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Breaking Benjamin Biography
Review The Artist (63)
Source: http://www.shallowbay.com/bio
Some would argue BEN BURNLEY is a perfectionist. But for BREAKING BENJAMIN’s singer, guitarist, and visionary, there is no other modus operandi for his craft. With that dedication, BURNLEY and his bandmates–guitarist AARON FINK, bassist MARK JAMES, and drummer CHAD SZELIGA–have built 2006’s meticulous, infectious hard rock milestone PHOBIA (Hollywood Records). Building on their trademark hard-charging rhythms, sharp hooks, and soaring vocals, PHOBIA marks BREAKING BENJAMIN’s third album.
For BURNLEY, who typically writes at least 10 songs to yield one, the arduous approach has helped BREAKING BENJAMIN elevate the bar in following up 2004’s explosive platinum-selling We Are Not Alone, which produced a pair of compelling #1 rock hits, “So Cold” and “Sooner Or Later.” “It’s a very time-consuming thing,” BEN admits of his efforts to top the band’s airwave favorites. “I’ll basically write a number of similar songs and cherry-pick the best pieces from all of them and make one.”
With PHOBIA, which confronts anxiety and fear through catharsis and breathtaking melodies, the fruits of BURNLEY’s conviction can first be heard on “The Diary of Jane” –the first single and video–just one in a number of ferocious and hook-injected offerings on the band’s third album. As muscular as it is accessible, “Jane” has the power to invade one’s headspace, and occupy it for days.
Yet BREAKING BENJAMIN’s namesake didn’t always think so highly of PHOBIA’s first single. “Ben is his biggest critic,” bassist MARK JAMES acknowledges. “He’ll write stuff that is undeniable. And everyone else knows it’s undeniable. But he’ll think it’s not good enough and he’ll go back to the drawing board. With ‘The Diary of Jane,’ he had three or four different options lyrically and melodically before we even entered the studio. He had all of these variations that he presented to [producer] David [Bendeth]. And as is the case nine out of ten times, it’s almost always his initial gut feeling that wins out.”
BURNLEY’s instincts have guided BREAKING BENJAMIN from the bars and clubs of Wilkes-Barre, PA to a platinum album certification, all in the course of five years. On the strength of the quartet’s first hit, “Polyamorous,” from its 2002 major label debut Saturate, the group’s alt-metal leanings–inspired by the likes of Tool, KoRN, and Nirvana–earned the band prompt recognition.
With the aforementioned radio darling We Are Not Alone (which also contained the memorable ballad “Rain”) the group aligned with producer David Bendeth to forge a partnership that only grew stronger by the time work on PHOBIA commenced in early 2006. “We knew what to expect,” BURNLEY says. “We knew what he’d want out of us and knew what we’d want out of him.”
“Mark, Chad, Aaron, and Ben gave this record everything they had, worked their asses off and never settled for second best,” David Bendeth says proudly of BREAKING BENJAMIN’s new material. “The melodies are strong and memorable and we all feel it is a lot stronger than anything they’ve ever done. I worked BEN hard and he pushed himself. He has such a great instinct for lyrics and melody. He really knows what he wants and he never ceases to amaze me. He has a natural talent, a gift.”
That gift is evident in “Evil Angel.” which has a vibe akin to Alice in Chains, replete with AARON’s expressive, thunderous riffs giving way to a newfound rootsy, organic approach. Elsewhere, “You” finds the band operating in a rarely-used standard tuning, and relying on the highly capable rhythmic wares of MARK and drummer CHAD–who only recently joined the group but is an obvious ideal fit. “It was back to basics for us,” MARK says of the latter. “It’s so direct, more simple than usual. It’s definitely more of a feel than anything else propelling that song.”
The sonic epic “Dance With The Devil” also stands out as AARON’s fluid, forceful guitar lines and monumental drumming ideally interface with the power and range of BURNLEY’s voice. And despite his heartfelt delivery of lines like “I believe in you/I can show you that,” Ben pauses when it comes to talk about his deeply personal verse.
“I want the listener to analyze my songs,” he says. “I don’t want to do it myself. If someone thinks the song is about something and I come along and say, ‘No. The song is about this.’ I could ruin it for them.”
One thing that won’t be damaged at this point is the infrastructure of this band, helped by a newfound openness. “One thing in the past that affected us in a negative way was that we didn’t always speak our minds,” MARK says. “We’d keep stuff bottled up. And then maybe we’d feel regret or resentment. This time around, we made a point to say what we’re feeling.”
Finding a balance between enjoyment and ambition, BURNLEY thrives by challenging himself on PHOBIA. “I’m doing things vocally that I haven’t done before and we’re using different time signatures and tunings that are new for us,” he says. “I look at evolution this way: Every time you write a song, it’s one less thing that you can do. Of course there is always pressure to at least match what you’ve done before, but there is nothing I can do about it other than write the best possible songs I can.”
“I’m really proud of these songs,” MARK says. “BEN has done a fantastic job providing great hooks and phrases. I feel very strongly about every track on this record, which isn’t something I was always able to say. I think we really tried to approach every song by never trying to overstate an idea. If there was a catchy riff that AARON was doing, I never wanted to step on it. I’d try to seek a different way around it.”
Thinking outside the box, the men of BREAKING BENJAMIN have faced down their fears, put their hearts and their heads together to woodshed PHOBIA. Regardless of whether you’re afraid of heights, snakes, bees, air travel or whatever, this stellar song-cycle pays big dividends. Summing up BREAKING BENJAMIN’s new album, the band’s bassist concludes, “The goal was to make a solid, mature and cohesive record.”
Mission accomplished. PHOBIA is a damn-near faultless rock album.
