Top 10 Breaking Benjamin Songs

By: James Southworth
 
Breaking Benjamin has been a significant part of my music listening experience for quite some time now. They were one of my main gateways into starting to listen to more secular rock music, rather than Christian, and I am thankful that they introduced me to so many great bands I'd been missing out on. It was pretty hard to come up with a top 10 for BB, as they have quite a few excellent songs, but I did manage to do it. So here they are!

Honorable Mentions: "You", "Defeated", "Believe", "Medicate", "Forget It", "What Lies Beneath", "Diary of Jane", "Feed the Wolf", "Polyamorous", "Evil Angel", "Breaking the Silence", "Fade Away", "Torn In Two"

10. "Blood" (Ember)

Even though I do stand by opinion of "Ember" being a pretty middle of the road album, especially by Breaking Benjamin standards, I've quickly grown to love "Blood" a lot. I think that this has to be the most intense feeling BB song to date, and because of that, I absolutely love it. The song memorably begins with some pounding guitar riffs and intense drumming, and neither of those elements ever let up. You can really feel the anger in Ben Burnley's voice. I think this song is well-written, too, as Ben discusses honestly about how it seems to be a part of him to be constantly angry or bitter. The lyric "It's in my blood" is instantly iconic, in my opinion. Like I mentioned in my review of this song, I can totally see those lines being chanted along to in a live setting. What makes this song work even better is the incredible ending it has, where the guitars get all in your face. I can't help but smiling every time I hear this song, because it is such a delight to hear the band actually getting a bit more intense than they usually do. You definitely need to listen to this song if you haven't yet. It's the only song off "Ember" that has a place in my top 10, and it's for good reason.

9. "Close to Heaven" (Dark Before Dawn)

It really hurt me to put this song down so low on my top 10 list. This song never fails to get me emotional every time I listen to it. The track is just so poignant and hopeful, and there aren't many other BB tracks that have the big stakes this track has. This song could've so easily been a standard relationship song, but I think it's so much more than that. It honestly feels more like a love letter to God, as Burnley makes a powerful vow with these lyrics: "So I'll stay unforgiven/And I'll keep love together/And I'll be yours forever/I'll sleep close to Heaven". The line "I'll stay unforgiven" has always stuck out to me. I think that Ben is saying that he can't forgive himself for the sins he's committed; the only way he can is by being as close to God as he possibly can. I think that's such a beautiful testimony, and even if you aren't a Christian, there's something incredibly humbling in Burnley's statement that he can't forgive himself on his own. Musically, this song is absolutely epic, especially in the bridge where Ben passionately sings out "I'm coming home", and an incredible guitar solo is played. This song is one of the many examples of all the quality content that "Dark Before Dawn" as a whole has to offer.

8. "Without You" (Dear Agony)

Speaking of powerful tracks, I think this song certainly fits the bill. This is easily the best BB album closer to date; nothing else has had a fighting chance against it. I think this song works so well because, once again, you can feel the emotional stakes at hand. There is clearly a war going on in Ben's head (as is the case with this whole album detailing his struggles with alcoholism and trying to get sober). He begs this other person to go along with him into the darkness because he can't possibly do it without them. I think this song has such an great payoff when the response of the person Ben talks to says "I'm with you/Forever/The end". I've heard that some people seem to interpret this song as the two different parts of Ben's mind (addiction and post-addiction) being at war with each other. I don't think I agree with that assessment, as it doesn't give this song quite as powerful of a redemptive arc. Nevertheless, no matter how you interpret the lyrics, I think the music speaks for itself as a gorgeous orchestral arrangement ends the song out. Those strings seem to symbolically represent the light at the end of the tunnel that Ben is finally able to reach now that he is out of the darkness. The fact that the music helps lend to the song's theme makes for very smart song-writing, and that alone makes this song deserving of a spot on this list.

7. "Simple Design" (We Are Not Alone)

I would argue to this day that this track is BB's most musically dynamic. In it's about four and a half minute run-time, it goes through all sorts of interesting musical shifts. It starts off with a fun, head-banging hard-rock styled guitar riff that also has a slight metal tinged. Its verses are a bit more grunge styled, while the chorus has a slow burn rock style. The bridge transitions to an acoustic styling, before going into grunge like guitar blasts again, and then there is an absolutely killer guitar solo that I think everyone should enjoy. This isn't necessarily what I would call the deepest BB song; in fact, it's a whole lot of fun and more of a pump up track than anything. But, that aspect of it actually makes this track stand out all the more in BB's discography as a whole. Plus, you can't help but sing along to lyrics like "I'm living it up/While I'm falling from grace". There's a sense of deep sarcasm throughout this track; it has some real black humor to it that works well. I wish the band made more songs like this, but I am glad that I have this one to come back to.

6. "Dance With The Devil" (Phobia)

This song is a fan favorite, and it is easy to see why. This is one of those songs that has the BB sound that everyone knows and loves. But in my opinion, the sound is amped up by the ferocious guitar riffs and the symbolically powerful lyricism. The atmosphere of this track is very haunting, as Burnley describes a dangerous drug trip. There are so many songs out there that glorify the usage of drugs, that they can make us ignorant to the world. Ben prefers to see the usage of drugs as a negative, as he compares them to the Devil. He claims there's only one way you can truly "dance" with the Devil: "Don't you dare look at him in the eye". Basically, if we ignore the very real implications of doing drugs, then we can easily give into having an addiction with them. This song probably relates very closely to Ben's own struggles with alcohol, as he certainly relied on it like a drug. Songs like this one are him being honest with himself and knowing he needs to give up his addiction. Like I mentioned before, musically this song is seeping with atmosphere, and the guitar work in this track is just stellar. I think the bridge is where this song really reaches its emotional heights as Ben sings out "Hold on". Something I notice about this band is that they really do make sure their song's bridges always have emotional impact, and I think this one does as well. I'm sure many of my readers are already aware of this track, but if you aren't, you're doing yourself a disservice by not listening to it.

