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: