff, and then the instruments play a small Bridge leading into the Verse, followed by another Chorus, and at the end of the Chorus Ben screams "Yeah!" and we get to hear a very organized sounding guitar solo, followed by another Pre-Chorus where the bass is the loudest instrument for the first part of the Chorus, and then they end the song singing the Chorus except with a very soft sounding ending, and the song fades perfectly into the next song. A fun and well written song, I am definitely starting to see they cared more about the instrumentation than the lyrics in this song. 5 out of 5 stars.
5. Natural Life-
The point of this song is clearer to me because I know the lead singer is afraid of death and wishes he could live forever. The "disease" the lyrics refer to is death, and he gains peace from fantasizing about immortality "and coming back around" means to stop fantasizing about immortality and to accept death, to which he concedes to when he says "I can't lie." This also explains the angry nature of the song too. The song opens on guitar feedback and then a quick bass Intro followed by the drums and then the guitars start to play and the voice finally comes in saying "Hold still" and then guitars lead into the Verse. The Verse is very slow and has Ben harmonizing with him self and then other band members until it smoothly transitions to the Chorus. In the Chorus Ben sings higher than before and harmonizes in similar fashion to the Verse, then we get an instrumental interlude, then another Verse and Chorus, followed by a Bridge where the guitars build up to a solo with riffs reminiscent of Tool where Ben screams "Your right!" and the guitars continue playing, until the Ben starts singing the Outro Saying "Your right, I can never lie" and the song finishes with the Chorus followed by one of the riffs in the Intro riff and the song with Ben breathing deep through his teeth then screaming, followed by the sound of a drum cymbal. Though it shows Ben wants to live in a fantasy world, it is a really well written piece that shows how versatile his band is, and also manages to pay homage to the band Tool (one of their biggest influences). 5 out of 5 stars.
6. Next to Nothing-
The lyrics in this song are about a couple who broke up. The first Verse is told by the victim who apparently never impressed his/or her ex enough to keep the ex interested. The Chorus is told from the perspective of the victim, while the second Verse is told from the heart breaker's perspective telling the victim "I know you will keep waiting, but you need to live your life and find someone new" while the Chorus uses the same lyrics but in the perspective of the heart breaker enforcing the point of the second Verse. The song opens on very low key kind of guitar followed by the vocals, and then the bass making the song very smooth sounding. The Verse continues to sound smooth, and the Pre-Chorus builds up the song and speed of the instruments with Ben's voice setting the mood. The Chorus is very fast paced and exciting, the Chorus then slows down and goes back to the smooth Verse, and again to the Chorus. After the Chorus there is a build up where Ben says "Next to nothing!" repeatedly even over a short but fitting guitar solo, until Ben stops after singing "Wooooh" and Both guitars begin to play a harmonized duet together, and then they go back to the Chorus but with more exciting sounding guitars. After the last Chorus there is an Outro guitar solo that ends on a beautiful guitar chord. I think this song began Breaking Benjamin's style of starting up slowly and then building to a powerful climax. Probably my favorite I've heard of the songs so far. The only confusing thing is that mood of the song runs contrary to the content of the lyrics, even though it could signify the happiness at finding freedom and a new lease on the person's personal life. 5 out of 5 stars.
7. Water-
This song is about a man who has a kind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde state of mind and as proof he says "my heads so f****d up inside" in the Chorus. The character had a girlfriend who cheated on him and he is punishing her by drowning her but states "I won't ever let you drown" while doing it. This song opens on sound effects reminiscent of the first War of the Worlds movie (the spaceships) then into some very creepy yet awesome sounding guitar riffs, which then pick up speed until the vocals enter in the Verse. In the Verse the mood is more low key, but there is a steady build with the guitars playing higher and Ben's voice going higher and lower by each phrase, until the Chorus comes. The Chorus is faster and happy sounding. They even manage to throw in the F word, but not obnoxiously. The second Verse plays like the first one, and then we get a little guitar breakdown with Ben screaming "Yeah!" over the instruments repeating the same riffs, followed by the final Chorus. The song ends on Ben repeating the same lines three times until on the last time he harmonizes with him self until the song ends on the word "so" with the drums stopping and the guitars sustaining until they fade and the song ends.
