Their music is hauntingly dark, and beautiful at the same time, and it does have its "rock" moments, thanks to some really nice guitar sounds. And I *love* Amy's voice! The production is huge sounding; the songs are beautifully textured with keyboards, strings and layered back up vocals.

This is not a 'rap-metal' band, if you've only heard the "Bring Me To Life" single. There's a lot of depth to this group that you might not be expecting to hear ... and a lot of interesting things going on. Definitely not a "throw on at a party" CD - But one that I find myself wanting to explore beginning to end, again and again.

Besides the lead single, I really like "Tourniquet", "Going Under", "Haunted", "My Immortal", "Whisper" and "My Last Breath." The rest of the songs are also very good ... totally worth picking up, and hopefully an indication of more brilliance to come. Awesome stuff - a CD that's worth your attention.


Maybe I can save you a headache ... for details, read below:   October 25, 2003
 57 out of 69 found this review helpful

Let's start off by answering a few questions I've seen in these other reviews:

What is gothic metal? - Simple, but first you must know what music from the gothic-era of Europe is. Piano pieces, choirs, etc. So naturally, gothic metal is metal blended with these elements. No, not power metal such as Nightwish, that's different. True gothic metal would not focus on such a frantic pace(such as Nightwish's use of double-bass, and often up-tempo metal inflections).

So is Marilyn Manson gothic metal? NOOOO!

Is Lacuna Coil gothic metal? Look, I know they are dark, I know they dress in all black, and wear eyeliner. But no. I would consider Lacuna Coil more of an Avante-garde art metal type thing with female vocals. The ingredients just aren't there.

Is this band "gothic metal"? Eh ... I'll get into that.

What is an example of the perfect "gothic metal" band? Saviour Machine is one, MAYBE mid-period Christian Death.

Into the review of this cd . . . it doesn't matter where you have been the past couple months, whether or not you listen to the radio, at some point, you had to hear "Bring Me to Life", simply because it was EVERYWHERE. This song is what originally drew me to this cd, but now, I'm sure like most, I hate that song, simply because of it's overplay. So what's the rest of this cd like? Well ... not exactly like the single, thankfully. There are no more male vocals located on this disc, and you can hear Amy Lee belt out those fantastic notes the way she does. The best songs I feel are "Tourniquet" (<- name of a good band as well), and "Haunted". If you notice, Haunted could very well be the most hated song on the whole list, probably because it's the "heaviest". I don't feel this band gets fair reviews from anyone, generally cause everyone chooses the wrong bands to compare them to.

First of all, Linkin Park. LINKIN PARK? Where did you people get that? Where did the media get that?! Does Linkin Park have a girl? No. Does Amy Lee rap? NO! Does Evanescence implore the use of turntables or ANY hip hop in any from whatsoever? NO. Does Linkin Park involve complicated piano pieces, choirs, guitar solos, or female vocal performance at all? No, no, no, and NO. I didn't think "Bring Me to Life" sounded like Linkin Park, and neither does the rest of this disc.

Second, Lacuna Coil. Now, there are more similarities here. Two hard rock/metal bands with chic singers ... that's about as far as it goes. Again, Lacuna Coil has a full-time male vocalist that accompanies Christina Scabbia at all times. Whereas a male counterpart plays a role in only one song here. Hell! The voices of Amy Lee and Christina Scabbia sound NOTHING alike anyway. It shocks me 14 people would recommend Comalies over this. Because Comalies is bad? No, I love it, along with Unleashed Memories, and In a Reverie. These are just to way different bands. Evanescence is more focused on putting in choirs and pianos with their hard rock, and Lacuna Coil is more focused on playing a slower-paced, ethereal, kind of keyboard-induced metal, with Christina Scabbia's unique voice. Just how do they sing different? We've all heard Amy Lee sing, and while her backing band may not be Megadeth or anything, her voice IS dynamic. Christina's voice? More flat, monotonous, and haunting. Which works well when harmonizing with Andrea Ferro, and serves it's purpose. So is Evanescence "ripping off" Lacuna Coil? I don't even view how the bands are remotely the same except the few similarities at the top. So I say no. If all Evanescence has to do is be a metal band with a chic singer to rip off Lacuna Coil, I must say, whoever made that is not thinking too critically. But still, if you think they are, keep in mind Lacuna Coil "ripped off" the Gathering . . . kay? And NO, Evanescence sounds NOTHING like the Gathering either. Also, keep in mind, I think Aghora and After Forever are better than all Evanescence, the Gathering, or Lacuna Coil.

