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Rating: Year of publication: 2006
Label: Hollywood
Genre: Post-Grunge
Duration: 46’ 26’’
Tracklist:
1. Intro [1.13]
2. The Diary Of Jane [3.23]
3. Breath [3.38]
4. You [3.21]
5. Evil Angel [3.46]
6. Until The End [4.11]
7. Dance With The Devil [3.45]
8. Topless [3.00]
9. Here We Are [4.17]
10. Unknown Soldier [3.46]
11. Had Enough [3.47]
12. You Fight Me [3.09]
13. Outro [2.04]
14. The Diary Of Jane (Acoustic Version) [3.06]
From Ashes to Glory
It’s the last months of 2000 when Aaron Fink and Mark James Klepaski, guitarist and bassist of Lifer, an alternative-metal group, decide to leave the band and form a new ensemble along with singer Ben Burnley, known to Fink during high school, and Jeremy Hummel on drums. Initially, they decide to call themselves Plan 9, but then the current name Breaking Benjamin takes over.
They release their first album in 2002, after a few promotional EPs, under the aegis of Hollywood. “Saturate” achieves good success, and the BB start touring America, supporting bands like Evanescence, 3 Doors Down, and Godsmack. In 2004, they release the album that further cements their fame, “We Are Not Alone”, which is immediately followed, for reasons still unclear, by Hummel’s departure and immediate replacement by Chad Szeliga, the former drummer of Sw1tched.
The choice of the two founding members to leave Lifer is mainly driven by the desire to move from the “flatness” of Alternative to the rawness and expressiveness of Post-Grunge. All members declare that they were great listeners of Pearl Jam and Nirvana in their teenage years, but their music does not turn out to be a simple copy-paste, as we’ve become accustomed to in this panorama; instead, there’s the introduction of lower tuning and slightly more marked melodies.
And here they are in 2006, releasing their new album, Phobia. Will it continue their ascent or be a step back in the quest for Europe?
Phobia: different styles, fears, and emotions.
The album, it must be said, starts a bit slow, with an “Intro” that could have easily been skipped. A minute of urban noises, arpeggios, and standardized voices: it would have been better combined with the second track, the album’s first real song.
“The Diary Of Jane” is the angry story of a relationship filled with misunderstandings and dissatisfaction, with a catchy chorus and some not-bad screaming interludes. It slightly suffers from repetitiveness, but otherwise, it’s very listenable and stays in your head.
“Breath” is one of the finest tracks on the album, with an excellent bass line and full grunge chords. Ben’s vocals are well-expressed in this story of ungrateful loves and desires for revenge, anger, and hatred. “I’m waiting, I’m hating; realize: start hiding”. I’m waiting, I’m hating: realize it, start hiding. In this track, you can hear the strong Nirvana influences and some resemblances with certain tracks from 3 Doors Down.
“You” is the song you don’t expect from BB. There is no anger, there’s despair. There is no accusation, there’s remorse. The mistakes of a man who doesn’t want anyone else to repeat them. Pleasant, but there’s better.
“Evil Angel”, in a word, rocks. With "Evil Angel" you realize that “You” was not a mistake, that these Breaking Benjamin can convey love and express their passions. And here, they express it damn well. Great drumwork.
The sixth track is “Until The End”, reminiscent of early Nickelback, moving more assertively towards rock. The chorus is a bit banal and monotonous, it’s one of those typical radio singles, except for some screaming/growling here and there.
We then arrive at “Dance With The Devil”, a track where, in my opinion, the highest quality peaks are reached: aggressive, pounding, sometimes unpredictable. It’s a song that alone manages to raise the overall quality of the album. Another great effort by Chad Szeliga here.
And after a great title, one somewhat inferior. “Topless” sonically features a nice set of guitar lines, but there doesn’t seem to be a connection between the sound and Burnley's voice, which is much lower than usual. Banal lyrics, there’s aggression but it’s not convincing. A “heavy” track, unexpected on the album: great outside the themes, but in this context, it hardly fits.
“Here We Are”: here we are. The story of a relationship of continuous search destined to end. Nice, very nice, it’s the voice that carries the rest in this track.
“Unknown Soldier” features the best lyrics on the album, also accompanied by finally inspired guitars. The only flaw is the intro, reminiscent of Metallica’s One: a somewhat daring comparison…
In “Had Enough”, a fierce song, full of violence and intolerance, we find great lyrics and even more convincing riffs. Among the best on the album.
'Okay, maybe in Had Enough I exaggerated, let's talk about it'. This could be the gist of the meaning of “You Fight Me”, an excellent closing track that sees rhythmic changes and well-balanced guitars.
Following, the inevitable “Outro”, which starts better than the Intro but then flows into the usual noises of the beginning, almost reminding the listener there's Grunge in what they're hearing… this too, unnecessary.
To conclude, the acoustic version of “The Diary Of Jane”, accompanied by a beautiful piano sound and some strings. A nice extra, charming, very different from the original.
Final Comment
“Phobia” proves to be a valuable encounter between melody and chaos, emotions and aggressiveness. The absolute protagonists of the album are the sonic capabilities of the singer, not exceptional but pushed to the maximum, and the powerful and wandering guitars. From the lyrical standpoint, excellent tracks [Unknown Soldier among all] are followed by flat and anonymous lyrics. Best tracks are “You Fight Me”, “Dance With The Devil”, “Here We Are”, and “Evil Angel”.
Ultimately, another step forward in the band’s evolution, settling on slightly more hard-rock paths, almost completely abandoning their Alternative Metal beginnings. Recommended purchase.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
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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Other reviews
By thetrooper
"The Diary Of Jane is a good crossover between alternative rock, a certain pop rock voice and a more brutal, nu-metal-like voice."
"The ideas are there and they are good, therefore they reach a full pass, but no more."
By emdero
The album sucks and it’s classical music and it STINKS!!!
By TheChosenOne
"The album features an even more prominent melodic component than in We Are Not Alone."
"It's the classic album you can listen to very pleasantly the first two or three times; then the overall monotony makes you want to listen to something else."
By Survivor 12
"Phobia proves to be a pleasant album that can be summarized in speed, melody, aggressiveness, and lots of emotions."
"Dance With The Devil is pure aggression and adrenaline... a track that alone raises the overall level of the album."
