I know this review is long overdue. The album has been out for a while now and people have heard it and there are a million reviews for it. The reason it’s taken me so long to write about this album is because I honestly don’t know how I feel about it. Even now as I force this review out, I come into it not knowing what I am gonna say.
Here’s the thing, I want to like Breaking Benjamin. I am into the progressive end of modern rock, as most of you know. Bands like 10 Years, Chevelle and Tool are the ones that really get me going. Breaking Benjamin are certainly on that short list of bands that embrace that particular vibe. I have liked Breaking Benjamin slightly more than peripherally since they first came out. I sing along with the radio songs and am interested when the new singles are released. I liked them to the point I thought I should check out the non-radio songs.
That was probably a mistake on my part as it was quickly revealed to me that Breaking Benjamin are responsible for some of the worst lyrics ever written. For a band that always sounds the same, they’re surprisingly inconsistent. As each song starts, with the same dark, moody riffs, it’s anyone’s guess if the song is going to be lyrically as dark and moody, or if it’s going to be something completely ridiculous. Their latest album, Phobia, is really no exception. My gut tells me to go ahead and like this record. C’mon AJ…you know you’re into Breaking Benjamin and you dig their vibe. What’s the problem?
The problem is that it’s nothing new. I am an advocate for new and interesting music. Originality. Change. I am interested in bands with the capacity to last forever. I prefer career artists who are constantly reinventing themselves as opposed to just doing what works and what has always worked. It’s the reason I don’t like Korn or Nickelback. Sure, they have good songs…they write hits. But a band like Korn has attempted to bank in on releasing the same thing over and over. I can’t support that. Nickelback writes pop hits and have no definition as an individual act. There’s no such thing as a Nickelback vibe. I can’t support that. Breaking Benjamin aren’t reinventing the wheel. Hell, they’re not even reinventing Breaking Benjamin. It’s more of the same, with the occasional attempt at imitating another band. There are some very ’10 Years’ moments on the album, which of course I love, although I can’t say I find it very original. Where they really shine on Phobia are in the ballads...of which there are quite a few. If they could inject the quality of their ballads into their heavier songs, this band would be an endless goldmine.
Basically, if you like Breaking Benjamin, you will love this record. I don’t think this is the release that’s going to expand their fanbase, but it will surely captivate their existing one. They hint at creativity. They suggest new direction. There is a subdued self-exploration taking place on this album which leaves me anxious to hear what they do next. I think the best from this band is yet to come. I think they’re maturing like a fine wine and future albums will absolutely nail it. I will rate Phobia high simply due to the POTENTIAL that oozes out of this band, but I am certainly docking points because they’re not quite there yet
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