Released 9 August 2008 Recorded 2006–2007 Length 3:29 | Format CD single Genre Post-grunge Label Wind-up | |
"Breakdown" is the third track and the third single from Seether's third album, Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces. Shaun Morgan has stated that the song is about his former girlfriend Amy Lee, but other sources reference a more recent relationship. To further the point, Morgan has been quoted saying "Amy and I, at our worst moments, were still better than this last girl and I at our best moments".
The song was released to radio in the middle of August 2008 and quickly became one of the most added singles to active rock radio at the time.
Music video
The music video for Breakdown premiered on November 12, 2008, on Yahoo! Music. Tony Petrossian, who directed their previous videos for "Fake It" and "Rise Above This", also made this video.
In the video, Jenna Westerbeck approaches Shaun from behind and manipulates his head, which becomes a Rubik's Cube at her touch. Throughout the video, Shaun's face changes emotions in each cube, and as the video progresses, different people (including the rest of Seether) appear in the cube, lip-syncing to the background vocals. Towards the end of the bridge, the girl opens up the cube, removing blocks featuring other women. She then finds a block that features only her, and places it in the space for Shaun's eye. She then closes the box, gives it one last spin, and the cube effect disappears. She then walks out of frame as Morgan looks at her with a sense of distaste and disappointment.
This was the first video to feature the band's new lead guitarist Troy McLawhorn.