Thanks to Andrew Harding for submitting the biography. |
Would you please submit the latest Breaking Benjamin biography to me? Thank You.
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Review about Breaking Benjamin
Big Fan | Reviewer: Dude | 9/16/09
Breaking Benjamin is one of the best bands I have heard EVER. Since we are sorrounded by rap and BS like that, Breaking Benjamin was, literally, music to my ears (no pun intended). I've been a fan since they came to the music industry and I love almost every one of there songs. My favorite is torn between Blow Me Away and Believe. I can't wait for there new album, I Will Not Bow, to come out on September 29th. BB ROCKS!!!!!
best band ever!!!!!! | Reviewer: maryanne | 5/22/09
this is my favorite band ever. i love benjamin burnley, he is so good looking. i been to their concert once and i loved it. i listen to other bands, but i always come back to breaking benjamin, i love this band, man. they really do rock. my favorite songs of theirs is so cold, diary of jane, break my fall, away, had enough, until the end and you fight me.
Just another review | Reviewer: Laura Borne | 3/16/09
What to say lol. The band is awesome, they are my favorite hands down. I first heard their song "Polyamorous" on the radio quite a few years ago, I believe it was 2001 or 2002, I'm horrible with dates, all I know is that it's the first song I ever heard by them and I loved it. I wanted the CD so bad just to hear what else they did so my parents bought it for me like the next day and I've been hooked ever since. Didn't take til like their second release like a lot of people, I've been hooked since the first time I heard the first single. I can't even pick a favorite because I love them all. It's hard to find a band where you like every song they have to keep up the awesome work and I am looking forward to a new album whenever it's finished lol.
WASSUUUP from downunder. | Reviewer: Lucus Power | 2/16/09
MAN.. BB fucking ROCKS!!!!!!!!
im so much of a fan im like the biggest bloody fan in my town mate no fucking lie!, i have every album released even the secret album with their cover songs and songs made for movies and games, my favourite cover done would have to be the Queen cover who wants to live for ever!!
i so wish i could see a live concert by these guys but like i have Qouted.. im from Australia!.. so wish you could fly here Ben!! or even though you'r afraid of heights atleast take a boat across!!!!
wish these guys could come over!! man that'd be sick i'd be the first to buy the ticket!
LucusPower!<3XXoX.
Insane | Reviewer: evangeline | 1/20/09
This is my favorite band ever!
I'm a huge fan, but not huge enough to stalk them and such...
The first song I ever heard was "Dance with the Devil"
It was insanely awesome.
I felt like most of the songs, like Had Enough, Breath, Topless, and Simple Design described me a bit.
How?
I don't know how to explain.
They just do.
They relate to what I'm going through right now, and my inside feelings and thoughts.
They say what I am thinking inside, even if they don't know it.
I dedicate "Had Enough" to a few girls in my school, and "Topless"
to my boyfriend.....
It explains my confused and mixed up feelings toward him
I Love Breaking Benjamin!!
OMG | Reviewer: mema | 11/19/08
OMG!!!! breaking benjamin is the best ever i love them soooooo much u cant emmagine this!! pllllllz ben if u saw this massege plz add me on msn mit_2009@hotmail.com pllllllz ok.... first i loved until the end then dance with the devil then so cold then ordinary man then away then allllllll the songs it's really ROCKS i wish if i can c u guys:( am from tunisia every year i go there:( ok i dont wonna be selly soooo all i want u to know that
i
love
breaking benjamin
soooo
much
:D
Best band ever | Reviewer: brenna | 10/1/08
I love Breaking Benjamin. My favorite is "Diary of Jane" and i have all the songs on my ipod and im getting my friends hooked on the band too. When they come over we turn the my ipod speakes all the way up and sing and dance along.
Love the tongue ring ben
good band | Reviewer: mike d. | 8/28/08
they are lyrically and musically a great band. i have seen them more times than i can count...but it seems as always fame strikes the singer, and ben takes it all to his head. he is great lyrically, but dont let your ego get too big. aaron writes amazing music for teh guitar and he plays like its magic. a band is made of the band, not just one personal alone. too many rockstars fall cause of that, and fall hard. youre a great band, just dont let ego's crash in the way of the original goal. and to be passed up for an autograph when i work for a radio station cause ben saw a 16yr old girl with tits...man, my boss didnt take too kindly to that, and she used to be a groupie. digressing, good band, egotistical frontman. but i wont be going to anymore concerts. ben killed it.
Soldier is your biggest fan | Reviewer: Anonymous | 4/4/08
I deployed to Iraq in December 2005 right after my son passed away in November 2005. It was all I could do to keep myself in one piece, let alone comfort my wife who was 7,000 miles away. I turned to music to calm my nerves and get me through this hard time. It was then that I picked up on Breaking Benjamin. I had heard a few of their songs before but now they seemed more than just songs. They uplifted and kept me from going crazy. I am now on my second deployment. This time to Afghanistan. I am happy to say that my wife and I are doing great. However, now we are both hooked on Breaking Benjamin. Way to go guys you ROCK!!
Screaming Eagle of the 101st Airborne
I almost forgot | Reviewer: Joshua | 4/4/08
I am the soldier from the 101st ABN who just left a review. I forgot to ask if anyone knew of any good places to get Breaking Benjamin memorabilia and merchandise. If you do you can contact me through my email adress uavpilot86@hotmail.com or my mailing address
SPC Joshua D. Bowman
UAS PLT 1/506 INF REGT
FOB Ghazni
APO AE 09354
Please remember internet can be hard to come by here at times in Afghanistan and the mail is relatively slow as well. My responses back to you may take some time. Thank you
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Review the Artist Breaking Benjamin
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