When it comes to post-grunge, Breaking Benjamin is one of the biggest innovators in the genre. One could call Breaking Benjamin the second wave of post-grunge, with the third wave being bands such as Seether, Shinedown and Creed, who broke a bit earlier.
While the band formed in the late 1990s, it wasn’t until 2002 that Breaking Benjamin dropped their major-label debut, Saturate. While the album arrived on Hollywood Records and received some fanfare, it took some time for Breaking Benjamin to blow up big.
Their next big moment was in 2004, with We Are Not Alone, which proved to be Breaking Benjamin’s breakout album. Songs such as “So Cold” and “Sooner or Later” solidified the band as one of the up-and-comers in post-grunge and nu-metal.
What Phobia Meant to Breaking Benjamin’s Career
Then, we get to 2006’s Phobia, which will turn 20 years old in 2026.
had some major expectations when following up We Are Not Alone. After the success of that album and the album’s radio-friendly singles, the band had to deliver on their third studio album.
Breaking Benjamin recorded Phobia at in Hopatcong, New Jersey, and released it Aug. 8, 2006, on Hollywood Records. Everything about this album embraced the mood and feeling of post-grunge at the time, with very dark musical textures and introspective themes.
For those who thought Breaking Benjamin would be a flash in the pan, Phobia proved them wrong. The album, which hit , featured three in “The Diary of Jane,” “Breath” and “Until the End,” which are still regulars on rock radio.
One of the criticisms of the album at the time were how similar it sounded to We Are Not Alone. But, considering that album’s success, consistency is a good thing.
“Phobia finds them picking up exactly where they left off with 2004’s We Are Not Alone, mixing heavy hard rock dynamics with a moody demeanor that never slips into full-on dejection, thanks in part to their proficient grasp of the accessible melody and ever-rousing chorus,” the in a review of the album at the time. They added, ” Phobia will not win over any skeptics still holding out on the band, but for those already happily settled in the Benjamin camp, it makes for another satisfying listen.”
, “Phobia is a record that stands strong, mainly because Ben’s voice is very consistent throughout: very catchy chorus.”
Phobia arrived alongside other post-grunge albums of the era, such as Staind’s 2005 release “Chapter V” and Seether’s 2005 album “Karma and Effect,” and the band has with Staind.
But, Phobia is anything but just another rock album. It solidified Breaking Benjamin as one of the biggest bands of the 2000s and made them kings of the post-grunge movement, a sound that’s still alive today.
