sptunicMusic.com Review:The general perception towards post-grunge outfit Breaking Benjamin has always been an interesting one. For a band that often gets compared to critically panned groups such as Nickelback, Seether & Three Days Grace, the quartet from Pennsylvania appear to get off lightly. Is it due to their relative technical proficiency, consistent competency, or simply as they have yet to break worldwide with a smash hit single like those other performers? Do not feel too sorry for them however, since previous LP ‘Phobia’ still sold over a million copies, so they are sure to be living comfortably enough.
With ‘Phobia’ consolidating on 2004’s ‘We Are Not Alone’, one could have been forgiven for thinking that the band’s 4th album may have been looking to stretch their boundaries. Unfortunately, that is not the case as Breaking Benjamin predominantly play it safe with another inoffensive and consistent release. There is no outlandish experimentation, hardly a foray into metal, no side-step into pop-punk catchiness, not even some offensive lyrics a’la Hinder & Nickelback. They know what they are good at doing and appear comfortable enough to continue following that formula.
In truth, there is not a great deal more to say about ‘Dear Agony’. As always, there are a handful of standouts (lead single ‘I Will Not Bow’, the catchy duo of ‘What Lies Beneath’ & ‘Without You’, and the heavier ‘Crawl’ & ‘Lights Out’) that are complemented by a solid batch of tracks that a little too often blend into each other. Aaron Fink’s guitar-work is rather impressive, the rhythm section capable, and Ben Burnley’s vocals are as strong and melodic as ever.
Burnley’s lyrics (occasionally assisted by Red’s Jasen Rauch) are also sufficient, if a little disappointing considering his neurotic nature. For someone that fears flying, is a recovering alcoholic, believes he has countless disorders and has plastered a scan of his brain on the album’s front cover, one would think he could have explored a wider variety of subjects than what he does here. In general, it is just a shame that the album does not include a little more imagination… Even a differentiating stripped back acoustic cut would have been nice, since it is something the band have nailed in the past.
To a point, Breaking Benjamin’s strength and weakness are one and the same. They are competent in almost every area of making their music and can be relied upon to deliver a solid collection of songs every couple of years. However, that same competency seems to also hold them back from breaking out of their comfort factor to distinguish themselves from their peers. Whether you judge the glass as half full or half empty is an individual choice, but either way, ‘Dear Agony’ is unlikely to change your opinion of Breaking Benjamin… Or for that matter, mainstream rock in general.
With ‘Phobia’ consolidating on 2004’s ‘We Are Not Alone’, one could have been forgiven for thinking that the band’s 4th album may have been looking to stretch their boundaries. Unfortunately, that is not the case as Breaking Benjamin predominantly play it safe with another inoffensive and consistent release. There is no outlandish experimentation, hardly a foray into metal, no side-step into pop-punk catchiness, not even some offensive lyrics a’la Hinder & Nickelback. They know what they are good at doing and appear comfortable enough to continue following that formula.
In truth, there is not a great deal more to say about ‘Dear Agony’. As always, there are a handful of standouts (lead single ‘I Will Not Bow’, the catchy duo of ‘What Lies Beneath’ & ‘Without You’, and the heavier ‘Crawl’ & ‘Lights Out’) that are complemented by a solid batch of tracks that a little too often blend into each other. Aaron Fink’s guitar-work is rather impressive, the rhythm section capable, and Ben Burnley’s vocals are as strong and melodic as ever.
Burnley’s lyrics (occasionally assisted by Red’s Jasen Rauch) are also sufficient, if a little disappointing considering his neurotic nature. For someone that fears flying, is a recovering alcoholic, believes he has countless disorders and has plastered a scan of his brain on the album’s front cover, one would think he could have explored a wider variety of subjects than what he does here. In general, it is just a shame that the album does not include a little more imagination… Even a differentiating stripped back acoustic cut would have been nice, since it is something the band have nailed in the past.
To a point, Breaking Benjamin’s strength and weakness are one and the same. They are competent in almost every area of making their music and can be relied upon to deliver a solid collection of songs every couple of years. However, that same competency seems to also hold them back from breaking out of their comfort factor to distinguish themselves from their peers. Whether you judge the glass as half full or half empty is an individual choice, but either way, ‘Dear Agony’ is unlikely to change your opinion of Breaking Benjamin… Or for that matter, mainstream rock in general.
