TRACK REVIEW: Something Wicked by Breaking Benjamin

Lovers of 2000’s nostalgia, get excited because Breaking Benjamin have released a new track! After the drop of Awaken back in October 2024, which reached the top 5 in Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart, we’ve been very patiently waiting for something new. Here enters brand new song Something Wicked.

The song starts with some low atmospheric synths, before jumping straight into the verse. It feels darker, moodier, while still capturing the sound which the band are known for. The verses are on the shorter side, feeling somewhat restrained, allowing a tension-build, then sliding up into a very traditional sounding crescendo of a chorus, which sounds slightly anthemic and definitive. The end of the choruses has Benjamin Burnley pushing and elongating the ‘end it all’ with a hoarse and gritty precision, overlapping a chuggy riff. As we get to the end of the song, “Something wicked this way comes” wraps around a hell of a closing chug, with slapping snare and cymbal hits.

The production of this is as always, clean and well rounded. Emphasising punch and presence, with a cinematic-like depth, while refusing to give up the classic sound they’ve been giving us for the last 20+ years.

Lyrically, they alternate between intimate, vulnerable lines and raw, cathartic outbursts. They feel evocative rather than literal, leaving space for listeners to project personal meaning.

With this, Breaking Benjamin continue to resurrect the 2000’s nostalgia, while ensuring their sound remains fresh and impactful. As much as the drip feeding continues to excite us, give us a date for the next album already, we can’t wait to get our hands on it!

Review by Neve Saltmarsh