Phobia - Dark Publications

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5 out of 5 stars

Near Perfection. August 8, 2006
62 out of 78 found this review helpful

Well, just two years after "We Are Not Alone" pushed Breaking Benjamin into the mainstream, the boys are back with a new album, "Phobia." The third album in a band's career always seems to be a special one, and with Breaking Benjamin, this is no exception. Each album from these guys has been exceptional, and fellow fans will be happy to notice that the cycle hasn't been broken. Those who love the familiar Breaking Benajmin sound will love this album instantly, and those looking for a stronger effort than ever before, will be pleased as well.

I have to say that, honestly, I loved this album from the first listen. Beginning with an intro and the first single, "Diary Of Jane," fans of "We Are Not Alone" will be sucked in by the dark nature of the songs. Most of the material here is amongst Breaking Benjamin's heaviest, save for the obligatory ballad, "Here We Are." Frontman Ben Burley's voice has changed up a bit from the sound we are used to. Instead of mumbling or yelling the majority of the vocal parts, he has comfortably settled into a great singing voice, which makes these songs sound even better than much of what the band has recorded in the past. Old school fans will appreciate the inclusion of "Topless" here, but the true standout would have to be the dramatic "Dance With The Devil."

"Phobia" is an easy listen, in that it showcases a great band at their best and that each song is just as strong as the one before it. Honestly, there is not one bad thing I can say about this album. All fans of Breaking Benjamin, past, present or future, will find plenty to dig here. If you don't like this album, there is simply something wrong with you.

4 out of 5 stars

There's nothing to fear, there's nothing to fear, there's nothing to fear, there's nothing to fear, there's nothing to fear.... September 5, 2006
19 out of 24 found this review helpful

Yeah. Just keep telling yourself that. But Breaking Benjamin's latest is ALL about the fear. From the paranoia intro of sounding lost in an airport, to each and every song's desperation-as-relationships theme, and ending with a song where Burnley laments "Can't we live a life of peace and happiness? I don't think so," "Phobia" is relentlessly bleak. It is also BB's best album yet. Guitars crunch, melodies soar and Ben Burnley roars. This is also an album that shows personality, as dark as that may be.

But personality is a trait sorely lacking in a great deal of current metal. Too many bands opt for faceless angst without giving any genuine voice to the anger, content to merely play faster than light speed and sing like Cookie Monsters. "Phobia" is not that disc. You'll be singing along with the hooks on "Diary Of Jane" while the weirdly engaging death wish "Evil Angel" will lure you in, in its own perverse way. It's been a long time since I have held any kind of excitement for a rock band, but "Phobia" gives me hope.

3 out of 5 stars

Guitar Solo Phobia (or Breaking Benjamin Broken) August 9, 2006
16 out of 34 found this review helpful

I wanted so much to write that Breaking Benjamin is a different variation on the Nu Metal Genre. And if Phobia was more like Breaking Ben's previous releases I think that I'd have been able to start with that line. But Breaking Benjamin's new CD is a downgrade form Saturate and We Are Not Alone.

We Are Not Alone and especially Saturate (Breaking Ben's debut CD) contained some great Metal music that separated them from the rest of the "Nu" pack with a different sound....A sound that was not only distinctly different from the rest of the Nu Metal genre, but each song on Breaking Ben 1 & 2 are distinctly different from each other. On the other hand, it's hard to tell that the track has changed on Phobia.

Breaking Benjamin established a signature sound with their first two releases. On Phobia, they have moved away from their signature sound to the more familiar sound of the many bands that are hard to tell apart (Staind, 10 Years, Trapt) popular on XM Radio's Squizz or Sirius Radio's Octane.

With the exception of the radio played Diary of Jane (track 2) and Topless (track 8), all of the songs on Phobia start relatively heavy, with a great driving beat, but immediately evaporate into a whisper of sorts...like the retched, familiar "I'm in pain" lyrical style popular with Staind.

There was a lot more guitar work on the previous two CDs, and I was hopeful that it would be expanded on Phobia. But indeed we get the exact reverse. The Nu Metal law against guitar solos is solidly in place on Phobia.

Breaking Benjamin also lost key backbeater Jeremy Hummel to a lesser talented Chad Szeliga. Hummel really drove the music with funky beats, off time fills and some great double bass work; Szeliga is good but just keeps time. Hummel and Breaking Ben are supposedly in an ugly royalties fight.

