1st Studio Album (2002) - Saturate
The band signed to Hollywood Records in 2001 after the success of an independently-released, self-titled EP, which sold all 2,000 copies that were manufactured. Hollywood Records released their full-length, major-label debut, Saturate, on August 27, 2002. The album's first single, "Polyamorous", received a fair amount of radio play, although it failed to reach mainstream audiences. A video was released in two different versions for Polyamorous: one that had all live-action footage, and one that had footage of the video game Run Like Hell. The following single "Skin" was also released from Saturate, although it fared worse than "Polyamorous" and received even less airplay. "Skin" was also performed live on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show. "Medicate" was also released as a single, to little commercial success and airplay. Saturate has gone on to sell over 300,000 copies.
2nd Studio Album (2004) - We Are Not Alone
Breaking Benjamin released their second album, We Are Not Alone, on June 29, 2004. The album featured the lead off single "So Cold", which reached number two on the United States Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. The band had two music videos made for the song, one of which was a promotional video made for the movie Hellboy. The commercial success of "So Cold" led to We Are Not Alone achieving platinum status in late 2005. Also released as singles from the album were "Sooner or Later" and a re- recorded version of "Rain", which was featured on later pressings of the album. While the former again got the band as high as number two on the Mainstream Rock chart and featured a music video, the latter garnered little radio play and had no video created for it. Another song off "We Are Not Alone", "Sooner or Later", had a video created for it and got a fair amount of radio play. Later in 2004, the band released the So Cold EP. The EP contained live recordings of We Are Not Alone's "So Cold" (an acoustic recording), "Breakdown", and "Away", as well as studio recordings of "Blow Me Away", a song that was featured in Bungie's video game Halo 2, and "Lady Bug", an early fan favorite of the band's.
In September of 2004, drummer, and founding member of Breaking Benjamin, Jeremy Hummel was relieved of his duties in the band. Subsequently, on September 28, 2005, Hummel filed a federal lawsuit against the remaining members of Breaking Benjamin, as well as its management, claiming he was not paid for songs he helped write. Hummel's lawsuit asked for more than $8 million in damages. A message was released October 25, 2006 on the bands official website stating that the band and Hummel had come to agreement on the lawsuit.
3rd Studio Album (2006) - Phobia
In the fall of 2006 the band began a tour opening for Godsmack for the IV tour, hitting up mostly eastern and Ohio Valley venues, and soon moving out west, still in support of the Phobia album, released on August 8 that year. Several of the shows had been canceled, or turned into Breaking Benjamin headliners due to scheduling conflicts. Many of Breaking Benjamin's tour dates from December 3rd have been rescheduled due to illness in the band's ranks. All dates were rescheduled as the band announced another headlining leg before going on a nationwide tour with Three Days Grace and Nickelback.
On March 4, 2007, HDNet premiered a one-hour show of the Breaking Benjamin concert in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania at Stabler Arena. This is also the concert that was included on the Phobia re-release DVD in April of 2007, advertised as "The Homecoming". Footage of the band's live Stabler Arena performance of "Breath" comprises the song's music video.
On April 17, 2007, Breaking Benjamin re-released the album Phobia. The album featured a DVD with about an hour of their Stabler Arena concert footage.
4th Studio Album (2009) - Dear Agony
On the 29th of September, 2009, Breaking Benjamin released their 4th studio album, entitled "Dear Agony". Some of the tracks on the album, were co-written by Jasen Rauch, from the Christian-metal band Red.
On September 23, 2009, Breaking Benjamin released a flash video game parody of Altered Beast, aptly titled "Altered Benjamin". The game contains three levels and plays the same as the original, except the player controls vocalist Ben Burnley and the three bosses are each other member of the band respectively. Altered Benjamin is still available through the band's website, and their MySpace page.
Certain copies of Dear Agony purchased at Best Buy also come with a bonus DVD that includes the band's six music videos including a previously-unreleased version of the video for "I Will Not Bow". The version on the DVD is of the band only and does not contain any footage from the movie Surrogates, unlike the version released on the Internet.
On August 31st, 2009, prior to the release of Dear Agony, Breaking Benjamin released their first single from DA, "I Will Not Bow". It was featured in the 2009 Sci-Fi film [Starring Bruce Willis], "Surrogates". The song was not written specifically for the film, but according to drummer Chad Szeliga, “Ben sent a few songs to our record label, Hollywood Records,” which is owned by Disney, who then decided they “wanted a Breaking Benjamin song for this movie.”
The music video for I Will Not Bow was released to the band's Myspace on August 21, 2009. The video was shot at the World Trade Center building 7, but has no connection or significant meaning having to do with the 9/11 events as stated by Aaron Fink in his Point interview on August 13, 2009. The video was directed by Rich Lee who has also directed for Evanescence. Lee chose the location, feeling it was an eerie place to film.
A second version of the music video without the Surrogates footage was released with the Best Buy Exclusive version of Dear Agony. It includes various bridged footage of the band performing.
On January 5, 2010, Give Me a Sign was the second single released from Breaking Benjamin's fourth studio album, Dear Agony.
2 extra tracks were featured on the Japanese version of "Dear Agony". An acoustic version of 'Without You', and an acoustic version 'Give Me A Sign'.
Hiatus, greatest hits album and legal issues (2010-2014)
In the summer of 2010, Breaking Benjamin announced an indefinite hiatus, due to Burnley's recurring illnesses. Guitarist Fink and bassist Klepaski rejoined their old band, Lifer, and Szeliga toured with his other band, OurAfter.
On June 7, 2011, a remixed version of "Blow Me Away", featuring Valora, was released.[17] An animated music video for the remix was released on August 24.[18] On June 30, 2011, Rock Access posted the tracklist for the band's greatest hits album, Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin, and for its "deluxe edition".[19] It was released on August 16, as a one-disc "standard edition" and a two-disc "deluxe edition" (featuring b-sides and rarities). Burnley publicly opposed the album's release, saying content had been altered and released without his consent, and that it did not meet his standards.
In May 2011, Burnley fired bandmates Fink and Klepaski. Shortly after, a dispute over the new version of "Blow Me Away" went public. Burnley gave his side of the dispute in a June court filing, saying Fink and Klepaski made unilateral and unauthorized decisions on behalf of the band, such as giving permission in May for the remixing of "Blow Me Away". Burnley seeks at least $250,000 and the exclusive right to the "Breaking Benjamin" name. Burnley has stated he plans to revive the band when the lawsuit is settled.
Little was heard from the band throughout 2012, the only exception being a February 2012 interview with Szeliga, where he assured fans that the band was still together, and that he looked forward to working on another record in the future. On April 19, 2013, Burnley announced that the legal issues had finally ended, with Burnley winning the rights to the name of the band. However, Szeliga posted an announcement on his Facebook page on April 22 that he was leaving the band, due to creative differences. In October-November 2013, Burnley played a number of acoustic performances around the Wilkes-Barre area, playing Breaking Benjamin songs.
Reformation (2014)
On August 19, 2014, the band announced that they had reformed via their official Facebook page. The band re-emerged as a quintet, consisting Burnley as the lead vocalist and four new members. New members include guitarist Jasen Rauch, previously of the band Red, who had previously collaborated with the band off of four tracks on Dear Agony, guitarist Keith Wallen, previously of Adelitas Way, bassist Aaron Bruch, who played a couple of acoustic shows previously with Burnley, and drummer Shaun Foist, previously of the band Picture Me Broken.
5th Studio Album (2015) - Dark Before Dawn
Burnley explained that writing for Dark Before Dawn was intermittent and fragmentary, taking place throughout the hiatus, though it was toward the end of the hiatus in 2013 when it became cohesive. After growing frustrated with the lack of answers regarding his health condition, Burnley decided to abandon searching for a diagnosis and focus on the album. Recorded and produced at a personal studio of Burnley's, Dark Before Dawn is the first album with the front man credited as the producer. The singer stated that "I would say that I did the same amount of producing on this album as I've done on other albums, just never had my name [on it]", adding, "You know, I'm not doing anything different here than I have done in the past. Why shouldn't I be known to be doing it?"
Within an hour of pre-order availability, Dark Before Dawn reached No. 1 on the rock albums chart on iTunes and No. 3 on the overall album chart. It sold 135,000 pure album units and 141,000 equivalent album units in its first week, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making the album the group's heretofore most successful sales effort.
In July 2015, the band announced their first overseas performance, in which they headlined a four-day cruise venue in February 2016 along with Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, Flyleaf, et al. The band also performed on a joint U.S. tour with Shinedown in October and November along with Sevendust, and proceeded to play further outside of the United States in June 2016 at venues such as the Download Festival in the United Kingdom, Rock am Ring in Germany, and Nova Rock in Austria.
6th Studio Album (2018-present) - Ember
The group's sixth studio album was first revealed to be completed in August 2017. In December 2017, Ember and its lead single "Red Cold River" were announced for release in the second quarter of 2018 and January 5, 2018, respectively. On January 26, "Feed the Wolf" was released as a pre-order bonus, along with a release date for the album of April 13, 2018. Three subsequent songs—"Blood", "Psycho", and "Save Yourself"—were released ahead of the album as promotional releases.