8. Home-
This song is a giant reference to the the Wizard of Oz movie in different perspectives of the characters (it's the movie because the song uses the word "technicolor.") The song opens up with a single guitar playing then immediately breaks into the band jamming along with the lead guitar until the Verse comes in, in the Verse it starts off low key with Ben singing from the perspective of the Wicked Witch, with a slight build up to the Chorus. In the Chorus Ben half sings and half screams while the guitars pick up speed while playing, and then it repeats the pattern of Verse and Chorus but this time in the perspective of Dorothy and her friends. After the second Chorus there is a very pleasant Bridge with nice guitar work and Ben singing about Dorothy's perspective of Oz. There is then a guitar interlude followed by Ben screaming "Like Home!" loudly and in a high voice. After that comes a small guitar section, followed by the Outro which sounds similar to the first interlude, which then leads to the song ending with Ben singing "I wanna go home!" with a nice echo effect, and the song ends with the band playing the same line six times before closing. This is just a nice sounding rock song referencing a great movie. 5 out of 5 stars.
9. Phase-
I believe this song is about a man trying to convince his girlfriend to have sex no matter how much she says no. On a side note, I don't approve of that kind of thing. I enjoy this song for the music. The song opens on some very awesome sounding bongo drums and other Spanish and Arabic percussion instruments, followed by a very heavy and deep sounding bass guitar along with the guitars sliding and playing into the song. The lead guitar begins to solo over the other instruments, and the drums help build up to the songs main riff. After the riff is over the vocals enter in the first Verse. In the first Verse Ben is singing with him self taking turns on the vocals until the Chorus builds up. In the Chorus the instruments do what they did on the other songs and has exciting guitars with louder vocals. The main riff returns but Ben sings "Phase" over it a few times, then the second Verse starts up, followed by the second Chorus. After the second Chorus there is a build up to a guitar solo, and the solo is probably the heaviest they've had in the album so far, after the solo we have Ben screaming "I can't wait" and he screams "Phase!" again. We get the Outro with Ben singing and then screaming (unintelligibly) with the song ending with his voice. This song is paced differently from the other songs on the album and is enjoyable to listen to aside from the lyrics. 5 out of 5 stars.
10. No Games-
This song is about the singer being the lesser partner of a bossy girlfriend, and he is saying that though he struggles heavily, he will win in the end (with some disturbing images along the way a.k.a. "I've fellated my self.") The song is the most low key song in the album so far with a very soft and relaxing Verse that transforms into a more dramatic and heavy Pre-Chorus. The Chorus is somewhat like more popular rock, and it backs off to the low key Verse. It repeats the Verse Chorus pattern another time and then instead of a guitar solo we refreshingly get the band playing with a string quartet and then switching between the clean guitars and the the distortion where the orchestra takes back seat. Ben screams "Woah yeah!" and we get a guitar interlude followed by the Chorus. The Outro has Ben singing "I win" over an over again with the band and the string section until the song ends on a chord that fades away. Definitely another solid song with excellent use of the string section. 5 out of 5 stars.
11. Sugar Coat-
This song is about the singer being deceived heavily by someone who appears sweet on the outside, but is rotten on the inside, and is an obsessive liar. This song has a very abrupt start and is probably the angriest song on the album. The change is abrupt but they still manage to pull it off cleanly which is rare in rock music. The song opening is is at a slow but aggressive pace, and then transfers into a low key Verse that builds up to a more angry Chorus. The Chorus is very aggressive with screaming vocals and loud drums, then transfers to a Verse and Chorus again. Followed immediately by a guitar solo that goes up, then down, then up and builds to the Chorus again. During the final Chorus he harmonizes with him self in his screaming vocals and his clean vocals, and the song ends with the Ben singing "Your eyes are red!" with the guitars playing then having feedback. A very solid rock tune, even if it isn't my favorite on the album. 5 out of 5 stars.
12. Shallow Bay-
I think this song is about drug use as the person has a strong desire to acquire at first what sounds like a woman, but is later referred to as "my pretty pill." I also recognize "Float away on a shallow bay" as an experience of being high, though I am not sure what drug exactly they referencing (LSD or Marijuana?) The song opens up on guitars and Ben screaming "come on!" on an Atreyu style guitar riffs until the Verse comes in. The Verse is heavy but the singing is low key, until Ben raises his voice to transfer the Chorus. The Chorus is very happy sounding with faster guitars and harmonizing form the whole band with riffs at the end and transfers back to the Verse. It continues in the Verse Chorus pattern until after the Chorus Ben continues singing "I don't think you wanna f**k with me" and it transfers to this very soft low key Bridge with Ben singing "A shallow bay" that builds up to another Chorus after an echo effect on the guitar. The Chorus is repeated a few times towards the end of the song. After the Chorus stops with Ben's climatic high notes, the guitars begin to play the Outro where Ben sings "You live you learn" and the song ends surprisingly with the string orchestra. This song is very fun to listen to, and sing along with in the Chorus. 5 out of 5 stars.
