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Red Cold River

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"Red Cold River"
Single by Breaking Benjamin
from the album Ember
ReleasedJanuary 5, 2018 (2018-01-05)
Recorded2017
Genre
Length3:23
LabelHollywood
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Aaron Bruch
  • Benjamin Burnley
  • Jasen Rauch
  • Keith Wallen
Breaking Benjamin singles chronology
"Never Again"
(2017) 		"Red Cold River"
(2018) 		"Torn in Two"
(2018)
Music video
"Red Cold River" on YouTube

"Red Cold River" is a song by American rock band Breaking Benjamin. It was their lead single from their sixth studio album Ember. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

Background

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"Red Cold River" was first announced as the lead single for the band's sixth studio album, Ember, in December 2017.[4] A short teaser clip of the song was released on January 1, 2018,[5][6] while the full song was later officially released on January 5, 2018.[7][8] The song debuted number 38 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in its first week at radio, making it the biggest gainer on the chart of the week.[9] A music video was released on January 18, 2018, featuring alternating footage of the band performing, and scenes of an anguished father who finds his missing daughter dead near a creek.[10] The man meets a Native American woman who helps him see a vision of the man who killed his daughter and was a part of the search party. The father transforms into a monster, hunts down the killer, and beats him almost to death, but stops upon seeing the angel of his deceased daughter.[10]

Themes and composition

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The song features a "dark and moody" guitar riff[11] and quiet-loud dynamics, with sections of "lunging, low-slung rhythms juxtaposed by soaring atmospheric moments".[12] The band's lead vocalist Benjamin Burnley employs screamed vocals in the pre-chorus, followed by clean, melodic vocals in the chorus, singing the dark lines "I can't feel anything at all / this life has left me cold and damned".[11][12] The song's "heavy yet melodic" sound was compared to prior Breaking Benjamin songs "I Will Not Bow" and "The Diary of Jane".[13]

Reception

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Initial critical reception of the song was mixed. Metal Injection praised the song for being "catchy" and having a "memorable enough hook" that takes effect after hearing the song three times.[14] MetalSucks was less enthusiastic, criticizing that it sounded too much like early 2000s rock music from the band and similar artists such as Seether and Theory of a Deadman.[15]

In its first week of release, the song sold 22,000 copies in the US.[16]

Personnel

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Charts

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References

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  1. ^ "The 40 Best Hard Rock Songs of 2018". Loudwire. December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  2. ^ Yadav, Dylan (January 5, 2018). "Breaking Benjamin Return To Form With 'Red Cold River'". Immortal Reviews. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  3. ^ "Red Cold River - Breaking Benjamin - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  4. ^ "Breaking Benjamin announces new single, "Red Cold River" - Music News - ABC News Radio". ABC News Radio. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  5. ^ "Breaking Benjamin Tease New Single "Red Cold River"". Theprp.com. January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  6. ^ "Listen to new Breaking Benjamin single Red Cold River". Teamrock.com. January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  7. ^ "Hear BREAKING BENJAMIN's New Single 'Red Cold River'". Blabbermouth.net. January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  8. ^ "Breaking Benjamin Releases Trailer for "Red Cold River" Video - Alternative Addiction". www.alternativeaddiction.com. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  9. ^ "Rock Music: Top Mainstream Rock Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Breaking Benjamin Reveal Chilling Tale in 'Red Cold River' Video". Loudwire.com. January 19, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Breaking Benjamin shares teaser for upcoming single, "Red Cold River" - Music News - ABC News Radio". ABC News Radio. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Listen to Breaking Benjamin's Crushing New Song 'Red Cold River'". Loudwire.com. January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  13. ^ "Breaking Benjamin Get Heavy with 'Red Cold River' – Song Review - Audio Ink Radio". Audioinkradio.com. January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  14. ^ "BREAKING BENJAMIN's New Song "Red Cold River" Will Get Stuck in Your Head (The Third Time You Hear It) - Metal Injection". Metalinjection.net. January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  15. ^ "Breaking Benjamin: Still a Band - MetalSucks". Metalsucks.com. January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  16. ^ "Breaking Benjamin Flows Onto Rock Charts With 'Red Cold River'". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  17. ^ "Breaking Benjamin Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  18. ^ "Hard Rock Digital Songs, January 20, 2018". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  19. ^ "Breaking Benjamin Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  20. ^ a b c d e "Breaking Benjamin Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  21. ^ "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
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