Writing for the album began in 2016, with recording primarily happening in 2017. While Burnley remained the primary composer for the album, he stated that around half of it was written by the rest of the band. Burnley returned to producing for the album, along with the rest of the band, a first for the group. Rauch commented that the album pushes the boundaries with heavier material than the band's done in the past. He said "playing-wise, it's the most difficult album", and that they took advantage of the three-guitar player dynamic, but that the album nonetheless does not depart from Breaking Benjamin's established sound. Burnley explained that there was demand for heavier material from fans, and that the group was happy to reflect that. He later explained that he believed fans gravitated to the heavier side of the band, but that "we also make sure to explore our melodic and softer side too", saying that the album seeks to give both sides to the furthest degree. Burnley stated that he chose Ember as the album title as something that could be the end of something or the start of it, but emphasized an intentional ambiguity to leave it open to interpretation.
It sold 88,000 units in its first week of sales, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. "Red Cold River" peaked at No. 2 on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart,[90] and No. 5 on the Hot Rock Songs chart.
Singles Chronology
2002 - Polyamorous
2003 - Skin
2003 - Medicate
2004 - So Cold [EP]*
2004 - Sooner or Later
2005 - Rain (Drums re-recorded by Chad Szeliga)
2006 - The Diary Of Jane
2006 - Breath
2006 - Until The End
2009 - I Will Not Bow
2010 - Give Me A Sign
2015 - Failure
2015 - Angels Fall
2016 - Never Again
2018 - Red Cold River
2018 - Torn In Two
2018 - Tourniquet
*So Cold [EP] featured 5 songs, 'So Cold (Acoustic)', 'Blow Me Away', 'Lady Bug', 'Away (Live)' and 'Breakdown (Live)'.
Name Origin
The name "Breaking Benjamin" comes from Benjamin Burnley's early solo experience. Burnley was covering a Nirvana song during an open-mic night at a club when he finished he dropped the microphone to the ground, breaking it. The person who owned the microphone came on stage and said, 'Thanks to Benjamin for breaking my fucking mic.' In 1999, the band briefly renamed themselves "Plan 9." In late 2000, after various line-up changes, the band changed its name back to "Breaking Benjamin" and two friends of Burnley, Aaron Fink and Mark Klepaski, left their previous band, Lifer, and joined the ranks of Breaking Benjamin as guitarist and bassist, respectively. Lifer was a band that gained brief mainstream attention because of their part in an MTV cover band contest that resulted in a record deal with Universal Records.
Their official site - www.breakingbenjamin.com
Close Your Eyes
Breaking Benjamin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I know that I'm alive
Give me something to forgive
As the wicked come to life
Show me where it all begins
As I watch this world divide
Hope will guide you to the end
And there will be no last goodbye
Leave it all behind
Take away the dark inside
And lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes
As we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life
Hold on, just hold on
I will keep you here inside
Just close your eyes
Take the rebel from within
Now I know that I'll survive
Show me how to play pretend
As I watch this world collide
Fate will guide you to the end
And there will be no hope to hide
For all live and die
Leave it all behind
Take away the dark inside
And lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes
As we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life
Hold on, just hold on
I will keep you here inside
Just close your eyes
Leave it all behind
Take away the dark inside
And lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes
As we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life
Hold on, just hold on
I will keep you here inside
Hold on, just hold on
I will keep you here inside
Just close your eyes
"Close Your Eyes" by Breaking Benjamin is a song about hope, forgiveness, and survival. The song speaks about letting go of the past and moving forward into a brighter future. The first two lines of the song, "Let forever take me in, / Now I know that I'm alive," sets the tone for the rest of the song, reflecting on the uncertainties in life and how it is important to live each day to the fullest. The lines "Give me something to forgive / As the wicked come to life," suggests the challenges that we face in our lives and the need to forgive and let go of anger or hatred.
The chorus of the song is about overcoming the darkness within oneself and embracing the goodness and light that surrounds us. The line, "Take away the dark inside / And lead me to the light," shows that hope and a positive attitude can help us through difficult times. The theme of hope also reflects throughout: "Hope will guide you to the end / And there will be no last goodbye." It is a song that inspires us to keep pushing on and to have hope that everything will work out in the end.
Overall, the song has a positive message that encourages us to let go of negativity and focus on the positive aspects of life. It is a song that promotes hope, forgiveness, and resilience in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Let forever take me in
I'm ready for whatever comes next, I'm willing to accept it and move forward.
Now I know that I'm alive
I feel alive and ready to face whatever challenges come my way.
Give me something to forgive
I need something to let go of in order to move forward.
As the wicked come to life
As things get darker around me, I'm reminded of the difficulty of life.
Show me where it all begins
I need to understand the root of the problem to find a solution.
As I watch this world divide
I see how broken and divided the world is, and it's overwhelming.
Hope will guide you to the end
I have faith that things will get better and that hope will lead us to a better place.
And there will be no last goodbye
We will persevere and there won't be a permanent ending to our struggles.
For all live and die
Everyone experiences life and death, it's inevitable.