Puntuacion:3/5
tunelab.com Review:
Knowledge: Here’s Breaking Benjamin in a nutshell: 2 platinum albums, six top ten rock singles*, and one hell of a rabid fan following. Breaking Benjamin make their return with a fourth LP entitled ‘Dear Agony’. *-Includes “I Will Not Bow”, the debut single from ‘Dear Agony’.
Turn-Ons: “Fade Away” is a soaring kick-start to ‘Dear Agony’, Breaking Benjamin’s most immediate album opener yet. It’s (sic) the little things about “Fade Away” that make the track shine, such as the warmth and maturity of Ben Burnley’s delivery and the doubled-up snare hits by Chad Szeliga on the words “almost over” in chorus two. The rhythmic and gentle catharsis “Give Me A Sign” is one of Breaking Benjamin’s most honest moments. Almost transcendental at times, “Give Me A Sign” is enlightened by Szeliga’s astute crash cymbal flourishes and whimsical bridge and back-end that humbly keep the slinky float of the tune flowing gracefully. “What Lies Beneath” is haunting and urgent, yet sun-kissed and thorough, sporting one of the most evocative and memorable riff progressions on ‘Dear Agony.’ Much of what makes “What Lies Beneath” so stellar can be attributed to the song’s masterfully dynamic arrangement; the mix is tucked down during its dark verses, then propped up for the radiant choruses seamlessly. The bridge of “What Lies Beneath” is nothing short of incredible, thanks to the pristine note sėlection of Burnley and co. “Lights Out” is a punchy and trigger-happy jaunt that seamlessly balances the dichotomy of berserk verses with glorious choruses. Breaking Benjamin’s work on “Lights Out” is so good in fact, that the original kings of the aforementioned structuring, Sevendust, would be dazzled. The band kicks you back to ‘We Are Not Alone’ with the groovy “Into the Nothing”, where Burnley and Fink’s guitar plucking craftily carves out a hop for the cut. Mark Klepaski’s bass chugs are thrust to the forefront, giving the majestic “Into the Nothing” some body as well as some earthy tones. “Into the Nothing” is similar to such songs in the Breaking Benjamin catalogue as “Believe”, “Breakdown”, “Topless”, and “Dance With the Devil”-an overall standout track that’s simply too cool to be a single.
Turn-Offs: There’s a lot of borrowing going on throughout ‘Dear Agony’. “Fade Away” is the womb buddy of “So Cold”. “Crawl” is an uber-predictable rehashing of “Breath”. “Give Me A Sign” tastes of “Dance With the Devil”. “Hopeless” is undoubtedly a forgettable and formulaic take on “Evil Angel”. And don’t get me wrong-I think “Fade Away” and “Give Me A Sign” are two of the best tracks off ‘Dear Agony’. However I just wonder why Breaking Benjamin, a band with clearly more to offer than the norm, would feel pressed to stick to a template, albeit one that works. ‘Dear Agony’ has a wealth of creative ingenuity, but its full potential can never be realized with that glass ceiling hanging overtop.
King: “What Lies Beneath”
Queen: “Lights Out”
FAIL: “Dear Agony”
Cool Points: Chad Szeliga is one of those rare drummers who can fully utilize a splash cymbal on a rock recording and make it sound not just good, but like the splash BELONGS on the music. That’s some freakin’ savvy behind the kit folks. Kudos to producer David Bendeth as he delivers a record with an agenda free sound-this album was made for Breaking Benjamin, not for the satisfaction of label folk, top 40 radio or anybody else.
Moral of the Story: ‘Dear Agony’ has its faults and Breaking Benjamin get a little lazy at times, but at the end of the day ‘Dear Agony’ is a fine piece of work. If Breaking Benjamin’s goal was to pen a record that represented a synergy of ‘Saturate’, ‘We Are Not Alone’ and ‘Phobia’, then they nailed it with ‘Dear Agony’.
A Fine Line: “Carry me under/You’re the devil in disguise/Sing for the hopeless/I’m the one you left behind.” – from “What Lies Beneath”
Puntuacion :9/10
Absolutepunk.net Review:
There's a line a band can breach between creating a distinctive, unmistakeable sound and being so utterly predictable it's mind numbing, and Breaking Benjamin can easily be accused of falling on the latter side of that line. Over the course of their career, they have repeatedly rewritten and repackaged the same tired formula every few years, rewarded of course by chart-topping singles and platinum sales. Now, I probably reserve less disdain for this than most; the whole post-grunge explosion of the mid-'90s was pretty significant in shaping my musical tastes, and I'll never be that guy that hates something just because it's commercial. I was even pretty excited to hear Breaking Benjamin's Phobia following the release of the single "The Diary of Jane," the staccato riffs of which got implanted into my brain and stayed there a while, but after hearing that record, and now its successor Dear Agony, I almost have to wonder when radio and the record buying public are going to say "enough is enough."
