Breaking Benjamin’s success stems from frontman Benjamin Burnley’s willingness to tap into the darker parts of his psyche. Case in point: The vocalist/main songwriter penned his hard-rock band’s first radio hit, 2004’s “So Cold,” while holed up alone in a hotel during the dead of winter. “It was a bit of a lonely time,” he told Apple Music. “I’m glad I was in that dark space, because I owe my whole career to it.” Burnley, who founded Breaking Benjamin in Pennsylvania during the late ’90s, had an equally solitary musical upbringing: He honed a gruff, melodic vocal style while driving around in his car listening to The Beatles and grunge acts Nirvana and Bush. Breaking Benjamin nod to the isolation and alienation of the latter groups on “Dance With the Devil,” a cautionary tale about the consequences of betrayal, and the bleak yet optimistic “Angels Fall.” The band also often exude defiant toughness in the face of turmoil, particularly on the jagged hard rocker “Polyamorous” and the fuzzed-out stomp “Sooner or Later,” two songs that address the emotional complexities of unhealthy relationships. Although Burnley is the sole remaining founding member of Breaking Benjamin, he has worked with a stable lineup of musicians since 2014 and has embraced the power of collaboration. In 2020, he enlisted friends such as Flyleaf’s Lacey Sturm and Underoath’s Spencer Chamberlain to contribute vocals to Aurora, an album of re-recorded hits that underscores the enduring resonance of Breaking Benjamin’s introspection.