Breaking Benjamin have debuted the music video for their most recent single “Awaken” on Friday, about three months after the song’s release.
The video depicts an explorer braving a frozen mountain top in search of a magical artifact. After retrieving her prize, she tries to leave but encounters several fantasy humanoid creatures who attack her. Using the artifact, she resurrects an enormous reptilian creature, the massive skeleton of which had been resting at the mountain’s peak, near where viewers also see the band performing the song.
The video’s computer generated graphics create a dark snowbound atmosphere for the narrative to take place. The resurrection of the creature may play into the song’s theme of rising and, indeed, awakening.
“Awaken” is Breaking Benjamin’s first original music since their 2018 album Ember. The song reached number one on Billboard’s Rock Digital Songs chart, according to Revolver.
The YouTube comments on the music video contain no shortage of fans clamoring for the next original full-length release from BB. Frontman Benjamin Burnley shed some light on where in the process the new record currently sits in an October interview with Josh Klinger of Chicago's Rock 95.5 radio station.
“The record, we have the bones for the whole thing,” Burnley said. “And it's just a matter of when we're feeling it because that's going to be the best result anyway, is when you're feeling that, and so when those moments come by, we work on it, and then when they go away, we don't."
Burnley said the process of working on the band’s more recent albums has differed from working on their earlier material in that the newer albums have been less rushed.
“Back in the day, we were on a climb … When there's a climb, you're really rushing yourself, you're hungry,” Burnley said. “And we are still hungry … but I think it's a little more relaxed now where we really only work on stuff when we're genuinely inspired to. And I feel like when I listen to the songs that are rushed from back in those days, I personally can tell. I have more peace of mind listening to the newer stuff, because I know that nothing, not any part of it exists because it was rushed. It's all intentional.”
Burnley added he felt “blessed” to have the band where they are today.
“I’m thankful people want to hear new music,” Burnley said. “I’m nothing but grateful.”
Breaking Benjamin and Staind are gearing up for their spring co-headlining “Awaken the Fallen” tour across the United States, with special guests Wage War and Lakeview in tow.
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