Previous albums have typically had a standout track that strayed from the path slightly or upped the ante a bit -- Phobia had the aforementioned "Jane," We Are Not Alone had the surprisingly subdued "Rain," and they'll probably never top the pop-metal catchiness of theSaturate single "Polyamorous" -- but Dear Agony is painfully even more undeviating in form and tone, so looking for highlights amounts to finding the tunes that execute the formula most effectively, which is essentially choosing which slice in a loaf of white bread tastes best. Personally, I'll take the heels: I find "Fade Away" and "Without You" to be the best examples of the band's melodic sensibilities.
Singer Benjamin Burnley has never been the happiest of campers, and given the title of the latest album, it seems nothing has changed, and Dear Agony expectedly finds his skies covered with dreary gray clouds. All of the depressed grunge-rocker cliches are present here in droves, ruminations of "falling," being "down," being "torn apart," "holding on" and "letting go," and of course "breaking." The entire record is unvaryingly downtrodden and almost has you hoping for a song about Burnley partying, getting high or getting a blow job, just to break up the monotony. Alas, it never happens, as that would ruin the whole tortured tough-guy pastiche.
Four albums into their career, this might have been a good time for Breaking Benjamin to step out and take some chances, but instead, they say "why mess with success," as each of their albums has been safer than the last, and Dear Agony only continues that trend. Burnley has an instantly recognizable voice, and his bandmates are certainly capable, so it's unfortunate that they've grown comfortable replicating the same snooze-rock time and again. Yes, this record will generate a few popular singles, probably push a million units and earn the band another spot on the next WWE soundtrack, but the only people who will be buying this record are likely to be those that already own their other releases (which are essentially exactly the same). That's irony at its finest.
There's a line a band can breach between creating a distinctive, unmistakeable sound and being so utterly predictable it's mind numbing, and Breaking Benjamin can easily be accused of falling on the latter side of that line. Over the course of their career, they have repeatedly rewritten and repackaged the same tired formula every few years, rewarded of course by chart-topping singles and platinum sales. Now, I probably reserve less disdain for this than most; the whole post-grunge explosion of the mid-'90s was pretty significant in shaping my musical tastes, and I'll never be that guy that hates something just because it's commercial. I was even pretty excited to hear Breaking Benjamin's Phobia following the release of the single "The Diary of Jane," the staccato riffs of which got implanted into my brain and stayed there a while, but after hearing that record, and now its successor Dear Agony, I almost have to wonder when radio and the record buying public are going to say "enough is enough."
Previous albums have typically had a standout track that strayed from the path slightly or upped the ante a bit -- Phobia had the aforementioned "Jane," We Are Not Alone had the surprisingly subdued "Rain," and they'll probably never top the pop-metal catchiness of theSaturate single "Polyamorous" -- but Dear Agony is painfully even more undeviating in form and tone, so looking for highlights amounts to finding the tunes that execute the formula most effectively, which is essentially choosing which slice in a loaf of white bread tastes best. Personally, I'll take the heels: I find "Fade Away" and "Without You" to be the best examples of the band's melodic sensibilities.
Singer Benjamin Burnley has never been the happiest of campers, and given the title of the latest album, it seems nothing has changed, and Dear Agony expectedly finds his skies covered with dreary gray clouds. All of the depressed grunge-rocker cliches are present here in droves, ruminations of "falling," being "down," being "torn apart," "holding on" and "letting go," and of course "breaking." The entire record is unvaryingly downtrodden and almost has you hoping for a song about Burnley partying, getting high or getting a blow job, just to break up the monotony. Alas, it never happens, as that would ruin the whole tortured tough-guy pastiche.
Four albums into their career, this might have been a good time for Breaking Benjamin to step out and take some chances, but instead, they say "why mess with success," as each of their albums has been safer than the last, and Dear Agony only continues that trend. Burnley has an instantly recognizable voice, and his bandmates are certainly capable, so it's unfortunate that they've grown comfortable replicating the same snooze-rock time and again. Yes, this record will generate a few popular singles, probably push a million units and earn the band another spot on the next WWE soundtrack, but the only people who will be buying this record are likely to be those that already own their other releases (which are essentially exactly the same). That's irony at its finest.
Puntuacion:5.5/10
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