Breaking Benjamin: Dark Before Dawn

Written by Robin Ervolina
In 2009, after two platinum albums and a decade-long reign, Breaking Benjamin front man Benjamin Burnley announced an indefinite hiatus. The events occurring in the six years to follow are no secret; two band members authorized a best-of compilation without Burnley’s consent, and were subsequently fired. A third member left shortly after, leaving Burnley the only remaining member of the band named after him. However, Benjamin was not about to be broken. Burnley recruited four musicians to join his band: bassist and backing vocalist Aaron Bruch, Adelitas Way’s Keith Wallen (guitar, backing vocals), RED’s Jasen Rauch (lead guitar) and Picture Me Broken’s Shaun Foist (drums). Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Breaking Benjamin released Dark Before Dawn in June of 2015.
Dark Before Dawn opens with the track “Dark,” and appropriately ends with another titled “Dawn.” “Dark,” an ambient, hypnotic instrumental over a vocal sampling is a discourse on fear and rage. “Fear is the response to loud noises, or loss of support.” (Is this a commentary on the loss of Burnley's supporting musicians?) In contrast, “Dawn,” is light, harmonic, and hopeful. It is an instrumental manifestation of the lyrics “Look for the light to lead me home” featured in the second track “Failure.” It takes little stretch of the imagination to conclude the tracks in the middle chronicle a journey out of darkness, possibly inspired by Burnley’s six-year battle with his health and his former bandmates.
Between “Dark” and “Dawn” lay ten signature Breaking Benjamin tracks, featuring powerful guitar riffs, esoteric lyrics and the emotive voice of Burnley. While much of the meat-and-potatoes of Dark Before Dawn blend one into another, some tracks stand out. “Angel’s Fall,” and “The Great Divide,” are vehicles for Burnley’s inherent ability to capture an audience. As a singer-songwriter, Burnley doesn’t just pen stories; he writes moods. When he sings, “I’ll carry you and we will live forever,” you find yourself wanting to stay in that song forever. Also notable is the harmonic depth of “Failure” and “The Great Divide,” which feature Bruch's and Wallen's backing vocals.
In "Ashes of Eden," Burnley sings, “I am still calling to you/are you with me after all?” After all the turmoil over the last six years, Burnley remains the driving force behind Breaking Benjamin. Every post-grunge, metal-infused, alternative rock riff, every yearning aching lyric, carry his signature. Dark Before Dawn is a powerful rebirth of Breaking Benjamin. Fans will flock to the new release, answering the question “are you with me after all?”
(We are, Ben. We are.)

Ramming Speed: No Epitaphs

Written by Robin Ervolina
No Epitaphs is Ramming Speed's third full-length release, and at first listen it's thrash metal done right: d-beat punk rhythm section, twin guitar riffs, and a lyrical death scream assault. It's been said that aggressive metal is for feeling. It's music you lose yourself in, listen to without over-analyzing. It's the frantic, grinding madness released in mosh pits, or against the steering wheel of your car. If you approach No Epitaphs as such, you will not be disappointed. Balls-to-the-wall, they deliver brutal speed metal riffs that assault your ear holes. If that's all you're looking for, you'll be satisfied, albeit bruised and sweaty and exhausted.
However, if you're so inclined, peel back another layer because Ramming Speed isn't just metal for its own sake. There exists a punk-infused sociopolitical commentary throughout Epitaphs that is delivered with frenzy, conviction, and a fat middle finger to police states, the NSA, and everything else that frankly pisses them off. Ramming Speed doesn't just bring you a musical beatdown; it seeks to crack open your skull and impart some knowledge, some passion for their perceived injustices.
Peter Gallagher (vocals) head-butts you with the gospel Ramming Speed is determined to deliver. Take the lyrics of "Choke Holds and Bullet Holes:"

With choke holds and bullet holes/ a generation is murdered in the street/ and thrown into jails by state thugs/ trained to stereotype/cold-hearted pigs/scared and weaponized/we will not stand down/

Angered and frightened by the Edward Snowden leak revealing the wire-tapping actions of the US government, Ramming Speed states about their song "Don't Let This Stay Here":

The citizens building the first top secret atomic bombs in Oak Ridge, Tennessee were told: ‘What you see here, what you do here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here.' This song is for the NSA employees that question what they are doing. It’s for the American civilians feeling betrayed by the breaches of privacy, and it’s for the people at our shows singing along and sharing our frustration.

