MR. Record Company VP speaking:

"OK everyone, have a seat. I've come up with some ideas for the Evanescence album "Fallen" we talked about last week. In speaking with the band, they are more than happy to make "Fallen" an album that sounds like a mix of Linkin Park and Sinead Oconnor, and the singer has hair! (chuckles from room). Fallen will be a triumphant sucess as radio stations have agreed to play the single "Bring me Back to Life" over and over and over and over again until millions realize this is the next hip thing. Those who actually care about talent and creativity will have no choice but to be subjected to it, no matter how bad it is to them, much like second hand smoke (more chuckles from room). To be quite frank my friends, kids nowadays will buy anything we tell them to! Isn't that obvious? I think we all know it. Fallen will make us all millions of dollars, thats all that matters right? This meeting is adjurned until next week when we discuss the new Metallica! (aaawwws from room)."


The rising of the Fallen   March 4, 2003
 23 out of 25 found this review helpful

I've been a big fan of Evanescence for about a year now. After a friend played their previous release, Origin (on Big-wig records), I was in love. The two main players, Amy Lee and Ben Moody, met at a church camp while she was messing around on the chapel's piano. In an interview, Ben said how blown away he was by her playing. If you've heard 'My Immortal' (Daredevil: Soundtrack) you know exactly what he's talking about. I was unable to get 'Origin' but I was stoked to see 'Whisper', which originally released on 'Origin', on 'Fallen'. 'Whisper' is an unbelievably awesome riff-driven headbanger. I guarantee you'll be hearing Amy's haunting vocals going 'Don't turn away, don't give in to the pain, don't try to hide, though they're screaming your name, don't close your eyes, God knows what lies behind them, don't turn out the lights, never sleep never die'. If you have 'Daredevil' and are afraid that this just some nothing band that got a few lucky tracks, fear not, you're wrong. If you love 'My Immortal' and 'Bring me to life' you'll be glad to know that the whole CD is that good. The mixture of Moody's deep, driving guitar mixed with Amy's classically trained vocals and thin piano make a creepy sound that no can resist, even my Mom likes this stuff. Though it seems oxymoronic that a band that is often mistaken for goth-rock is made up of Christians (add onto this that they're from Arkansas) the Christian messages work really well with this music. And don't think this rock's answer to P.O.D., trust me, the entire Satellite album (including the insane Crystal Method remix of 'Boom') is matched in three of Evanescences songs. If I had to compare this CD to something, which is diffacult given how rare it is to find these guitar-works without some [one] screaming over them, I'd compare it to Thomas Harris' book 'Hannibal'. Beautifully haunting and somehow finding a balance between the elegant and the brutal. My one disapointment is that 'Fields of innocence', another song from 'Origin', wasn't on here. Buy this CD, even if you don't like Christian music. It's like Charlotte Church singing Marylin Manson and the pay-off is incredible.


beyond amazed...   May 27, 2003
 22 out of 35 found this review helpful

the first time i saw evanescence was when i was browsing through one of the many cd departments/stores in town. since i hadn't paid my cable bill in awhile, and the radio stations down here [are bad]. (the only alternative station was shut down, blleeccckkk!) i took a look at the cover, read the list of songs and generally assumed it was another female attempt at 21st century folk rock, and dismissed the album. i realized that i had made a huge mistake when i heard the song "bring me to life" while staying up late, watching mtv. i know many have said it's "linkin park-ish", but it's a new twist on the whole "rap rock/epic rock/dark rock" genre (or wherever you choose to place it), plus amy lee is an amazing singer. you hear more of a classical (as well as goth, and hard rock) influence in the songs, other than the usual rap beats, and computer blips, which i'm very sure that most of the population is sick of by now. what really saves it is the haunting true-to-life lyrics that read like a diary of a troubled soul...
quite frankly, i think it's a breath of fresh air from the depth-lessness of preppy rock/neo 60's-70's rock.


