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| The Open Door | 
 enlarge | Artist: Evanescence
Label: Wind-Up
Category: Music
List Price: $18.97
Buy Used: $3.68
You Save: $15.29 (81%)
New (43) Used (43) Collectible (1) from $3.68
Avg. Customer Rating:  471 reviews
Sales Rank: 808
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 5 x 0.4
MPN: 31202
UPC: 601501312021
EAN: 0601501312021
ASIN: B000FTWB7G
Release Date: October 3, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 HOW CAN IT BE THIS BAD!??!! READ FIRST!!! October 15, 2006
13 out of 42 found this review helpful
This album is lame, bland, and the production is horrible. First off this isn't Evanescence. It's a whole new band with Amy singing. This is like a David Lee Roth solo album after Van Halen. Or worse a Scott Stap solo album without Creed. Yeah it's that bad. Every single melody is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo stretched out. So boring. New guitar player was in Limp Bisket, that should tell you how much he sucks. The band blows, songs are horrible,and its' just a waste of money. Why else is it selling for $9 ? lol. THEY ARE DONE!
 I'm not ashamed to say it.......Ben please come back! October 12, 2006
11 out of 17 found this review helpful
For those who haven't bought the album yet and are reading these reviews to help you decide, here's some advice. Don't buy this album with the mindset that you are purchasing a follow up album to Fallen. You're not. Infact if I were you I wouldn't walk into the store with the mindset that you're buying Evanescence's new cd, because although it may say Evanescence on the cover, this is not Evanescence. This is a new band with the same lead singer that still carries the same old band name.
I remember reading articles about how Amy Lee had always wanted to make the music harder and how Ben Moody wanted to make it listenable, a bit more mainstream, something that EVERYONE not just the die hard heavy rock fans could enjoy. And TOGETHER they did that. They balanced each other out. Fallen was a rock album with FANTASTIC melodies that everyone could enjoy. The Open Door is not. What this album does is it appeals more to the people who didn't like Evanescence before because they thought they were too "Poppy" or their music was too "Commercial". Since when did making an album that is actually pleasing to the ears and doesn't cause migraines automatically make it poppy and commercial? Infact the only songs on the entire album I really remotely enjoyed were the first two, Sweet Sacrifice and Call Me When You're Sober. I like the music to Sweet Sacrifice, however the lyrics leave quite a bit to be desired. Its literally the same what 2 maybe 3 versus repeated over and over again? Call Me When You're Sober is good enough but it just doesn't hold up to the same standards as anything on Fallen. As for Lacrymosa, it's ok but unfortunately to me it doesn't sound as good as it seemed to in the Open Door advertisement. The what is it 10? 15 seconds of song that plays in the background of the advertisement is THE BEST PART of the entire song. Kind of like when you see a really good preview for a movie so you think the movie is going to be good so you shell out the 10 bucks to go see it ONLY to find out that the best parts of the movie were in the previews and the movie as a whole really isn't as good as the preview portrayed. That's Lacrymosa in a nutshell for me.
With that said and with the fact that I have just admitted to moderately liking only 3 songs on the entire album, I still have to say that even those three songs don't even REMOTELY stand up to ANY of the songs on Fallen. Not one. Infact this album is terrible in comparison. Fallen had the best of everything, the great hooks and melodies that stuck in your head, the beautiful thought prevoking (non repetitive) lyrics, the gorgeous blend of guitar riffs and piano all perfectly woven together with Amy Lee's voice carrying it home.
These songs, this entire album with the exception of the 3 above mentioned are nothing like that. These songs are for the most part either hard, angry and extremely painful to the ears to listen too OR in the case of the ballady numbers lacking of any true melody and just plain bland. Not to mention repetitive. It is just amazing to me that a new guitarist and writing partner can make such an ENORMOUS difference. Infact the very fact that this album carries the name Evanescence on it is extremely misleading because although ONE of the TWO prominent members, yes I did say TWO prominent is still in the band from the original group (as well as what? two of the original musicians) the sound is so different it shouldn't even be called Evanescence anymore, because although you can still tell its Amy Lee singing, the music sounds completely different. Infact even Amy's voice sounds different. She sounds hard and on some songs (songs that are so awful that I can't even remember the names because I couldn't listen to them in their entirety) just plain terrible. Yes people Amy actually manages to sound terrible on this album. Where as on Fallen, she sounds like an angel. In Fallen everything fit together perfectly. The music complimented her voice and vice versa. These songs in all honesty do nothing for her and they certainly don't do anything for me. I mean her voice gets so low at some points that she kind of sounds like a croaking man. Amy come on!! How could you do this to us? We know what you're capable of and its far better than this or should I say you used to be capable of far better than this.
