It’s been quite a long time since we’ve last heard anything from them. But guess what, they’re BACK! Well, not really all of them…
Dark Before the Dawn is the first album by Breaking Benjamin that will not feature the band’s founding members, Aaron Fink (guitar) and Mark Klepaski (bass).
When the band’s lead singer and songwriter Breaking Benjamin announced he was too ill to perform in 2010, he went through the medical system, putting the whole band on hold.
In 2011, the band went through some legal issues after Fink andKlepaskiallegedly granted unilateral permission for the production of a greatest hits album and the release of a remix of the hit song ‘Blow Me Away‘ featuring Sydnee Duran of Valora, which lead to them being sued and fired from the band. And if that’s not saddening enough, drummer Chad Szeliga announced his departure from the band, citing reasons of creative differences.
However, health issues, legal problems, and dismemberment didn’t stop Burnley from getting Breaking Benjamin back on track. He focused on making music and recruited new members, which included Jasen Rauch (lead guitar; originally from Red), Keith Wallen (rhythm guitar and backing vocals; originally from Adelitas Way), Aaron Bruch (bass), and Shaun Foist (drums; originally from Picture Me Broken).
The album opens and ends with two instrumental tracks, ‘Dark’ & ‘Dawn’, which makes you start to wonder, why these two titles? Listening to the tracks between them, I noticed they had something in common. If you’re a Harry Potter Fan, I can simplify it for you in Dumbledore’s wise words: “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Meaning, in the ‘Dark’-ness of life, we’re often lost, scared of failure or losing something or someone we care about – but it is then that we have to find the ‘Day’-light, be it happiness, love, or freedom, the strength that will lead us through the shadows of our fears and sadness.
“Look for the light that leads me home” – ‘Failure’
“Grey skies will chase the light away
No longer
I’ve fallen in fight, now only dark remains
Forever
Divided I will stand and I will let this end”- ‘Angels Fall’
“When all is lost and daylight ends
I’d carry you and we will live forever”- ‘Angels Fall’
“Light the way for those you left behind”- ‘Hollow’
In conclusion, with all the issues and changes, which Breaking Benjamin has gone through, they’ve done an amazing job. This is definitely one summer album you do not want to miss!
Edited: Jailan El-Rafie
