Hot off the heels of “Dark Before Dawn”, Breaking Benjamin is back from the success of their critically acclaimed 2015 album. “Ember” clocks in at a little under 40 minutes, moving fast and furious while delivering a much heavier sound than their previous outing. This was one of my most anticipated albums of 2018, and the payoff is rewarding to a degree. Let’s dig in track-by-track!

Track-By-Track Analysis

“Lyra”– The start to the album. This track clocks in at a fast 29 seconds that offers a slow build into what is about to be a break-neck speed album. Not much to critique here! “Feed the Wolf” – One of the few singles released for this album ahead of time that definitely sets the tone for the rest of the album. It’s fast, it has crunchy guitar riffs, and as always, stellar drums. Ben shines through with a vocal performance that sits between “I’m in your face and taking no prisoners” and “sweet” pain. Ben had promised a record that would be heavier than “Dark Before Dawn”, and this track already delivers on that promise. One of my criticisms about “Dark Before Dawn” was the lack of mmph in Ben’s vocals, with many tracks lacking in the edge department. “Dark Before Dawn” was a phenomenal return to Breaking Benjamin music, especially instrumentally and clean vocal-wise, but it lacked the harsh vocals that Ben does so well. Thankfully, “Feed the Wolf” solves that problem right away! “Red Cold River” – The first single from “Ember” that continues the trend of the previous track, “Feed the Wolf”, starts fast and heavy with a perfect balance between hard and soft within not just the music, but Ben’s vocals as well. I remember hearing this track back in December and telling everyone that Breaking Benjamin was going to more than deliver if this song was any indicator of the direction of the entire album. Sandwiched perfectly between tracks 2 and 4, “Red Cold River” shines even brighter than it did the day I listened to it as a single. Guitars deliver the perfect sound/tone, while the drum work is as good as it always is. There’s a reason this was the first single. “Tourniquet” – A slightly slower track that relies heavily on bass and intricate guitar licks to carry it along. This song feels a little more formulaic (like a typical song heard on hard rock radio), but it is done in such a way that it’s not a glaring flaw. Vocals appear somehow more “raw” on this track, especially during the chorus where Ben bounces between clean vocals and a slightly aggressive shout. “Psycho” – Quite possibly my favorite track of this entire album. The drums standout the most, with an intricate pattern that made me exclaim “Holy shit!” the moment I heard it. You are reminded that Breaking Benjamin is a band that does not rely on one member to make a hit song, with the guitar riffs, bass-line, drums, and vocals absolutely soaring on this track. Every piece made me excited to be listening to Breaking Benjamin! The track manages to find a balance between heavy, hard-hitting playing and a sing-along quality with hard vocals spread evenly across the field. To sum up this track: Wow! “The Dark of You (feat. Derek Hough)” – This track was a nice little surprise to me. First off, I had no clue that Derek Hough (of Dancing With the Stars fame) could even sing! Not only can he sing, but he complements Ben’s voice in such a way that I was not ready for! The track is of a relaxed nature, offering a break from the chaos it is surrounded by. I can only imagine that when this track is played live, it will be another “wave those lighters in the air” track, much like “Without You”, “Dear Agony”, and “Give Me a Sign” from the “Dear Agony” album. “Down” – The song offers a build-up in the beginning as if to start the album over again and bring you back to the chaos absent from “The Dark of You”. Guitar riffs are nice and heavy/chunky, but the song as a whole feels like it was written more for the radio than anything, which is slightly disappointing given the badass hard vocals and pummeling riffs that show up a few times. This was definitely a track that I could easily forget. “Torn in Two” – This song stood out for one large reason: Ben’s switch of vocal styles. Ben manages to deliver a vocal style akin to bratty 90s punk, mixed with the classic Ben style during clean vocals that remind me of a howl. Instrumentally, everything is on point like usual, so no surprises there or moments of “okay, that was different!”. This song was decent, but feels more like a song that will just sit to cushion the rest of their extensive catalog of songs. “Blood” – The intro guitar riff immediately punches you in the gut, while the rest of the track offers a riff that I would expect to hear as the opening music for a WWE wrestler. I don’t necessarily mean that as an insult, but I definitely felt that the guitar writing lacked some originality here, which is an absolute shame given how talented Ben and Aaron are. “Save Yourself” – The song starts off with an awesome heavy intro that comes back in other parts of the song, the style reminding me of some Sevendust tracks. The chorus has Ben singing as good as he always does, but it’s not overly memorable. This track is definitely one where the music was much better than the vocals. “Close Your Eyes” – A solid track that felt like it could have come straight from the “Dear Agony” B-sides. The one thing that separates this track from the “Dear Agony” album is not the vocals, but instead, the guitar style and riffs played. Could they have ended this album on a stronger note and possibly placed one of the earlier tracks of the album so you are left with a great impression? Absolutely! Unfortunately, that decision was not made, and we are left with another track that falls on the weaker side of Breaking Benjamin’s catalog. “Vega” – A quick, eerie little outro with big drums and quiet guitars that doesn’t really offer much as a whole. It felt unnecessary.

In Summary

Breaking Benjamin delivered a modern hard rock album that will play well on the radio, but falls short toward the end. The first half of the album is full of memorable moments sonically, but falls apart during the second half. It’s really unfortunate given the talent this band has, but Ben did deliver on a promise he made that “Ember” would be heavier than “Dark Before Dawn”. This album succeeds where the previous fell short, but the previous release feels more whole than this one. Had “Ember” and “Dark Before Dawn” been released as accompanying albums, it would have been a much more complete experience. Is this album still enjoyable on the surface? It definitely is! Will this album stand the test of time like Breaking Benjamin’s “Phobia” record? It’s not likely. Here’s to hoping the next release succeeds where this album fell short.

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