13. Forever-
Just like Natural life, this song is written entirely for the singers desire to stay alive forever except that desire is much more obvious in the lyrics. In fact it has the simplest lyrics on the entire album. The song opens on very soft guitar playing, followed by the drums and bass sounding very much like a traditional rock ballad. The joins after the guitars play for a little bit. The Verses are very low key, while the the Choruses shows just how Ben's voice can be, after the first Chorus Ben says "Forever" where you can really hear his desire to stay alive forever. After the second Verse and Choruses we get a build up to the climax Where Ben says "Forever" over and over again and it finally builds to the climax by getting heavier and louder with everything becoming more exciting, with a very fitting guitar solo. The solo is followed by a soft ending. This is my favorite song off the album because it is very beautiful and shows how versatile the band is. 5 out of 5 stars.
What I didn't like:
The only thing I pretty much didn't like were the lyrics got a tad explicit, and they are hard to understand at first. This can also be said for the very dark way Ben sings where he doesn't enunciate clearly.
What I did like:
Everything else.
Who would enjoy this album:
Fans of good new-fashioned Rock music.
Overall:
I like pretty much everything in this album except for the poor pronunciation and the lyrics are hard to get. The instrumentation is where this albums truly shines through though, especially with how the band plays with the string orchestra in the later songs. The transitions are also perfect in how the songs match up in sound. For a first album it is one of their best for sure and a great way to kick off their chart climbing career.
Rating: *****
Polyamarous Official Music Video:
Skin Unofficial Video:
Medicate Unofificial Video:
Title: Saturate
Year: 2002
Genre: Alternative Rock, Post Grunge
Artist(s): Breaking Benjamin
Copyright: © Hollywood Records 2002
Songs:
1. Wish I May-
The first thing I would like to point out is that Ben Burnley's lyrics are very vague, and exist more to make you feel like you are in a new world where he is telling you life stories, rather than to create an easy to understand song. My interpretation of the lyrics is that Lead singer Ben Burnley is having a feud with someone who has alcohol abuse issues and wants to be friends with Ben. Ben tells the person they will be enemies if he continues to bother and fight him, and in the end with the lyrics "BLIND EYES SHINE THROUGH" the person finally understands and stops bothering Ben. The first thing you hear is the song growing in with the guitars playing and Ben using his screaming vocals (which I might say he has the cleanest sounding scream vocals I've heard so far of any band) right into a short interlude before the vocals come in. When the vocals enter you can hear Ben's unique tenor voice with his distinct Pennsylvanian accent. When the Chorus comes in the beat slows down and the guitars and bass provide beautiful and solid accompaniment. Verse 2 is the same as Verse 1. After the second Chorus we get a Bridge where the drums remain constant, and the guitars and bass keep playing the same lines over and over while Ben says "Oh no" and the lines continue until screams and they break into a guitar solo that has a single guitar, and then the rhythm guitarist Aaron fink joins in on the solo with Ben. Towards the end of the song the last interlude has the same accompaniment that the Chorus but has completely new singing, followed by the Intro guitar parts and then the guitars play repeat the same part when the "Blind eyes" lyrics on screaming vocals come in, where they finally resolve to the end and even at the end a single guitar can be heard playing slowly until it stops and the song stops after a few seconds of sustained notes. This song is heavy and serious, yet fun at the same time. A great song and a great way to start their first album. 5 out of 5 stars.
2. Medicate-
Yet again the lyrics here are hard to get. My interpretation is that the lead singer is caught in a physical relationship with someone, and they have intercourse so much he needs Viagra (hence the song title Medicate) to keep up to pace with her. Also, because she is good at understanding him she has broken his emotions and now all the singer has is empty physical love. Those lyrics are very sad, but the nature of the song points out how serious the issue is with a kind of urgent emotion in the Verse, and being somewhat angry during the Chorus. The song opens with all instruments jamming out together, then slows down to the Verse. During the Verse it is pretty low key with the lead singer harmonizing with him self in echoes building up to the Chorus. The Chorus is faster in pace has the guitars doing more work until until the break down and goes back to the Verse section. It continues in this pattern until Ben sings the Chorus three times, and after the second time we are lead to a kind of climatic scream with Ben and the other band members yelling "Yeah!" He then sings the Chorus again until it leads into the Outro where Ben is singing "doo woo doo" and it does this pattern until the chords stop being played and the song ends with the sound of a guitar being unplugged. While not the happiest song, it's a fun song to sing along with or just enjoy as a likable solid Rock tune. It also serves as a true reminder of what eventually happens to people in sex only relationships. 5 out of 5 stars.
