Blow Me Away

"Blow Me Away"
Single by Breaking Benjamin
from the album So Cold EP, Halo 2 Original Soundtrack and Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin
Released November 3, 2004 (2004-11-03)
February 23, 2010 (2010-02-23)
June 7, 2011 (2011-06-07) (feat. Valora)
Format Digital download
Genre Nu metal
Length 03:26
03:09 (feat. Valora)
Label Hollywood
Writer(s) Benjamin Burnley
Jeremy Hummel
Producer(s) David Bendeth
Certification Gold (US)
Breaking Benjamin singles chronology
"Lights Out"
(2010)		 "Blow Me Away"
(2010)		 "Failure"
(2015)
2011 cover
Blow Me Away (featuring Valora)
Music sample
"Blow Me Away"

"Blow Me Away" is a song by American rock band Breaking Benjamin. The song is a non-album single, originally appearing on the 2004 video game Halo 2, also featured on the band's So Cold EP. It was later released in 2010 as a digital single. In 2011, a remixed version of the song was released on Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin, featuring vocals of Sydnee Duran from Valora. Written by vocalist and guitarist Benjamin Burnley and then-drummer Jeremy Hummel, the song is described as featuring "hard rock roots, ... a vocal-centric aesthetic, heavy electric rhythm guitars", and "an aggressive male vocalist".[1]

Releases

"Blow Me Away" was first featured in the video game Halo 2 on November 9, 2004, encountered in the levels "Outskirts" and "Gravemind".[2] It was later released on the first volume of the game's original soundtrack.[3] The track did not feature any vocals in-game,[2] though the studio recording was featured on the soundtrack.[4] In 2006 and 2007 it was used as the theme song to Boost Mobile MLG Pro Circuit, the broadcast of the Major League Gaming Halo 2 Pro Circuit. On November 23, 2004, the song was released on the band's So Cold EP.[5] On February 23, 2010, the song was released as an independent digital single.[6] A remix of the song was recorded featuring vocals of Valora's Sydnee Duran, and was released as a single from the compilation album, Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin on June 7, 2011.[7] The song did not return on the November 11, 2014 remaster of Halo 2, instead replaced by "Breaking the Covenant" by Periphery.[8] An animated music video for the song was released on August 17, 2011, directed by Christopher Mills and produced by Geoff McLean.[9]

Track listing

Blow Me Away (Halo 2 OST)[4]
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Blow Me Away (instrumental)"  Benjamin Burnley, Jeremy Hummel 3:26
Blow Me Away[10]
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Blow Me Away"  Burnley, Hummel 3:26
Blow Me Away (feat. Valora)[11]
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Blow Me Away (feat. Valora)"  Burnley, Hummel 3:09
Blow Me Away (feat. Valora) Single[11]
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Blow Me Away (feat. Valora)"  Burnley, Hummel 3:27

Controversy

"Blow Me Away" has been the subject of much controversy within the band. When drummer Jeremy Hummel filed a federal lawsuit against Breaking Benjamin, he contended, among wrongful termination, that he did not receive profits from the song's appearance on Halo 2, which he helped write.[12] In March 2010, it was announced that Hollywood Records was seeking the band's permission to produce the remix with additional vocals from Sydnee Duran of Valora.[13] In May 2011, while the band was on hiatus due to Burnley's health issues, guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark Klepaski gave the label permission to remix the song after being offered $100,000.[13] Burnley, upon learning of the transaction, fired both band members in response two days later.[13] Later in June, Burnley filed suit against Fink and Klepaski, seeking at least $750,000 in damages and the exclusive right to the "Breaking Benjamin" band name.[13] He claimed that both members had made unilateral and unauthorized decisions on behalf of the band, though both of them denied these claims.[14] On April 19, 2013, Burnley announced that the dispute between him and the other members had been resolved and that he retained the right to continue the band under the name Breaking Benjamin.[15]

The dispute was around the release of the album "Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin", it was remix of their greatest hits released in 2011, despite Burnley's stance that it did not meet his standards.[16] Nonetheless, Loudwire writer Liz Ramanand stated that "Duran adds melodic intensity to the song that compliments [sic] Burnley's voice."[17]

Charts

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
US BU
[18][19]		 US Alt.
[20]		 US Digital
[21]		 US Main. US Rock
[20]
2010 "Blow Me Away" 1 — 64 — — "Blow Me Away" (digital single)
2011 "Blow Me Away" (feat. Valora) 20 37 — 5 14 Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Personnel

"Blow Me Away"
"Blow Me Away" (featuring Valora)

References

  1. ↑ "Blow Me Away - Breaking Benjamin Features of This Track". Music Genome Project. Pandora Radio. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Bungie (November 9, 2004). Halo 2. Xbox. Microsoft Game Studios. Level/area: "Outskirts" and "Gravemind".
  3. ↑ "'Halo 2' Soundtrack Boasts Incubus, Hoobastank". Billboard. October 29, 2004. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Nile Rodgers (November 9, 2004). Halo 2 Original Soundtrack Vol. 1 (video game soundtrack). Sumthing Distribution. ASIN B00067RF6E.
  5. ↑ Loftus, Johnny (November 23, 2004). "So Cold [EP] - Breaking Benjamin Overview". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Blow Me Away - Breaking Benjamin Releases". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  7. ↑ Heaney, Gregory (June 7, 2011). "Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin - Breaking Benjamin Overview". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  8. ↑ Bungie (November 11, 2014). Halo 2. Xbox One. Microsoft Game Studios. Level/area: "Outskirts" and "Gravemind".
  9. ↑ "Music Video News: IN PRODUCTION: Breaking Benjamin - Christopher Mills, dir". Video Static. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Blow Me Away - Single by Breaking Benjamin - Download Blow Me Away - Single on iTunes". itunes.apple.com. February 23, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Blow Me Away (feat. Valora) - Single by Breaking Benjamin - Download Blow Me Away (feat. Valora) - Single on iTunes". itunes.apple.com. June 7, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  12. ↑ Amerman, Kevin (September 29, 2005). "Band Sees No Basis For Lawsuit / The Drummer Was Fired Justly and Was Properly Paid, Says Breaking Benjamin's Manager". Times Leader. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Sisak, Michael R. (August 3, 2011). "From breaking to broken: The success & failure of Breaking Benjamin". Citizens' Voice. Times-Shamrock Communications. Archived from the original on August 3, 2014.
  14. ↑ Sisak, Michael R.; Gaydos, Kristen (August 2, 2011). "Breaking Benjamin broken over song dispute". Citizens' Voice. Times-Shamrock Communications. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014.
  15. ↑ Childers, Chad (April 20, 2013). "Breaking Benjamin Frontman Benjamin Burnley Retains Rights to Band's Name". Loudwire. Diffuser Network. Archived from the original on March 27, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Breaking Benjamin frontman disowns upcoming 'Hits' collection". 105.7 The Point. Emmis Communications. August 2, 2011. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015.
  17. ↑ Ramanand, Liz (August 16, 2011). "Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin – Album Review". Loudwire. Diffuser Network. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Breaking Benjamin Album & Song Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  19. ↑ "Gold Derby Awards Forums - Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Tonys and more". Goldderbyforums.latimes.com. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  20. 1 2 "Information Not Found". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  21. ↑ "Breaking Benjamin Album & Song Chart History (Hot Digital Songs)". Billboard.
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