Wednesday, March 20, 6:30 p.m.
TaxSlayer Center, 1201 River Drive, Moline IL
Revered for such chart-topping singles as “Breath,” “I Will Now Bow,” “Failure,” “Angels Fall,” and last year's “Torn in Two,” the heavy-metal rockers of Breaking Benjamin take the stage at Moline's TaxSlayer Center on March 20 in support of their 2018 album Ember, a release that, according to Loudwire, finds the artists “proving that they're better (and, yes, heavier) than ever with plenty left to say.”
Founded in 1999 by lead singer/guitarist Benjamin Burnley and drummer Jeremy Hummel, the original lineup for the Pennsylvania-based band also included guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark Klepaski. The musicians signed with Hollywood Records in 2002, following the success of their independently-released eponymous EP, and began recording their first full-length major-label debut Saturate shortly thereafter. The record peaked at number two on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart and number 136 on the U.S. Billboard 200, and was certified gold more than 13 years later. The band's sophomore effort, 2004's We Are Not Alone, peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200, and was later certified platinum in the United States and gold in New Zealand. Breaking Benjamin's third studio album Phobia was consequently released in 2006 and reached number two on Billboard 200, number one on the U.S. Digital Albums, and number one on the U.S. Top Rock Albums chart, achieving platinum certification nearly three years after its debut.
In late 2009, Breaking Benjamin's fourth record Dear Agony reached number one on Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts, number two on the Top Rock Albums and Digital Albums charts, and number four on the Billboard 200. Dear Agony was certified gold three months after its release and certified platinum seven years later, with 2015's Dark Before Dawn and Ember also scoring chart-topping status on the Top Alternative Albums chart. With the band now composed of Burnley, Aaron Bruch, Shaun Frost, Jasen Rauch, and Keith Wallen, Breaking Benjamin has enjoyed some of its strongest critical notices to date for Ember, which Metal Injection called “a refreshing change of pace” that “carries itself with sophistication and a profound sense of responsibility.”
Breaking Benjamin plays its March 20 concert with opening sets by Skillett, Underoath, and Fight the Fury, admission to the 6:30 p.m. show is $22-542, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 or visiting TaxSlayerCenter.com.