3. Polyamorous-
Many of you would know this as the top single form the album. The song is about the lead singer having a friend who is basically a sex addict. The meaning of the song is unclear to me whether the lead singer intends to have a fight or sleep with the sex addict, but which ever option it is he intends to go through with it no matter what anyone tells him. This songs opens with a techno themed opening with music notes being echoed, then goes straight into rock playing. When the first Verse comes in the instruments sound very clear, and the first time in the album Mark James Keplaski's bass can really be heard well. The Verse switches between low key and fast playing until it enters the Chorus when Ben says "So!". When the Chorus comes in the guitars and Ben's singing speeds up and sounds fairly catchy. When the Chorus ends it goes into the second Verse, followed by the second Chorus. As the second Chorus ends it breaks into an interlude where Ben holds a high note and keeps singing "How do you know?" in long and short notes on the word "know", there is even a small guitar solo until Ben asks "Well how do you know?" when the music stops and then suddenly breaks into the Chorus. After the Chorus we get another guitar interlude that until the song ends with Ben screaming "Lets go!" over the guitars and the instruments end the song on a strong beat. Considering this is their first single and it never really sounded like anything else from that time period (to my knowledge at least) I would say that is leaving a very strong first impression with their future fans. Another solid rock piece. 5 out of 5 stars.
4. Skin-
This song is pretty simple lyrically, but still hard to make out. Either the song is about an aging serial killer, or the person is trying to act like the singer but is too old to do so and the singer is burning all of the impostor's things to teach him a lesson. On a side note, I am starting to think that either Ben hadn't really grasped how to write lyrics yet, or they cared more about the music on the album rather than the lyrical content. The song opens with the drums of former drummer Jeremy Hummel followed by the guitars playing the same riff, and the lead guitar does a small Intro solo and the voice comes in shortly after the solo. The Verse is very happy sounding and set at a steady pace. The Pre-Chorus has very loud bass, and The Chorus is where the guitar work really becomes noticeable, and where Ben's voice and the instruments gets louder. The Chorus ends with a single guitar playing a riff, and then the instruments play a small Bridge leading into the Verse, followed by another Chorus, and at the end of the Chorus Ben screams "Yeah!" and we get to hear a very organized sounding guitar solo, followed by another Pre-Chorus where the bass is the loudest instrument for the first part of the Chorus, and then they end the song singing the Chorus except with a very soft sounding ending, and the song fades perfectly into the next song. A fun and well written song, I am definitely starting to see they cared more about the instrumentation than the lyrics in this song. 5 out of 5 stars.
5. Natural Life-
The point of this song is clearer to me because I know the lead singer is afraid of death and wishes he could live forever. The "disease" the lyrics refer to is death, and he gains peace from fantasizing about immortality "and coming back around" means to stop fantasizing about immortality and to accept death, to which he concedes to when he says "I can't lie." This also explains the angry nature of the song too. The song opens on guitar feedback and then a quick bass Intro followed by the drums and then the guitars start to play and the voice finally comes in saying "Hold still" and then guitars lead into the Verse. The Verse is very slow and has Ben harmonizing with him self and then other band members until it smoothly transitions to the Chorus. In the Chorus Ben sings higher than before and harmonizes in similar fashion to the Verse, then we get an instrumental interlude, then another Verse and Chorus, followed by a Bridge where the guitars build up to a solo with riffs reminiscent of Tool where Ben screams "Your right!" and the guitars continue playing, until the Ben starts singing the Outro Saying "Your right, I can never lie" and the song finishes with the Chorus followed by one of the riffs in the Intro riff and the song with Ben breathing deep through his teeth then screaming, followed by the sound of a drum cymbal. Though it shows Ben wants to live in a fantasy world, it is a really well written piece that shows how versatile his band is, and also manages to pay homage to the band Tool (one of their biggest influences). 5 out of 5 stars.