I fell in love with punk for its message of nonconformity. Its immature "we're pissed and we don't have all the details but f*ck you anyway" mentality was a license to just feel what I needed to feel while looking diligently for answers and solutions. Thus, the unadulterated down-with-the-bullshit attitude Ramming Speed has going on is satisfying. If this is punk metal, I'm a convert.
If activism isn't your thing, fret not. It's impossible to put Ramming Speed into a single category. They're a crazy polyamorous union of metal, crust punk and NWOBHM. This makes Epitaphs an album anyone appreciative of good metal can dig their teeth into.
No Epitaphs is coming at you September 4th at ramming speed, so brace yourself.
Pre-order No Epitaphs now:
http://store.prostheticrecords.com/bands/ramming-speed
iTunes – http://hyperurl.co/2957j7
Amazon  – http://hyperurl.co/qk28xo

Breaking Benjamin at Revolution Live 8/25/15

Photo/Written by Robin Ervolina
Currently touring in support of their new release Dark Before Dawn, Breaking Benjamin performed to a sold-out crowd at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Fans arriving late found little room to move on the floor or otherwise. Though the venue was hot, the bars crowded, and the pit a solid wall of fans of all ages, there was no shortage of excitement. Fort Lauderdale stood ready to celebrate the rebirth of Breaking Benjamin.
I was one of those unlucky latecomers. I arrived on time and wrongly assumed I'd be able to make my way to the pit. Walking into a familiar venue, I was taken aback by the scene before me. It was wall-to-wall people, none of them willing to budge from their hard-earned spots near the stage, even if "near the stage" meant the staircase, the hall to the restrooms, or the pathway from the door to the pit. There is a love of fellow man inherent to rock and metal fans, but this loyal following of Breaking Benjamin respectfully declined to give an inch. In contrast, Breaking Benjamin graciously tossed bottled water to the crowd awaiting them. Eventually I made my way to the pit to await the solar eclipse cover art from Dark Before Dawn to light the stage and signal the arrival of Breaking Benjamin.
Breaking Benjamin has undergone major changes since 2009's Dear Agony. However, even with the departure of all but lead singer and guitarist Benjamin Burnley, Breaking Benjamin has risen from the ashes of law suits and creative differences. Burnley has traditionally been the driving force behind Breaking Benjamin's alternative rock sound, so new members Aaron Bruch (bass, backing vocals), Keith Wallen (guitar, backing vocals), Jasen Rauch (lead guitar), and Shaun Foist (drums) are seamlessly integrated. Tonight's performance was purely Breaking Benjamin. They have not veered from their sound, but rather adopted it, experimented with it every so slightly, and honored it completely. The 23-song set was full of swelling choruses, haunting instrumentals, and grinding guitars. Burnley's vocal conviction took the audience on an emotional trip. Over 1,000 fans moved fluidly from fist-pumping to silent swaying, a testament to the intensity of Burnley's soul-driven lyrics and their marriage to his instrumental compositions. Prosody has never been so cool.
Camaraderie among the band was evident throughout their show. The addition of Bruch and Wallen's live vocals added a new layer to the live performance. After opening with "So Cold," Breaking Benjamin wove new hits "Angels Fall," and "Failure," into their set of platinum singles. The crowd erupted in cheers of approval when treated to covers of  "Who Wants to Live Forever," "Imperial March," and "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Fans inside danced and cheered, high-fiving and raising their glasses in the air. Those forced outside by heat and overcrowding socialized little and listened closely, occasionally peeking inside to catch a glimpse of Burnley in his military-style shirt, throwing his mic to the audience as they sing aloud with lyrics familiar to them for over a decade.
In "Ashes of Eden" off Dark Before Dawn, Burnley pleads "Stay with me, don't let me go." It is evident the audience took those lyrics to heart as the venue didn't clear out for hours after the show-closing tune, "Diary of Jane." Undeterred by the heat, unaffected by the cramped venue, fans carrying arms full of t-shirts and CDs left reluctantly, but excited and approving of the Breaking Benjamin of old/new. If you're planning on catching Breaking Benjamin on tour, book now and arrive early. Tour dates have been announced through November 24th, 2015 and can be viewed at breakingbenjamin.com.
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