GREAT on the first listen...   June 1, 2003
 21 out of 46 found this review helpful

...but it falls apart quickly. Amy does have quite an incredible voice... if that's from the help of auto tuners, I don't know. I am hoping not. Anyway I, like a lot of the more... ehh I hate to say it but "educated" of the Goth metal scene and European metal will SCREAM Lacuna Coil rip-off when they hear this, and that's exactly what I thought too. BUT I have to say Lacuna Coil is musically much more interesting. Sure, Amy has a catchier voice... but... ack... The riffs and underlying chord progressions of these songs are SOOO cliche and boring if you are actually paying attention. The riffs are nothing... something an idiot Linkin Park fan in high school could write and play. Now let me say this... I don't even consider Lacuna Coil to be that inventive or complex musically... I get bored with them after a while too... but they STILL walk all over these guys. Listen to the album closely... and tell me the melodies and riffs don't sound 90% the same on EVERY song. They REALLY didn't bother to learn to write in more than one way...

I will say now though I do love Amy's voice and about 5 songs in I thought this CD was pretty cool. But halfway through I was just too much like.... ok... are they going to do anything new? You only really need 3 or 4 songs by this band. Bring Me To Life is pretty good, same with Everybody's Fool, and I think Hello and My Immortal are quite beautiful. BUT stop there. There's nothing else to offer on this CD that can't be found in these few songs. The other songs aren't bad per se, but they're basically just "bring me to life" remixes and variations I'd have to say. There's not much that sets them apart. Like every one is just a "single" and all based on the exact same formula. I can say I have no real interest in listening to this CD any more, it was good for one spin, and only My Immortal really caught my attention to listen to repeatedly.

I hope Amy breaks away from the band and does solo work or joins a band with a more ambitious scope of song writing... she is definitely the star of the band, and it's a damn shame that the band has no interest in writing anything but the SAME SONG over and over... oddly on their first album, Origin, the songwriting was a lot more varied... Anyway, if you enjoyed this album, I can say you would likely enjoy albums from Lacuna Coil, The Gathering, and Ambeon. Maybe not as initially catchy as Evanescence... but MUCH more to the bands than one style of song and simple boring riffs. It works here though, since the average person doesn't pay close enough attention to notice how bland and repetitive the riffs are since they are mesmerized by Amy's voice.... ugh I hate the superficial listening habits of most people... THERE IS MORE TO MUSIC THAN THE VOICE PEOPLE... ahh well that's never going to change... but that still doesn't make it any more of a tragedy in my eyes. I think Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree said it best in the song "The Sound Of Muzak"

"Soul gets squeezed out, edges get blunt
Demographic gives what you want

Now the sound of music comes in silver pills
Engineered to suit you building cheaper thrills

"One of the wonders of the world is going down
It's going down I know
It's one of the blunders of the world and no one cares
No one cares enough"

Most of you reading this review will never understand how sad that last line of the song is to someone who spends their LIFE discovering and diving their entire conscious into music... Music is so much more than something to bob your head to and hum a catchy melody... by the way, to see how to write MORE than one style song and actually have some emotional depth and diversity... pick up Porcupine Tree's In Absentia album... The songs don't sound the same, have different themes, yet every one is an emotional masterpiece. There's a band anyone can enjoy regardless of preference.


Dark, Moody, Perfect.   March 5, 2003
 19 out of 21 found this review helpful

Evanescence burst onto the scene thanks to their hit song "Bring Me To Life" from the Daredevil movie. Bands that become popular because of a song in a movie generally don't last too long and it would be easy to say that Evanescence is just a flash in the pan based on that alone, but that would be an unfair assessment.

Evanescence has a sound that is not popular in the mainstream and most likely will not play on the radio long which is too bad because the talent is there. Their music tends to be a bit moody, provocative, and has some dark undertones, which makes this a perfect cd for the "goth" crowd. If you like Lacuna Coil you will love this band. That said, I would still recommend this album to anyone and everyone. The sound itself can't be beat. You just have to love a hard rock beat with a beautiful melodic voice.

The music also has quite a bit to say if you actually pay attention to the lyrics. Their songs speak of pain, betrayal, and understanding. A couple of the more stirring tracks are "My Immortal" and "My Last Breath". If you are a big fan of "Bring Me To Life" I recommend listening to "Going Under" and "Whisper".

If you are like me then you look for an album that has more than just a couple of good songs. This album is for you. There are eleven songs on this album and not one of them is a disappointment.