I hate to keep harping on this subject here but in all honesty, this new writing partnership just doesn't sound as good as the old. I mean listen to the difference in these two albums. It's like light and darkness. Sure Ben wasn't the best quitar player out there, but the guy could create some beautiful music. Some music that with the partnership of Amy Lee was truly a joy to listen to.
Now I know I'm gonna tick some people off when I say this but to be quite honest, if The Open Door had been the first cd to come out and the band as it is TODAY, had been what arrived on the scene instead of Fallen and the Evanescence of old, I truly believe they'd still be floating around in the underground. There's just no way they'd have had any of the success that they carry with them now. Success that was earned before this group became who and what it is right now. Sure the band WAS successful but that was Ben and Amy. They earned that success together. Only time will tell if this "new" Evanescence can be as equally successful. One thing is for sure, there are going to be some very interesting times ahead.
Evanescence Delivers a Good Sophomore Effort November 8, 2006
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
3 1/2 half years, and Ben Moody-less later, Evanescence delivers the follow up to their debut "Fallen." "The Open Door" sees the band adapting a few new sounds, but staying firmly rooted in the sound that brought them to worldwide fame. Amy Lee has always been Evanescence, but with Moody gone, she really takes over. She's definitely the driving force behind The Open Door, and that makes for a record that is her vision. At first I considered the Open Door a sophomore slump, as the first few times through there were only a handful of songs I liked, and none of them grabbed me like say Bring Me To Life, or My Immortal. But thankfully repeat listens did wonders for me and the album, and I now feel it is even better on an overall level then Fallen. The album has some misses, but it has mostly hits. I think it has somewhat of a subtle feel to it, in that the quality of many of the songs doesn't unravel until you give a lot of attention to them. Overall I think Evanescence delivers a solid sophomore set. If you like the band for Fallen, give this a chance and you shouldn't have much to complain about.
Song reviews:
1. Sweet Sacrifice-The best comes first. This is my favorite off of the Open Door. It was one of the only songs I immediately liked on first listen, and repeat listens just made it better. Catchy guitars, hooks, and melancholy lyrics add together to make one of the overall best songs the band has, not to mention a surefire future hit single. 10/10
2. Call Me When You're Sober-The first single, and a song that deals with Amy's ex boyfriend, Shaun Morgan of Seether, and his drug/alcohol problems. A decent song, but a FAR stretch from the first single off Fallen, Bring Me to Life. Something like Lithium or Sweet Sacrifice would have been much better first singles. Unlike the majority of the songs on The Open Door this one has a very short appeal, and it won't take long to get tired of it. 7.5/10
3. Weight of the World-This song has catchy verses, while delivering a chorus that is mediocre at best. The first time I listened I was expecting it to dive into some big catchy chorus similar to Going Under from Fallen, but then it totally underperforms with a snooze fest chorus that contains similar lyrics to CMWYS' chorus. Just decent. 7/10
4. Lithium-The second single from the album, and my 3rd favorite. The song is one of the best songs on the album, and it really has great lasting appeal. The song seems to be about Amy's struggle with being happy, and her voice really soars here. This will be a huge hit. 10/10
5. Cloud Nine- Evanescence gives us their "Haunted" for this album, with a spooky and gothic feel that grabs you and doesn't let go. It's a song that I can't seem to get out of my head. Love the verses, and bridge especially. 9/10
6. Snow White Queen-Here's where some of those new sounds I referred to come in. Some where between goth rock and tecno, Snow White Queen is a tale about a stalker and his victim. Creepy and weird, my initial reaction was that I hated it, but repeat listens have made me think different. The song has its own unique flair, and I appreciate the band for experimenting. 7.5/10
7. Lacrymosa-Borrowing from the classic Mozart song, but adding plenty of their own flare, Lacrymosa is another one that shines on The Open Door. The song is one that really demands you listen to it as soon as it starts. Haunting, beautiful, melodic, and soaring vocals make this song so great. 9.5/10
8. Like You-Similar to Hello from Fallen, in that it's about Amy's deceased sister. The lyrics are heartfelt, but I would have to put this as one of the misses on the album. It's very boring as a song, and just won't grow on me. 6/10
9. Lose Control-Probably my least favorite. Despite some clever lyrics, the song drags, and is too forgettable. 5.5/10
10. The Only One-Another one that's just OK. It's starting to grow on me, but it just seems like a filler track. 6/10
11. All That I'm Living For-This would have been right at home on Fallen. Great all around song, and I could see it as a future single. 8.5/10
12. Your Star- This has to be the most underrated song on the album. Pretty much every review I've read of the Open Door seems to just kind of ignore this song. That's a shame, because I think if you give this song a chance it's one of the band's best. For me it is the only song that gives Sweet Sacrifice competition for best song of the album. The verse starts off slow, building into a chorus that is a lot better then you first realize. The song is very deep as well. Even though I doubt it will ever happen, I would love to see this as a future single, just for the exposure. 10/10
13. Good Enough- Amy had already hyped this song awhile back, and called it the big ballad, only this time it was a happy ballad. So I kind of drew expectations that this would be the big OMG!, My Immortal song of the album. So when I first heard it I was extremely disappointed that it clearly wasn't. I quickly wrote it off, and didn't listen for awhile. Thankfully I came back, and like many songs on the album it took repeat listens for me to appreciate it. Although it is far from My Immortal, or far from the best song on the album, it is still a good song. Amy's vocals again steal the show, and a happy song is something that's nice to hear from Amy. Good closer. 7.5/10
No Moody = No Melody October 4, 2006
10 out of 19 found this review helpful
Well, this new album goes to show that Ben Moody was the lifeblood of Evenescence. Moody provided the melodies, and Amy Lee wrote the lyrics and sang with excellence. Not so anymore. No Moody, no more magic.
