In the summer of 2004, Breaking Benjamin made their first real impact on alternative-rock radio with "So Cold," a strong single with distinction, power, and a Maynard James Keenan vocal imitation that was admittedly better than the majority of the others. At the time, I was swept away by the band, and played their two albums Saturate and We Are Not Alone to death.

But as my music tastes were going through major changes, I forgot about Breaking Benjamin. It never got to the point where I returned their CDs to the local used bin or anything. The band just seemed to disappear. Upon their resurfacing in 2006 with Phobia, I didn't give Ben Burnley & co. much thought, even with my occasional exposure to the completely listenable first single "Diary of Jane."

But something about Phobia's second single, the rock hit "Breath" made me want to give this album a real chance not too long ago. The song is as simple and to-the-point as can be -- "You take the breath right out of me / you left a hole where my heart should be" -- but in Ben's vocals lies something real. The subtle, swirling guitars tickle his pleading voice for an effect that is truly chilling. There is a sincerity to Breaking Benjamin that far too many of their peers (think Three Days Grace) completely lack. Ben is a skilled songwriter with a talent for writing accessible rock songs that still manage to convey a true emotional complexity.

And, lo and behold, there's even more to Phobia than its enjoyable singles. The slow-paced "You" mixes Ben's wails with crisp guitar melodies to create something very catchy and singable, while "Dance With the Devil" compensates for its lame title by packing an immeasurable amount of bitterness and uninterrupted feeling into just a few minutes.

One thing I must applaud Breaking Benjamin for is this: nowhere in Phobia do I find the band dumbing down their sound for a quick hit. Far too often, bands who gain popularity and have a few successful singles (even if those initial singles are GREAT) will water down their sound for reasons not of an artistic nature. Instead, Phobia features the Pennsylvania rockers at their most honest and creative.

Despite this, even the greats slip up at times. Phobia's ending is weak in comparison to the rest. "Had Enough" just sounds lazy. Whereas Breaking Benjamin's strengths usually lie in soaring choruses and vocal hooks sure to snap you in, "Had Enough" has a much too happy, 'sing-songy' vibe for its accusing lyrics. Similarly, "You Fight Me" experiments with unappealing vocal distortion. It's unfortunate because this song would have probably been really fun had they just left Ben's voice alone. Who knew voice effects could steal the coolness away from music so effortlessly?

In a world where bands like Hinder and Nickelback swamp rock radio, isn't it time a simple alternative-rock band has something good to offer? Breaking Benjamin is one of the few American rock bands played on radio that I can stomach, and with Phobia, they've proven themselves once again to be the leaders of this proverbial pack. Though this album may not be as consistent as their first two, it shows the band branching out in some ways without detracting much from their roots. Anyone who's liked previous Breaking Benjamin releases will certainly find things to like about Phobia, but those who've been turned off by this band before probably won't find much here to change their minds. Such is life.

Related Works:
Saturate - Breaking Benjamin
We Are Not Alone - Breaking Benjamin
So Cold EP - Breaking Benjamin



Recommended: Yes