Breaking Benjamin finally broke through the mainstream mud and stood out on their last release, Phobia, and captured some real chart action and record sales.  “Breath” is perhaps their best track written, which charted at #84 on Billboard’s top 100 (a hard chart for hard rock acts to move up on).  Since then, Breaking Benjamin decided to bring back producer David Bendeth from Phobia and try the team out for another round of heavy hitting rock.  The result is a little more fine-combed than you might have expected.  Dear Agony attempts to continue the trend of the band making big radio waves.  The result?  Success.  The album’s loaded first single, “I Will Not Bow”, hit #40 on the Hot 100 chart and thus have ushered in some great initial album sales for the group.  And rightfully so.  “I Will Not Bow” is an infectious front runner for Dear Agony that will easily induce head bangings and fist pumpings galore.  It’s definitely one of the bright spots on this latest go-round.

Listening to the first half of this album you’d expect that it’d be a pretty solid and rock-steady album that is destined for continued big sales and radio spots.  But while you get awesome tracks that really move such as the album opener “Fade Away” and “Crawl”, the later half doesn’t come off quite as energetic and star-like.  That said, it doesn’t flop, but it can be hard to start off an album with back-to-back-to-back winners and suddenly cut away from the high energy and expect to keep that strong momentum.  “Anthem of the Angels” is a big moment that will keep listeners interested to press on to the end.  It’s a strings-loaded cut that really draws in more atmospheric moments that truly bring distinction between verses and the chorus.  Listeners will want to take a moment to check in to “Lights Out” and “What Lies Beneath”.

There’s plenty to be excited about here.  But you may have envisioned an even more well-rounded effort following Phobia.  Breaking Benjamin stay in safe waters here, blending a mix of their more compressed and smoothed-out sound from We Are Not Alone and touching on the grit of Phobia.  But what they’ll have to decide is whether they’ll want to write for the masses or for the heavy-minded.  Maybe they can capture both, but where many bands seem to struggle are the middle.  It’s hard to pull off both, finding that perfect balance between heavy and catchy and keeping fans of both styles.  This band can definitely do it, and at times they pull it off.  But I think we all hope for something truly memorable.  Dear Agony is more expected than innovating.  If you love what’s come so far and just want more, look no further.  If you’re hoping for growth and new direction to start taking shape, you’ll have to wait at least a little bit longer.

Grade: 83/100 (B)

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