Evanescence Brings New Life to Old Favorites on Synthesis
I'm not a music reviewer by trade, but I'd be remiss not to share my thoughts on my favorite band's new album. After a six-year hiatus, Evanescence comes back into the spotlight with a haunting new album, Synthesis. Although the band may have been on break, Amy Lee has kept herself busy these past few years, focusing on movie soundtrack scores (Aftermath and Voice from the Stone), a selection of cover songs (U2's "With or Without You" is darkly captivating), and even a children's album (Dream Too Much).
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If you thought the next Evanescence album was going to be a rehash of Fallen, you haven't been paying attention to Lee's solo work, which has delved more into electronic and ambient sounds intertwined with orchestral scores. (This was the original direction of their third album until the record label refused to go forward with it.) Surprise! Synthesis peels away the layers of crunching guitars and booming drums and brings forward the orchestra that was always lingering in the background of their previous work. Synthesis features 11 remakes of prior songs, two new full-length tracks, and three short orchestra arrangements.
But the beautiful string sections were always my favorite element of their music and what makes them stand out among other hard rock acts—that, and, of course, Lee's soaring vocals. And that's exactly what we get to enjoy on Synthesis: gorgeous piano solos, dramatic symphony arrangements, and Amy Lee's powerful and poetic voice.
The standout remakes include "End of the Dream," "Lacrymosa" and "Bring Me to Life." While many of the songs still feel rooted in their original forms, "End of the Dream" diverges the most—it begins with just an eerie reverb and Lee's vocals. The opening lyrics describing a graveyard bring the ghostly factor to 11. The remake is completely stripped bare yet ominous. Strings are slowly added as you wait for the dramatic re-emergence of the orchestra—they don't disappoint and pulse through the chorus and subsequent verses. As chilling as the music is on this track (and yes, the bridge booms with full force), Lee's vocals are the star instrument, and I've fallen in love with this band all over again.
Fret not, die-hard fans. The two new tracks on the album are as evocative and dark as their previous work, albeit, they are still electronic and symphony heavy. The single "Imperfection" veers the most from what fans are used to, both in terms of Lee's quickly spoken verses and main electronic beats, but the chorus still brings home forceful, sweeping string arrangements, and that "epic" feel we've come to love about the band. As for the lyrics, Lee calls out to someone thinking of suicide, "Don't you dare surrender / Don't leave me here without you / 'Cause I could never / Replace your perfect imperfection." If you're an Evanescence fan, you'll feel right at home in the darkness.
"Hi-Lo" doesn't quite have the catchiness of "Imperfection," instead, reminding me of "Swimming Home" from their self-titled—seductively slow verses building into the steady chorus and finally a violin solo bridge until bursting into Lee's comfortable, powerful conclusion.
What falls flat are the few songs that sound oddly too similar to their originals: "Secret Door" was already scaled down; "Lithium" resembled the acoustic version the band had previously performed; and "My Immortal" was essentially the original version on Fallen–the version without the band. However, hearing "My Immortal" sung in Lee's now-more-mature voice does make this song feel all the more powerful and gorgeously sad.
Image Courtesy of Evanescence.com
But the true beauty of this album was hearing it in its entirety live (but out of order). With a full orchestra on stage and Will "Science" Hunt providing live electronics, the album feels complete and all-the-more emotional. I've seen Evanescence live about a dozen times over their 14+ year career, and this was easily one of my favorite concerts. I'm not sure if it was because I caught them at their last gig of this leg of the tour or the live orchestra brought them to life (no pun intended), but Amy Lee's voice was stronger than ever. I'm sure it helped that she spent more time standing still than she's used to, but her voice was front and center, hitting every note with passion and raw emotion. If you were ever crazy enough to doubt her vocal ability, there's no arguing about it now. Would it be cheesy to say the entire show left me with goosebumps? Probably, but I'm allowed to have a fangirl moment.
Music and stagnancy are a recipe for disaster, and I've always loved that Amy Lee refuses to reproduce Fallen—I'm sure it's what prompted Ben Moody to leave in the first place. If you didn't like the trajectory of The Open Door and Evanescence, you probably won't like what the future holds for this band. But for those of you who enjoy a band who are not afraid to let their music mature, you'll understand what Lee is trying to accomplish with Synthesis.