BREAKING BENJAMIN releases new single “Awaken”

Multi-platinum hard rock group BREAKING BENJAMIN has released a new single, “Wake up”. You can now watch it below.

BREAKING BENJAMINThe first new music since 2018 will be made available via the band's new global recording agreement BMG. The partnership with BMG is also the group's first new label since the release of their debut album over 20 years ago.

BREAKING BENJAMIN guitarist Jasen Rauch said something like “Wake up”: “I think working on this song was something new and exciting for all of us. We were able to explore more of who we are traditionally while pushing boundaries and trying things we've never done before.” Musically, we tried to stay true to that BREAKING BENJAMIN is, but also offer a new perspective.

BREAKING BENJAMIN have continuously dominated the rock charts since their debut album in 2002. “Saturate”. With 10 No. 1 hits, platinum albums, 8.5 billion streams worldwide and a social following of over 6.5 million, they have cemented their global influence and a strong, loyal fan base. your last publication, “Aurora”earned them their tenth number one rock radio hit “Far away” (with Scooter Ward).

Her previous album, “Ember”debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, marking her fourth top five debut. Her track record includes #1 hits like “Red Cold River” And “Torn in two parts”. Both “Aurora” And “Ember” reached top 10 status in several countries and number 1 on various charts including billboardThe top alternative albums, top rock albums, top hard rock albums and top digital albums.

In a statement, the band said: “Working on these new songs has been a new experience for all of us. We stayed true to the core of Who.” BREAKING BENJAMIN is, but we also evolved creatively and explored new sounds and ideas that we hadn't used before. It was about finding the balance between honoring our roots and introducing a new perspective on what our music can be.

Sean HeydornSVP, rock boss and Rise Recordssaid: “BREAKING BENJAMIN have continually pushed the boundaries of rock music with their raw energy, powerful songwriting and an intense and lasting connection to their fans. We are incredibly proud to support them as they embark on their next chapter with us BMG.”

Over the course of the group's career BREAKING BENJAMIN have received three platinum albums, two gold albums, one quadruple platinum single, one triple platinum single, one double platinum single, three platinum singles and six gold singles, making them one of the best in rock music albums makes highly anticipated torchbearers of new music.

In an interview in May 2024 with Ronnie Hunter And Fat Rick des 99.7 The lightning radio station, smoke spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's long-awaited new studio album. He said: “We have about four (songs) finished. We’re just taking a summer break until we go out with them.” SPOT in September. And so by then we're really thinking about finishing everything and releasing new music for this tour. As far as releasing the album goes, it's a little out of our control. Since it's later in the year, it might get pushed back to next year just because everything is closed in December and you want to get the momentum you can. Hopefully with the release we will also have a tour around this theme. But yeah, there’s definitely new music this year.”

BREAKING BENJAMIN guitarist Keith Wallen previously discussed the band's recording progress during a performance on “Drinks with Johnny”the internet TV show by AVENGED SEVENFOLD Bassist Johnny Christian. At the time he said: “Obviously we're still out there playing gigs, which is probably confusing and shocking to some people. Because it's like, 'Yo, you guys need a new record.' But we just love to play. For lack of a better word, we just love to go out and play. And I think we've also managed pretty well to split the time between playing, touring and writing. And we recorded a few songs, finished, we wrote a lot of songs – finished and written. And whenever we have the breaks and the time and everything, we just go into the studio and do them. So I think in the next little gaps between now and our spring tour and then between the spring tour and a possible late summer/fall tour, we're real will make progress.

He continued: “But man, I’m excited – I’m really excited. We worked on some of these songs for me and I, or at least demoed some of these songs smoke And Ben (BREAKING BENJAMIN Frontman Benjamin Burnley). Of course, the development took a few years. Everyone knows it; I read it in the comments every day. But we are working on it.

Last February smoke told that FM99 WNOR Radio station he and his BREAKING BENJAMIN Bandmates would “definitely record new music.” “We’ve been writing for a while,” he said. “There are always interruptions in our tour schedule. That's why it's difficult to get something… We're going on a tour. We've been on the road for a while and come home. Everybody wants to visit their family, have some time off, whatever.” And then it might only be a six-week turnaround, a 10-week turnaround before we have to get back on the road and prepare for the other thing. Keith and I also work with other bands and other projects. KeithHe's got his solo stuff, which is great… But as far as recording goes, it's been so long since we've put out an album that we feel kind of valuable and just making sure our quality control is there. So we actually work, we actually record. We have songs that are ready and it's just going to be about all the business stuff – working with the label and the release schedule, what windows are open, things like that and then how we fit these recordings into the tour schedule. “

Jasen continued: “A lot of bands would lock themselves in the studio for three or four months. We decide against it. We do a lot of remote work and things like that.”

Asked by FM99 WNOR When it's easy to work on an album and tour at the same time, Jasen said: “It's almost impossible. I can probably count three bands that I think could write (and) record successfully on the road because it is.” very difficult. You can have the best intentions, but it's hard to just pressure things between press, VIP stuff that we have and soundchecks.

Added Keith: “Even if you just find a nice, quiet place to record some vocals or something. And not only that, but just recording vocals in general. When you're on tour you use your vocals a lot.” And there's a fatigue factor. So you want to do your best when recording.

Jasen agreed and said: “It's a recording, so it's going to live forever, so you want it to be the best, you want it to be perfect, but will that also come at the expense of the quality of the show?” So, yeah, it’s a difficult line to walk.”

In July 2023, Keith told Radioactive MikeZHost the 96.7 KCAL-FM program “Wired in the Empire”around BREAKING BENJAMIN's next studio LP: “We've always kind of written and recorded some ideas over the last few years – despite the pandemic and all that stuff, we've always been writing. But it's started to pick up steam here recently.” So I'm hoping there's new music coming out sometime next year. I could say month, I could say year, just because it's been so long, I don't want to screw us over in any way.

Keith It was also said that there were some new things BREAKING BENJAMIN The material is about to be published. “We have a lot in the works,” he said. “We recorded a lot of music. Ben just posted yesterday – he just recorded some vocals for a song. So, yes, we are there. We're moving at our own pace here, much to the dismay of many people as I've noticed online.

He added about the new BREAKING BENJAMIN Music: “It’s great. It's exciting. And man, I can’t wait to get it out there.”

Two months ago, smoke told Janna from 97.9 WGRD Radio stations in Grand Rapids, Michigan approximately BREAKING BENJAMINThe plan for the continuation of 2018 “Ember” Album: “We Are work on music. We've been writing for quite a while. And regardless of whether we've been able to record anything or not, we've been writing for, I would say, a little over a year. We set the bar pretty high for ourselves in terms of future standards. We've experimented with some things, thrown some things away, started over a few times and are getting to a point where we're pretty happy.

“So yeah, we were in the studio,” he continued. “We did some in Nashville. We did a lot of things remotely.” Ben and I have dozens and dozens of voice memos going back, 'Hey, try this.' Try it.' And we record something and send it back and forth. But yeah, we're looking forward to it. And hopefully we'll have something out soon that everyone can listen to.

Photo credit: Dominique D'Costa (courtesy of BMG)