5. "Anthem of the Angels" (Dear Agony)

It's interesting but fitting that I put this song right next to "Dance With The Devil", as in my opinion these tracks are two different sides of the same coin. Whereas DWTD talks about struggling with addiction, "Anthem of the Angels" is about struggling with the passing of a loved one. This song is heartbreaking in a very raw way, and is a song I don't listen to that often because of how depressing it is. But I think the song is an important listen, especially for those who have lost a loved one or who are going to lose a loved one soon. This song has Ben having to come to terms with his grandfather's Alzheimers, which has basically already made his grandfather seem dead because he can't remember much of anything. This song is basically an acceptance that Burnley has to say goodbye to his grandfather one last time. He does seem to at least have some hope that he will see him in another life, as he talks about his grandfather singing with the angels. That small ray of light is what keeps this song from falling into total darkness. The saddening atmosphere of the song comes into a more powerful light with the subtle incorporation of strings and a beautifully played acoustic guitar. This track is a masterpiece, plain and simple.

4. "Home" (Saturate)

Even though I don't really connect that much with too many songs off "Saturate", I've always found this to be one of the most interesting songs on the album. In my opinion, it's also one of the band's most underrated tracks. I don't hear people talking too much about this song, and it is a shame. I think this song is intriguing in its writing, as it offers a very twisted version on "The Wizard of Oz": "Because I'm gonna get you/And your little dog too/There's a yellow brick road/ That we follow back home..." The usage of constant allusion in this song is clever, and helps lend to the song's theme that Ben doesn't truly feel at home anywhere, but yet still wants to find a place to call home. That contradiction is highlighted in making all the Oz allusions twisted and dark rather than light and pleasant. Also, the very heavy grunge-influenced guitars lean to making the atmosphere that much more dark and creepy. Ben makes his voice sound purposefully menacing and dissonant. You really do get cold chills when you listen to this song, and I think that was definitely Burnley's intent in writing the song. There's something about this track that feels timeless to me; something that I'll be able to come back to ten years from now, and it will still feel fresh. Maybe that's because there aren't that many songs that are like this one.

3. "Ashes of Eden" (Dark Before Dawn)

My top three tracks are so neck and neck with each other, it's insane. That just indicates the undeniable talent that Breaking Benjamin can have in their songs when they are on their a game. "Ashes of Eden" is definitely a testament to that, as it stands tall as the band's best ballad to date (in my opinion). I've always thought that this band is a little on and off with their slower tracks, with ones like "Forget It" and even more recently "The Dark of You" being awesome, but they have others such as "Rain" and "Here We Are" being a bit more forgettable. This track hooks you in pretty quickly with its unique soundscape. I've always appreciated how this track utilizes strings very heavily, especially in the song's beautifully climactic ending. I think Ben opts for a softer vocal performance on this track. His performance is so naturally talented here, and understated in a way. He's not trying to show off in the vocal department, but this is still one of his best voice-wise to date. And I can't help but emotionally connect to the spiritually deep lyrics as Ben sings of letting the sins of his past wash away, and instead look towards Heaven or redemption to help him as he goes on with his life. This band can so often be very dark in their lyrics, and I like their honesty about the darkness in our lives. But I really think this track shines because of how redemptive it is, and the redemption feels earned because of the emotion packed into the sound and the lyrics.

2. "Breakdown" (We Are Not Alone)

This isn't really one of the band's deeper songs or anything; in fact, I'd describe it as an almost purely fun song, although it's seething with anger. I like how the beginning has a piano playing a melody which almost sounds like it could come from the classical age of music. I don't know, something about it just feels timeless to me. The dissonance in the melody is brooding with a menacing atmosphere, and I can't help but smile with the payoff being that Ben screams out the title of the song. There is then this huge guitar riff that almost has a more metal feel to it. I love the faster pace of this song throughout. Typically the band opts for either slow-burn verses or a slow-burn chorus, but that is not the case with this track. It's pure adrenaline fuel from beginning to end, and that only makes this song all the better. I feel like this track in particular is very underrated in BB's discography, and it was a song that I was captivated to from the first time I heard it. It may not be the most typical type of song the band would do, but I think that makes it stand out all the more. Please, listen to this song if you haven't!

1. "Breath" (Phobia)

There's really no other track that could make my top spot, as this has been my favorite song by Breaking Benjamin ever since I first discovered them. Like many people, the first song I heard by the band was "Diary of Jane", and that song already made me think that I would like them. But it wasn't until I heard "Breath" that I knew that I would be much bigger fan of BB. This song embodies all of the things that fans love about the band: a dark atmosphere, beginning with some expertly executed guitar riffs/drum work, and of course Ben Burnley's reliably strong vocals. Ben's performance in this song is just unmatched, as in every moment of the song he seethes with emotion. The chorus of this song is seeped into my memory, as he displays just how versatile his vocal range is, hitting some incredible high notes, as well as impressive lows. The lyrics to the chorus are some of the most memorable lyrics to any song: "So sacrifice yourself/And let me have whats 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". Those lyrics still bring a good kind of cold chill to me every time I hear them. The ending of this song is huge and amps up the track to the next level, concluding the song on the best note possible. Songs like this and the rest of the top 10 will always be primary reasons why I will be a fan of Breaking Benjamin!