This album is a messy collection of dull, non-melodic songs, that fail to capture my interest in any way, shape, or form. The debut album was captivating--this is mundane. Lee's lyrics are just as good as ever, but the music is lacking something fierce. The band couldn't fill the void that Moody's absence left, unfortunately.
I have been looking forward to this album for years, and I'm extremely disappointed to say that it does VERY little for me. Great single, "Call Me When You're Sober", but other than that, the album doesn't have all that much to offer. For whatever reason, the band was able to scrap together a melodic hit song, but placed it on an album full of songs that go nowhere. I'm greatly disappointed I have to write such a review, but this is the truth about the album. Nevermind what you read on here from hyped up fans, who would like their music even if it was the worst it could possibly be. The truth is here, folks. This album is shaky, at best.
 Silencing the doubters... October 7, 2006
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
As much as I love Evanescence, I was kind of worried about their sophomore effort The Open Door, as were many fans. The obvious reason is the fact that Ben Moody left, and he was supposed to be the "commercial" half of Ev, the one that made their music listenable. This had me concerned that Amy's songwriting and musical direction would carry the band too far from the one I had become obsessed with after hearing Fallen. I now feel foolish for ever doubting her.
The Open Door is a complete masterpiece, although it took me more than a few listens to realize this. The first time I listened to it I was a little disappointed at how different the sound was from their first release. I probably thought five songs were great right away, and the rest were good or okay. But the more listens, the more I got used to their new sound and it is just fantastic. Amy takes more chances vocally on this album, hitting high notes and stretching her voice more often. It is also in a lower tone for many songs, which goes along well with the dark mood trying to be set. Since her incomparable voice is why I became fascinated with Ev in the first place, this is my main reason why I prefer this album over Fallen.
Also, TOD is less commercial and more experimental. Amy managed to set each song apart from the next and give each it's own identity, but still maintained the same sound we're used to hearing. Terry's guitar work is better than Ben's IMO- more intricate and less repetetive. The lyrics are more straight-forward and less imaginative than the last album, but I don't really mind it. They all circle around Amy's relationship troubles and the problems she has gone through the last few years. Despite that, this album kind of has a positive vibe going on to me, moreso than previous efforts anyway.
Sweet Sacrifice, Weight of the World, Snow White Queen, and All That I'm Living For are probably the ones most will associate with their previous sound(heavy, more mainstream rock). Lithium is comparable to My Immortal, only stronger and deeper. Like You is comparable to Hello in that it is a very personal song concerning Amy's sister-guitars kick in half-way to really drive the song home. Call Me When You're Sober is the most popish song and was a good choice for the first single. The Only One gives me the most positive vibe, and therefore is a tough choice as my fav song for now-a heavy and inspiring anthem. Lacrymosa is heavy, epic, and just amazing. Lose Control and Your Star are very experimental and a totally different sound for the band. Cloud Nine is the one that best shows off Amy's amazing vocal talent. Good Enough is the only song that doesn't have guitars-it's a heartfelt ballad and is nice to hear just Amy's voice standing alone with piano.
Obviously not all fans will like this new CD, but if you're a fan of Amy and her amazing voice and were looking forward to something different from Origin and Fallen, pick this up and give it several good listens-you shouldn't be disappointed!
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