Unknown Soldier: On ‘Phobia’, Breaking Benjamin created a record full of modern rock anthems

Ahhhh, Breaking Benjamin. It’s somewhat debatable, but the general consensus is that the band’s 2006 album Phobia, which eventually went Platinum, is the band’s best work. It’s also hard to argue with the fact that it contains so many anthemic songs. Even the non-singles are brilliant slices of mid-2000s hard rock/alternative metal, if we’re being honest. And surprisingly, there’s a little more depth to it than you might realize upon first listen.

Clearly referencing vocalist/guitarist Benjamin Burnley’s “phobia” of flying, Phobia starts out with an intro that also hints at it, then roars right into the megahit “The Diary Of Jane”. There is a reason this track was (and still is) an inescapable modern rock hit – it’s a great track that contains one of the best hooks in any rock song in the chorus. It’s also home to one of Burnley’s best vocal performances, period, and is a perfect way to start out the album. Special attention and applause has to be given to the overall flow of the tracklisting, ebbing and flowing from song to song. Diving really deep here, the transition between the emotional “Breath”, the slower-paced yet melodic “You”, and the heavier, deep cut of “Evil Angel” is something that might be lost in translation for those who think Breaking Benjamin is only a singles band.

The strongest part of Phobia, though, is that the non-single cuts are some of the best material Breaking Benjamin will ever release. Case in point? Mid-album cut “Evil Angel”, which is a heavier track but also contains a soaring, magnificent chorus, and the undisputed best track on the album, “Unknown Soldier” – whose depiction of a soldier caught in battle is an emotionally gripping one, to be sure. However, it’s also referencing (subtly, of course, since Breaking Benjamin lyrics tend to be open to interpretation) personality disorders like bipolar and especially borderline personality disorder. Songs like these truly resonate with the common listener – especially if they know someone who’s served in battle, or has battled these disorders themselves. And while the album doesn’t necessarily have a ton of diversity, is that really something you’d really want on a mainstream rock record anyway? Not when songs as immediate as “Until The End”, that’s for sure.

Breaking Benjamin are one of the few modern rock bands that are both adept songwriters as well as experts in injecting every song with infectious choruses. Critics may see this consistency as a negative trait, but it deserves to be considered a positive one. While Breaking Benjamin isn’t quite the same band they were when Saturate was released in 2002, their framework hasn’t changed. In fact, it’s rather simple. Write memorable songs, and the rest comes naturally. That is why Phobia is still a memorable album to this day.