Leave it all behind
We have to let go of our past and move forward in order to grow.
Take away the dark inside
I want to get rid of the negativity within myself and in the world.
And lead me to the light
I want to focus on positivity and a brighter future.
All will fade before your eyes
Everything is temporary and things change over time.
As we turn the tide
As we change our mindset and actions, we can change the course of events for the better.
I will bring the dream to life
I have the power to bring my aspirations and goals to fruition.
Hold on, just hold on
We need to stay strong and be patient in tough times.
I will keep you here inside
I will be there for you and support you through difficult times.
Just close your eyes
Take a moment to reflect and be at peace, everything will be okay.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Aaron Bruch, Benjamin Burnley, Jasen Rauch, Keith Wallen, Shaun Foist
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ives3572
LYRICS
[Verse 1]
Let forever take me in
Now I know that I’m alive
Give me something to forgive
As the wicked come to life
Show me where it all begins
As I watch this world divide
Hope will guide you to the end
And there will be no last goodbye
[Pre Chorus]
For all will live and die
Leave it all behind
[Chorus]
Take away the dark inside
And lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes
As we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life
Hold on
Just hold on
I will keep you here inside
Just close your eyes
[Verse 2]
Take the rebel from within
Now I know that I’ll survive
Show me how the vain pretend
As I watch this world collide
Fate will guide you to the end
And there will be no hope to hide
[Pre Chorus]
For all will live and die
Leave it all behind
[Chorus]
Take away the dark inside
And lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes
As we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life
Hold on
Just hold on
I will keep you here inside
Just close your eyes
[Pre Chorus]
Leave it all behind
[Chorus]
Take away the dark inside
And lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes
As we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life
Hold on
Just hold on
I will keep you here inside
Hold on
Just hold on
I will keep you here inside
Just close your eyes
@budoiueduard964
Lyrics:
Let forever take me in. Now I know that I’m alive
Give me something to forgive, as the wicked come to life
Show me where it all begins, as I watch this world divide
Hope will guide you to the end and there will be no last goodbye
For all live and die. Leave it all behind
Take away the dark inside and lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes as we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life. Hold on. Just hold on
I will keep you here inside. Just close your eyes
Take the rebel from within. Now I know that I’ll survive
Show me how to play pretend as I watch this world collide
Fate will guide you to the end and there will be no hope to hide
For all live and die. Leave it all behind
Take away the dark inside. Lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes as we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life. Hold on. Just hold on
I will keep you here inside. Just close your eyes
Leave it all behind
Take away the dark inside. Lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes as we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life. Hold on. Just hold on
I will keep you here inside. Hold on. Just hold on
I will keep you here inside. Just close your eyes
@3samo1
"Close Your Eyes"
Let forever take me in
Now I know that I'm alive
Give me something to forgive
As the wicked come to life
Show me where it all begins
As I watch this world divide
Hope will guide you to the end
And there will be no last goodbye
For all who live and die, leave it all behind
Take away the dark inside, and lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes, as we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life, hold on, just hold on
I will keep you here inside, just close your eyes
Take the rebel from within
Now I know that I'll survive
Show me how the lame pretend
As I watch this world collide
Fate will guide you to the end
And there will be no hope to hide
For all who live and die, leave it all behind
Take away the dark inside, and lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes, as we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life, hold on, just hold on
I will keep you here inside, just close your eyes
Leave it all behind
Take away the dark inside, and lead me to the light
All will fade before your eyes, as we turn the tide
I will bring the dream to life, hold on, just hold on
I will keep you here inside, hold on, just hold on
I will keep you here inside, just close your eyes
@darthjedi99
This sounds like what a Salvation song should be. Jesus is King!!!
@magnustheredxv
Unlike many bands I’ve listened to since I was a kid, Breaking Benjamin only keeps getting better with time. You guys are definitely my favorite band.
@nicksimmons8373
Kaladin Stormblessed With the exception of their last album. It wasn't all that great.
@magnustheredxv
Nick Simmons What are you talking about? They had a lot of great singles. Never Again, Failure, Ashes of Eden.
@jasonlovesmusicreacting882
Nick Simmons I agree. This should've been their comeback album.
@BrokeProductions
I gotta agree with Kaladin. Dark Before Dawn was my personal favorite album
@nicksimmons8373
Kaladin Stormblessed Don't get me wrong, there were definitely good songs to come off that album, but it felt a little underwhelming. I'm not saying I hate the album at all. Once again, it had some really good songs. It just didn't seem to amount to the hype of their comeback.
@themansam8115
BB is a band that manages to stay the same but never bore their audience. A magnificent feat.
@shanez1215
It's always strange that people think that. Despite the somewhat recycled lyrics (ties the albums together imo), each album does sound pretty unique
@kvltizt
They really haven't stayed the same. Saturate does not sound much like Ember.