When I placed this cd in my cd player, I was happy to notice the inclusion of guitar solos in several of the songs, and good ones at that (something Lacuna Coil NEVER plays). And I found more of what I was looking for, soaring female vocals, with some classical influences incorporated into a hard rock/metal platform. Is this gothic metal? . . . Eh . . . I don't want to say that it is, chiefly because I have heard much better from the bands that truly belong in this field, and if this was a "gothic metal" (as many call it) release, it'd be fairly poor. I would Evanescence sort of has their own sub-genre of "semi-gothic-moody-metal". I really like it when bands start something or do something very different than what's already out there. Some of which span the commercial rock universe, others the underground. Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Rage Against the Machine would be a examples of the bands that started stuff . . . but I more prefer unique bands such as Aghora (<- chic metal right there), Grotus, Celldweller, Zeromancer, Dog Fashion Disco, Sweaty Nipples, Fishbone, Living Colour, Scissorfight ... bands that don't really song like . . . anything. Unfortunately, Evanescence does not really fall into either of these ... but they do what they do well. Really, if you refrain from buying a disc because it's "too well known" or "commercial", you're an idiot. Good music is good music, and that's just all there is. If millions and millions like this . .. . super, good for Evanescence. But if you choose to get into a band that no one has heard of, it makes you like that much more sophisticated. This is a good cd, I know it has sold well, and that's fine. I'd rather this cd top the charts than something like George Micheal. If you read all this, I congratulate you, and I hope it cleared up many-a-rumor being thrown irresponsibly in reviews of this cd on Amazon by people, in major magazines, and even someone into this genre looks to as a "leader" (very foolishly, I might add), the cynical Iann Robinson, who played this as a "Linkin Park with female vocals" band. I'm sorry .. . just not so.


Impressive Debut   March 5, 2003
 52 out of 54 found this review helpful

Fallen rocks: it is swirling, cinematic, spiritual, monumental and a fitting debut for a band that will be making waves for years to come.

Evanescence's label, Wind-Up Records, seems to want to categorize them as something like Linkin Park meets Creed with the female singer twist. (Ignore the label-placed guest vocalist on the first single, "Bring Me To Life.") But between Ben Moody's wunderkind soundscapes and Amy Lee's gorgeous vocals, Evanescence also deserves billing with more adult-oriented artists like Everything But The Girl, Garbage, U2, Sarah McLachlan, and Portishead. Indeed, if Fallen has a flaw, it is that it doesn't foreground Evanescence's incredible versatility. Still, there's not a lot you can do to contain a band like Evanescence and their brilliance shines through even when their versatility does not.

That said, I still expect Fallen to be a monumentally popular album and one of the best of the year. Because the production on the album is so polished and precise and the songs so tightly arranged and preformed, it is unlikely to receive the critical respect it should get because-- and this is the ironic part-- Ben Moody is too good at what he does. He sounds too much like the kind of guy who can only play whatever type of music he happens to be playing, because he plays them all so well and with impressive craftsmanship.

This has not escaped Moody at all. He's as cunning as he is brilliant. Evanescence's 2002 Demo tapes, from which the bulk of Fallen's 11 tracks are culled, were made as bait for record labels. Wind-Up Records saw a star in the making and took the bait with gusto-- prominent placement on the Daredevil movie soundtrack, WWE pay-per-view events, TV commercials, music videos, and, ultimately, Fallen followed in relatively short order.

