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Alla fine del 2000 il chitarrista Aaron Fink e il bassista Mark Klepaski abbandonano il loro gruppo, i Lifer, per unirsi all'estroso vocalist e songwriter Benjamin Burnley e al batterista Jeremy Hummel, formando così i Breaking Benjamin. Il gruppo si va ad inserire nell'affollato genere del post-grunge, ma a differenza di tanti altri esponenti di questa corrente, pur ispirandosi alle solite pietre miliari (lo stesso Benjamin Burnley ha ammesso di avere imparato a suonare la chitarra per potere seguire le orme del suo idolo, Cobain) riesce a sviluppare un proprio stile particolare, caratterizzato principalmente da un'accordatura più bassa e da una componente melodica più accentuata, contrapposta a giri d'accordi piuttosto pesanti e ai frequenti growl del cantante.
L'album di debutto, Saturate, è datato 2002, e la sua distribuzione viene l'imitata al solo Nord America. Sono già in mostra le buone potenzialità della band, ma le canzoni sono tutte un po' simili fra di loro e il sound è ancora poco raffinato. Con We Are Not Alone del 2004 si notano i primi passi avanti, anche in termini di vendite e popolarità. L'album è trainato dall'ottimo singolo "So Cold" e dalla splendida "Firefly", conosciuta per comparire nella colonna sonora del gioco "WWE Smackdown VS Raw". Dopo l'abbandono di Hummel in favore dell'ex batterista degli Sw1tched Chad Szeliga, nel 2006 esce il terzo album, Phobia. Sarà unulteriore evoluzione o un passo indietro?
L'album presenta una componente melodica ancora più marcata che in We Are Not Alone. Il primo singolo, "The Diary Of Jane" parla di una relazione di amore-odio; resta una canzone abbastanza scontata, ma è decisamente ben fatta. Il secondo, "Breath", è forse la traccia più bella del disco, abbastanza varia come struttura, energica e interpretata alla perfezione dall'intera band; da segnalare un ottimo scream nell'interludio. "Until The End", terzo estratto, non convince come gli altri due: si parte bene con un giro di accordi molto "grunge", ma ci si perde poi con una strofa e un ritornello troppo soft. Solita canzone da radio, nell'album si trova di molto meglio. Per il resto spiccano "Dance With The Devil", che presenta un Burnley spremuto al massimo e un'ottima prestazione di Szeliga, e la splendida ballata "Here We Are".
Anche quest'album presenta però alcuni rilevanti difetti: le parti di chitarra, salvo alcuni casi rari come "Unknown Soldier" e "Topless" (che si differenzia molto per stile dalle altre, essendo una canzone scritta addirittura prima dell'album di esordio), sono piuttosto piatte e monotone; la presenza di un'intro e un'outro potrebbe fare pensare a un concept album, ma non è per niente così e i testi delle varie canzoni sono spesso poco ispirati e fini a se stessi; certe volte ci si trova di fronte a dei growl insensati, come ad esempio alla fine del ritornello di "Until The End".
In conclusione: è il classico album che si lascia ascoltare molto piacevolmente le prime due/tre volte; poi la monotonia generale fa venire la voglia di sentire altro. Una piena sufficienza comunque: i BB riescono a sfornare buona musica, pur senza proporre nulla di rivoluzionario nella scena dell'hard-rock/post-grunge. Pazienza.
Elenco tracce testi e video
02 The Diary of Jane ()
If I had to
I would put myself
Right beside you
So let me ask
Would you like that?
Would you like that?
And I don't mind,
If you say this love
Is the last time
So now I'll ask
Do you like that?
Do you like that?
NO!
Something's getting in the way
Something's just about to break
I will try to find my place
In the diary of Jane
So tell me how it should be...
Try to find out,
What makes you tick
As I lie down
Sore and sick
Do you like that?
Do you like that?
There's a fine line,
Between love and hate
And I don't mind,
Just let me say
That I like that!
I like that!
Something's getting in the way
Something's just about to break
I will try to find my place
In the diary of Jane.
As I burn another page
As I look the other way
I still try to find my place
In the diary of Jane
So tell me how it should be...
Desperate I will crawl,
Waiting for so long,
No love, there is no love,
Die for anyone,
What have I become?
Something's getting in the way
Something's just about to break
I will try to find my place
In the diary of Jane.
As I burn another page
As I look the other way
I still try to find my place
In the diary of Jane.
03 Breath ()
I see nothing in your eyes
And the more I see the less I like
Is it over yet, in my head?
I know nothing of your kind
And I won't reveal your evil mind
Is it over yet? I can't wait
So sacrifice yourself
And let me have what's left
I know that I can find
The fire in your eyes
I'm going all the way, get away, please
You take the breath right out of me
You left a hole where my heart should be
You got to fight just to make it through
'Cause I will be the death of you
This will be all over soon.
Pour salt into the open wound.
Is it over yet? Let me in
So sacrifice yourself
And let me have what's left
I know that I can find
The fire in your eyes
I'm going all the way, get away, please
You take the breath right out of me
You left a hole where my heart should be
You got to fight just to make it through
'Cause I will be the death of you
I'm waiting, I'm praying, realize, start hating.