Ben Vaught formerly of HED PE did a several month stint in 2005 before Szeliga came in, but I guess Vaught was one too many Ben's to Break.

The other musicians are of course Benjamin Burnley (Vocals, Guitar) along with vets Aaron Fink (Guitar) and Mark Klepaski (Bass).

Final thoughts: If you're like me and you don't mind purchasing an entire CD just to get two or three really good songs, you can pick up Phobia pretty cheap (at the time of this writing) on Amazon. If you're tired of the Nu Metal let's-all-sound-the same-club, Phobia really isn't "Breaking" any new ground.

5 out of 5 stars

Don't be afraid... August 8, 2006
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

This is a great album. After two great albums in "Saturate" and "We Are Not Alone" BB come back with another great album. Phobia starts off strong, then goes into a little slump but once you make it past there the album ends strong. Here is what I mean:
"The Diary of Jane" 10/10- Great song, when I heard this song first I knew this album would be good.

"Breath" 10/10- This song reminds me of something I'd sing to somebody who has turned me down 100 times.

"You" 8/10- pretty good tune, nothing too special, but good nonetheless

"Evil Angel" 8/10- Same as "You"

"Until The End" 10/10- This is a good song with a nice little guitar solo. Defently a highlight.

"Dance With The Devil" 7/10- see "You"

"Topless" 3/10- I can't get into this song. Love the riff though...

"Here We Are" 9/10- Good song.

"Unknown Soldier" 12/10- This song absolutly blew me away when I heard it. I love this song. It's my favorite of the album.

"Had Enough" 10/10- Great song. I love the chorus.

"You Fight Me" 10/10- Great way to end an album (excluding the "Outro").

Do not be afraid to buy Phobia. It is just as good, if not better, than BB other albums.

2 out of 5 stars

A few catchy tunes, but overall stale and uncreative; another band more concerned with releasing hits than quality music August 9, 2006
10 out of 19 found this review helpful

Breaking Benjamin has finally crossed the line from commercial yet still somewhat distinctive alternative rock band, to what purists would refer to as a "sellout". Their formerly experimental approach, exemplified by some of the tracks in Saturate and We Are Not Alone, is all but absent in this new release. This is especially noticeable in the re-release of Topless, a popular Breaking Benjamin song that never made it onto an album (until now! but wait, it seems different...). The track is painted over with echoing, ambient effects and all manner of fancy technology that makes Burnley's voice sound more on key, but robs it of its edge. This makes the "new" Topless more accessible to mainstream audiences, but ultimately takes away its raw, rough-edged quality.

Whether this is for the better or worse depends on the listener. Nevertheless, this same sort of overproduction can be found on all the rest of the albums tracks as well. I understand the logic behind Breaking Benjamin's self-imposed lack of creativity. As good as some of their songs were, Breaking Benjamin could never hope to compete with bands such as Tool, Dream Theater, Nevermore etc. in terms of quality. So, they chose the more profitable route, and created an album with catchy, accessible tunes that would appeal to a general audience and gain much airplay (unlike the works of a lot of "higher quality" bands that sell far fewer copies than they deserve.) Personally, I would rather listen to an ok band that strives to be creative.

To his credit, Burnley is a reasonably talented vocalist capable of writing tolerable (if not particularly deep) lyrics, and the rest of the members possess more or less equivalent levels of talent. Therefore, Breaking Benjamin is a notch above other mainstream rock bands that appeal to the lowest common denominator by churning out utter garbage about their allegedly terrible childhoods and abusive parents. Some tracks you should definitely check out are Topless (by far the best on the album despite its overhaul), Dance With the Devil (best new release; very catchy), Diary of Jane (great choice for a single) and Breath (not quite as good, but still a worth a few listens).

For those who think my review is somehow an insult to the band (and will no doubt label it "unhelpful,") keep in mind that true fans are the ones that objectively analyze the works of a band. Blindly giving positive reviews to an album because you think it makes you a better fan shows a lack of thought and perhaps intelligence. It also sends a message to the artists that you don't care about the quality of the CDs they release, as long as the case has their name on it. I can't speak for any band, but I'm sure most of them would rather have their work viewed realistically as opposed to being treated as gospel.

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