6. Next to Nothing-
The lyrics in this song are about a couple who broke up. The first Verse is told by the victim who apparently never impressed his/or her ex enough to keep the ex interested. The Chorus is told from the perspective of the victim, while the second Verse is told from the heart breaker's perspective telling the victim "I know you will keep waiting, but you need to live your life and find someone new" while the Chorus uses the same lyrics but in the perspective of the heart breaker enforcing the point of the second Verse. The song opens on very low key kind of guitar followed by the vocals, and then the bass making the song very smooth sounding. The Verse continues to sound smooth, and the Pre-Chorus builds up the song and speed of the instruments with Ben's voice setting the mood. The Chorus is very fast paced and exciting, the Chorus then slows down and goes back to the smooth Verse, and again to the Chorus. After the Chorus there is a build up where Ben says "Next to nothing!" repeatedly even over a short but fitting guitar solo, until Ben stops after singing "Wooooh" and Both guitars begin to play a harmonized duet together, and then they go back to the Chorus but with more exciting sounding guitars. After the last Chorus there is an Outro guitar solo that ends on a beautiful guitar chord. I think this song began Breaking Benjamin's style of starting up slowly and then building to a powerful climax. Probably my favorite I've heard of the songs so far. The only confusing thing is that mood of the song runs contrary to the content of the lyrics, even though it could signify the happiness at finding freedom and a new lease on the person's personal life. 5 out of 5 stars.
7. Water-
This song is about a man who has a kind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde state of mind and as proof he says "my heads so f****d up inside" in the Chorus. The character had a girlfriend who cheated on him and he is punishing her by drowning her but states "I won't ever let you drown" while doing it. This song opens on sound effects reminiscent of the first War of the Worlds movie (the spaceships) then into some very creepy yet awesome sounding guitar riffs, which then pick up speed until the vocals enter in the Verse. In the Verse the mood is more low key, but there is a steady build with the guitars playing higher and Ben's voice going higher and lower by each phrase, until the Chorus comes. The Chorus is faster and happy sounding. They even manage to throw in the F word, but not obnoxiously. The second Verse plays like the first one, and then we get a little guitar breakdown with Ben screaming "Yeah!" over the instruments repeating the same riffs, followed by the final Chorus. The song ends on Ben repeating the same lines three times until on the last time he harmonizes with him self until the song ends on the word "so" with the drums stopping and the guitars sustaining until they fade and the song ends.
8. Home-
This song is a giant reference to the the Wizard of Oz movie in different perspectives of the characters (it's the movie because the song uses the word "technicolor.") The song opens up with a single guitar playing then immediately breaks into the band jamming along with the lead guitar until the Verse comes in, in the Verse it starts off low key with Ben singing from the perspective of the Wicked Witch, with a slight build up to the Chorus. In the Chorus Ben half sings and half screams while the guitars pick up speed while playing, and then it repeats the pattern of Verse and Chorus but this time in the perspective of Dorothy and her friends. After the second Chorus there is a very pleasant Bridge with nice guitar work and Ben singing about Dorothy's perspective of Oz. There is then a guitar interlude followed by Ben screaming "Like Home!" loudly and in a high voice. After that comes a small guitar section, followed by the Outro which sounds similar to the first interlude, which then leads to the song ending with Ben singing "I wanna go home!" with a nice echo effect, and the song ends with the band playing the same line six times before closing. This is just a nice sounding rock song referencing a great movie. 5 out of 5 stars.
9. Phase-
I believe this song is about a man trying to convince his girlfriend to have sex no matter how much she says no. On a side note, I don't approve of that kind of thing. I enjoy this song for the music. The song opens on some very awesome sounding bongo drums and other Spanish and Arabic percussion instruments, followed by a very heavy and deep sounding bass guitar along with the guitars sliding and playing into the song. The lead guitar begins to solo over the other instruments, and the drums help build up to the songs main riff. After the riff is over the vocals enter in the first Verse. In the first Verse Ben is singing with him self taking turns on the vocals until the Chorus builds up. In the Chorus the instruments do what they did on the other songs and has exciting guitars with louder vocals. The main riff returns but Ben sings "Phase" over it a few times, then the second Verse starts up, followed by the second Chorus. After the second Chorus there is a build up to a guitar solo, and the solo is probably the heaviest they've had in the album so far, after the solo we have Ben screaming "I can't wait" and he screams "Phase!" again. We get the Outro with Ben singing and then screaming (unintelligibly) with the song ending with his voice. This song is paced differently from the other songs on the album and is enjoyable to listen to aside from the lyrics. 5 out of 5 stars.
