Arriving just two years after the platinum-selling, radio-friendly nu-rockers' sixth studio effort,
Aurora is a fan-forward set of acoustic re-imaginings of some of
Breaking Benjamin's best-known songs, with an all-new track tossed in for good measure. Opening with the group's 2004 breakthrough hit "So Cold,"
Aurora distinguishes itself ever so slightly from other forays into "unplugged" territory by adhering to the sonic might of the source material. Despite the wood and wire setup, the band stays true to the lumbering post-grunge dynamics of the original, with the drums pushed high in the mix and vocalist
Benjamin Burnley opting for a full-throated roar. This approach works well for the most part, with
Burnley and company (and a slew of special guests) giving assured performances that will no doubt please longtime listeners. However, there are times where it just feels like you're listening to the original studio versions with the distortion turned off; more often than not, the orchestral arrangements are drowned out by the unwavering intensity of the rhythm section. Featured guests
Adam Gontier (
Saint Asonia), Michael Barnes (
Red),
Spencer Chamberlain (
Underøath), and
Lacey Sturm (
Flyleaf) add some color to the proceedings, with the latter providing some considerable harmonic heft to a slick rendering of the already muscular 2009 ballad "Dear Agony." Best of all is "Far Away," the set's lone contemporaneous track, which sees
Cold frontman
Scooter Ward and
Burnley unleashing an unwaveringly melodramatic power duet that should come with a warning label advising listeners to empty their pockets of any flame-producing devices before pressing play. ~ James Christopher Monger