But if Ben Moody is the dark wizard of Evanescence, crafting intoxicating waves of beats and rhythms, hidden beneath guitars and stacks and switchboards, than Amy Lee is their herald. Lee's voice is the most striking thing about Evanescence and with good reason: it's absolutely beautiful and her control over it is impressively mature. As with the album's two piano ballads, "My Immortal" and "Hello", a heart- wrenching tale of retreating into one's own mind, Lee shows that she's quite capable of carrying entire songs by herself. Yet she's equally glorious complimenting Moody's driving soundscapes, particularly on "Imaginary", when she transitions seamlessly from singing to screaming while still maintaining control over the pitch and body of her voice. That said, Lee's vocal range and strength are impressive but not flawless; sometimes she can't quite get the notes for which she's striving, but this works to the bands credit: Listening to Fallen one gets the impression that at all times they are playing and singing at full force, pouring their hearts and souls selflessly into every lyric and every note.

And while the songs that comprise Fallen are, by and large, brilliant, the album itself is somewhat lacking. Its primary flaw is that it doesn't do much to differentiate its songs sonically. Some tracks will tease the listener with electronic backbeats before switching gears back to the nu-metal guitars, only hinting at the versatility of which Evanescence is capable. And while the sonic consistency, gives the album a consistent feel, it doesn't capitalize by telling a story with a beginning, middle, and end. There are many neat production tricks that are used to effect to segue seamlessly from one track to the next, but Fallen still feels more like a collection of songs than an album.

Ultimately, listen to Fallen, particularly if you like bombastic, widescreen guitar rock, delicate ballads, or lush female vocals. If anything whets your appetite, dig deeper. Even now, there's much more to Evanescence than the considerable treasures that Fallen offers.


Absolutely thrilling   March 6, 2003
 36 out of 39 found this review helpful

I'll never forget the first time I heard "Bring me to Life" on my local radio station. The first thing I remember was hearing this absolutely gorgeous female voice, not something you hear that much on rock stations. Then I was caught by surprise as the band kicked in, the orchestra kicked in, and lead singer Amy Lee showed us that unlike most female rock singers she had not only an amazing voice but also a powerful range. The DJs response "wow." No kidding.

I was unsure what to expect from this band after only hearing their two tracks from the Daredevil Soundtrack: the dramatic and hard "Bring me to life," and the honest and gentle "My Immortal." I was shocked with the CD. This is a rock band. Even though Evanescence is very new, I already foresee them lasting for a long time. This CD kicks off with the powerful pure-rock, "Going Under" then continues with their first single, "Bring me to Life," that I'm sure everyone has heard now. They add one more great rock song, "Everybody's Fool" before they have a complete change of pace with "My Immortal," a beautiful slow ballad that many would see more fitting to a singer such as Tori Amos. Unlike other rock bands when Evanescence writes ballads, they really write ballads. They don't depend on guitars; they bring in a piano and strings. It sounds strange I know but somehow it still works out. The next song, "Haunted," is obviously about being stalked. The powerful lyrics will send shivers down your spine the first time you hear it. Next we have "Tourniquet" where Evanescence confirms the rumors that they have Christian roots. The lyrics are astounding. I absolutely love Amy's little jazzy effect she puts on the word "screaming," which adds to the meaning of the lyrics.

Next we have "Imaginary," my favorite song on the CD. It seems to blend in with "Tourniquet" almost, seeing as the last track ended with a nice string piece and the first piece begins with it. This song is probably my favorite because of its poetic lyrics and great beat. Next is "Taking Over Me," a love song that starts out slow and then speeds up to a moderate pace. "Hello," the other ballad on this CD, defiantly shows off Amy's powerful voice and range. "My Last Breath" and "Whisper" go back to the dramatic rock side and finish up this strong debut CD.

There are so many things I like about this CD. One is with all of the new pop-punk that seems to be all over the radio stations, it's nice to hear something a bit darker, a bit more emotional. The lyrics, written by the entire band including lead Singer Amy Lee and lead guitarist Ben Moody, are also very powerful, almost poetic at times. Evanescence reminds me a bit of an earlier Garbage, although I could picture some of the guitar rifts in, strangely enough, a Linkin Park Song. Evanescence knows how to use strings effectively along with guitars and drums. This is a very solid CD. You can tell that they put a lot of work into it. I would highly recommend it. Amy Lee said that the purpose of Evanescence was to show the world that there was some hope in this world. This CD proves her right. It also shows that there is some hope that the young rock music world has not simply dwindled down to one type of music. I can't wait to see what this band does next.