You take the breath right out of me
You left a hole where my heart should be
You got to fight just to make it through
'Cause I will be the death of you
05 Evil Angel ()
Hold it together
Birds on a feather
Nothing but lies and crooked wings
I have the answer
Spreading the cancer
You are the faith inside me
No
Don't
Leave me to die here
Help me survive here
Alone
Don't
Remember
Remember
Put me to sleep evil angel
Open your wings evil angel
I'm a believer
Nothing could be worse
All these imaginary friends
Hiding betrayal
Driving the nail
Hoping to find the savior
No
Don't
Leave me to die here
Help me survive here
Alone
Don't
Surrender
Surrender
Put me to sleep evil angel
Open your wings evil angel
Fly over me evil angel
Why can't I breathe evil angel
Put me to sleep evil angel
Open your wings evil angel
Fly over me evil angel
Why can't I breathe evil angel
06 Until The End ()
So clever
Whatever
I'm done with these endeavors
Alone I walk the winding way
(Here I stay)
It's over
No longer
I feel it growing stronger
I'll live to die another day
Until I fade away
Why give up, why give in?
It's not enough, it never is
So I will go on until the end
We've become desolate
It's not enough, it never is
But I will go on until the END!
Surround me
It's easy
To fall apart completely
I feel you creeping up again
(In my head)
It's over
No longer
I feel it growing colder
I knew this day would come to end
So let this life begin
Why give up, why give in?
It's not enough, it never is
So I will go on until the end
We've become desolate
It's not enough, it never is
So I will go on until the end
I've lost my way
I've lost my way
But I will go on until the end
Living is
Hard enough
Without you fucking up
Why give up, why give in?
It's not enough, it never is
So I will go on until the end
We've become desolate
It's not enough, it never is
But I will go on until the end
I've lost my way
I've lost my way
But I will go on until the end
The final fight I'll win
The final fight I'll win
The final fight I'll win
But I will go on until the end
08 Topless ()
Fruit on the vine
You've got yours
And I've got mine
Meat on your bones
They wont know
They wont know
I love your face
Just get away
I'm on my knees
Fuck you
Fuck me
I'm on my way
To feel you
Dislocate
Save in your space
I'm open
Wide open
I love your face
Just get away
I'm on my knees
Fuck you
Fuck me
I love your face
Just get away
I'm on my knees
Fuck you
Fuck me
Me
Me
Me
10 Unknown Soldier ()
Borderline, dead inside
I don't mind falling to pieces
Count me in, violin
Let's begin feeding the sickness
How do I simplify?
Dislocate, the enemy's on the way
Show me what it's like
To dream in black and white
So I can leave this world tonight
Full of fear, everclear
I'll be here, fighting forever
Curing us, venomous
You'll find me climbing to heaven
Never mind, turn back time
You'll be fine; I will get left behind
Show me what it's like
To dream in black and white
So I can leave this world tonight
Holding on too tight
Breathe the breath of life
So I can leave this world behind
It only hurts just once
They're only broken bones
Hide the hate inside
Show me what it's like
To dream in black and white
So I can leave this world tonight
Holding on too tight
Breathe the breath of life
So I can leave this world behind
11 Had Enough ()
Milk it for all it's worth
Make sure you get there first
The apple of your eye
The rotten core inside
We are all prisoners
Things couldn't get much worse
I've had it up to here
You know your end is near
You had to have it all
Well have you had enough?
You greedy little bastard
You will get what you deserve
When all is said and done
I will be the one
To leave you in your misery
And hate what you've become
Intoxicated eyes
No longer live that life
You should have learned by now
I'll burn this whole world down
I need some peace of mind
No fear of what's behind
You think you've won this fight
You've only lost your mind
You had to have it all
Well have you had enough?
You greedy little bastard
You will get what you deserve
When all is said and done
I will be the one
To leave you in your misery
And hate what you've become
Hold me down
I will live again
Pull me out
I will break it in
Hold me down
Better in the end
Hold me down
You had to have it all
Well have you had enough?
You greedy little bastard
You will get what you deserve
When all is said and done
I will be the one
To leave you in your misery
And hate what you've become
Heaven help you
Heaven help you
12 You Fight Me ()
You fight me
Flat on my lonely face I fell
Finding in the end I live well
In the light of the life that I have found
It's coming down
I don't know what isn't real
But it's easy to beat me
Suck it in
Life is sink or swim
Love is blinding
No surviving
I don't know what I want to be yet
But I can show that I need to see this
No time for lies and empty fights
I'm on your side
Can't we live a life of peace and happiness?
I don't think so
No denying that I'm scared to lose the things I love
I'm in control
This is how
This is how it's gonna end
This is how
This is how it's gonna end
End
Everyone is waiting here
For everyone
Leave me alone
This is how
This is how it's gonna end
This is how
This is how it's gonna end
This is how
This is how it's gonna end
NO
This is how
This is how it's gonna end
End
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Altre recensioni
Di Cortez
"Phobia si rivela un pregevole incontro tra melodia e caoticità, emozioni e aggressività."
"‘Dance With The Devil’ tocca i picchi più alti di qualità: aggressivo, martellante e a volte imprevedibile."
Di thetrooper
"The Diary Of Jane": buon crossover tra alternative rock e nu metal, orecchiabile e ben strutturata.
Il disco è 'frizzante e allegro' al primo ascolto ma rivela inesperienza e influenze a volte in contrasto.
Di emdero
il disco fa schifo ed è musica classica e PUZZA!!!
Di Survivor 12
Un pezzo che da solo alza il livello generale del disco.
Phobia si dimostra essere un album piacevole potrebbe essere riassunto in velocità, melodia, aggressività e tante emozioni.
