Shallow Bay
Ross Stylianou

Being a huge metal rock fan, my favourite band is Breaking Benjamin. Benjamin Burnley, the lead singer, formed in 1998. Other band members came and went, over time, with the most recent line-up included Chad Szeliga, drummer, Aaron Fink, guitar and Markus Klepaski, the bass guitarist.

Breaking Benjamin usually falls into the hard rock or metal band category. Still, its material is too diverse to lock in one genre. Each song, at least on “Shallow Bay,” is a music genre of its own.

"Shallow Bay" is interesting, perhaps, the most interesting album I have come across. The diversity of material, on “Shallow Bay,” is the main reason I love this album. This is quite possibly the reason for the album debuted at #22 on the Billboard magazine “Top 200.”

The album has fifteen songs. “Rain” is soft-core, calm and relaxed. “Polyamorous” has an aggressive rhythm.

For the video game, Halo 2, Breaking Benjamin wrote “Blow Me Away.” It is thus especially popular and meaningful for Xbox gamers. “Blow Me Away” was the first song, by Breaking Benjamin, I heard; it made me fan.

My three favourite songs, apart from “Blow me Away” mentioned above, are “I Will Not Bow,” “Breath” and “Sooner or Later.” “I Will Not Bow” reached eight spot on iTunes, with a solid rhythm, guitar solo and catchy lyrics. This cut is hard rock with a slight twist and the lyrics are not over repetitive, making the overall song a great concoction of sounds.

“Sooner or Later” has more mainstream rhythm and beat; it is catchy. This song appeals more to those who are not fans of rock, as it incorporates an attractive chorus and captivating lyrics. The overall mood of the song is cheerful and calm.

“Breath” is another catchy song, with a strong drumbeat and rhythm. The song has a mentally powerful guitar riff and with the strong beat. This song is great for hard-core clubbing or for playing at the gym and wonderful for showing off your speaker or subwoofers.

Breaking Benjamin split, recently, though there legacy lives through their music. Confirmed reports suggest band members are actively considering getting together, again. Use of its music in video games and the sustained popularity of “Shallow Bay” make touring tempting.

Breaking Benjamin is one of the great rock bands, of this generation. It might be one of the great rock bands, ever. The diversity of musical competence, offered on “Shallow Bay,” is unique.