10. No Games-
This song is about the singer being the lesser partner of a bossy girlfriend, and he is saying that though he struggles heavily, he will win in the end (with some disturbing images along the way a.k.a. "I've fellated my self.") The song is the most low key song in the album so far with a very soft and relaxing Verse that transforms into a more dramatic and heavy Pre-Chorus. The Chorus is somewhat like more popular rock, and it backs off to the low key Verse. It repeats the Verse Chorus pattern another time and then instead of a guitar solo we refreshingly get the band playing with a string quartet and then switching between the clean guitars and the the distortion where the orchestra takes back seat. Ben screams "Woah yeah!" and we get a guitar interlude followed by the Chorus. The Outro has Ben singing "I win" over an over again with the band and the string section until the song ends on a chord that fades away. Definitely another solid song with excellent use of the string section. 5 out of 5 stars.
11. Sugar Coat-
This song is about the singer being deceived heavily by someone who appears sweet on the outside, but is rotten on the inside, and is an obsessive liar. This song has a very abrupt start and is probably the angriest song on the album. The change is abrupt but they still manage to pull it off cleanly which is rare in rock music. The song opening is is at a slow but aggressive pace, and then transfers into a low key Verse that builds up to a more angry Chorus. The Chorus is very aggressive with screaming vocals and loud drums, then transfers to a Verse and Chorus again. Followed immediately by a guitar solo that goes up, then down, then up and builds to the Chorus again. During the final Chorus he harmonizes with him self in his screaming vocals and his clean vocals, and the song ends with the Ben singing "Your eyes are red!" with the guitars playing then having feedback. A very solid rock tune, even if it isn't my favorite on the album. 5 out of 5 stars.
12. Shallow Bay-
I think this song is about drug use as the person has a strong desire to acquire at first what sounds like a woman, but is later referred to as "my pretty pill." I also recognize "Float away on a shallow bay" as an experience of being high, though I am not sure what drug exactly they referencing (LSD or Marijuana?) The song opens up on guitars and Ben screaming "come on!" on an Atreyu style guitar riffs until the Verse comes in. The Verse is heavy but the singing is low key, until Ben raises his voice to transfer the Chorus. The Chorus is very happy sounding with faster guitars and harmonizing form the whole band with riffs at the end and transfers back to the Verse. It continues in the Verse Chorus pattern until after the Chorus Ben continues singing "I don't think you wanna f**k with me" and it transfers to this very soft low key Bridge with Ben singing "A shallow bay" that builds up to another Chorus after an echo effect on the guitar. The Chorus is repeated a few times towards the end of the song. After the Chorus stops with Ben's climatic high notes, the guitars begin to play the Outro where Ben sings "You live you learn" and the song ends surprisingly with the string orchestra. This song is very fun to listen to, and sing along with in the Chorus. 5 out of 5 stars.
13. Forever-
Just like Natural life, this song is written entirely for the singers desire to stay alive forever except that desire is much more obvious in the lyrics. In fact it has the simplest lyrics on the entire album. The song opens on very soft guitar playing, followed by the drums and bass sounding very much like a traditional rock ballad. The joins after the guitars play for a little bit. The Verses are very low key, while the the Choruses shows just how Ben's voice can be, after the first Chorus Ben says "Forever" where you can really hear his desire to stay alive forever. After the second Verse and Choruses we get a build up to the climax Where Ben says "Forever" over and over again and it finally builds to the climax by getting heavier and louder with everything becoming more exciting, with a very fitting guitar solo. The solo is followed by a soft ending. This is my favorite song off the album because it is very beautiful and shows how versatile the band is. 5 out of 5 stars.
What I didn't like:
The only thing I pretty much didn't like were the lyrics got a tad explicit, and they are hard to understand at first. This can also be said for the very dark way Ben sings where he doesn't enunciate clearly.
What I did like:
Everything else.
Who would enjoy this album:
Fans of good new-fashioned Rock music.
Overall:
I like pretty much everything in this album except for the poor pronunciation and the lyrics are hard to get. The instrumentation is where this albums truly shines through though, especially with how the band plays with the string orchestra in the later songs. The transitions are also perfect in how the songs match up in sound. For a first album it is one of their best for sure and a great way to kick off their chart climbing career.
Rating: *****
Polyamarous Official Music Video:
Skin Unofficial Video:
Medicate Unofificial Video:
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