Evanescence - Evanescence + Halestorm - Live at DCU Center [Thursday, 1/20/22] [Review]

Anyone who knows me likely knows how much I love alternative metal band Evanescence. I have been a huge fan ever since discovering them back in 2003 when I saw the "Bring Me to Life" music video (which recently hit a monumental milestone on YouTube!) on MTV (back when MTV actually lived up to its name and was related to music). I got to see them live in March of 2007 in Hartford, Connecticut when they went on tour to promote their 2006 album The Open Door, and I am so happy that I finally got the chance to see them a second time. (I made a promise to myself that I would once I finally got wheels, and I kept that promise.) This show was once again in a New England state, only this time in Worcester, MA (where I saw HIM on their farewell tour except that was at the Worcester Palladium). The venue was a pretty decent size, and I got there as early as I reasonably could without having to wait outside in the cold for too long (as it was freezing cold outside - pretty close to 0 degrees F if I remember correctly) because I wanted a good spot, and I did manage to get a very good spot; this might have even been the closest that I have ever been to the stage at a concert, and, of course, the fact that I paid a pretty penny to be in the pit didn't hurt. Shortly after I got to my spot in the pit, the opening act came on stage - Lilith Czar. I quickly realized that I had seen her album cover (her album title being Created from Filth and Dust) before and had also heard a couple of the songs that she performed such as "King" and "Anarchy." She was pretty good and had great energy, and I loved how she credited Evanescence and Halestorm (I think prior to "King" which would make sense because it's kind of a feminist anthem) as having helped to smash the glass ceiling for women in rock and metal. Lilith's set was a relatively short one consisting of six songs plus the "Intro Poem" introduction, but shorter sets are typical for opening acts. Some shows (as stated above on the tour poster) featured Plush as the opening act instead, and while I am not all too familiar with them either, I did recently hear one song titled "Hate" which I really liked.

It was not a long wait after Lilith wrapped up with "Anarchy" that Halestorm came on, and while I will say that there is only a small handful of Halestorm songs that I like, they definitely did put on a good show. I love frontwoman Lzzy Hale's wild and chaotic energy, and highlights of their set included "Love Bites (So Do I)," "I Miss the Misery" (which they closed with), and, of course, "Break In." "Break In" was my favorite part of Halestorm's set not only because I love the song - a beautiful and haunting piano ballad in which the speaker is thanking someone for being their rock - but also because Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee came out and joined Lzzy on vocals, which I totally expected would likely happen given that the two have not only done so countless times in the past but also because Halestorm re-recorded the song in the studio with her. (You can watch my video recording of the performance here.) I really liked how they encouraged audience participation when they did "I Miss the Misery," which was one of the main reasons why, as I said, it was one of their set's highlights. I also enjoyed Arejay Hale (Lzzy's brother)'s drum solo which was very impressive (and he was very easy on the eyes too). I overall enjoyed their set, and, as I said, they did put on a good show. With that being said, however, I, as I said, only like a handful of Halestorm's songs. I saw someone say in an Evanescence fan group on Facebook that while they don't hate Halestorm, they didn't love their set when they saw them with Evanescence because Lzzy Hale is a rock star through and through and doesn't have the range or as many facets as Amy Lee does, and I completely agree. (The idea here, of course, is not to pit these two women against each other in any way whatsoever; they're very close friends which is awesome. All that I am saying is that I vastly prefer Evanescence as a band and that I prefer Amy's vocals and style.) I was surprised, however, that Halestorm's set wasn't longer; with Halestorm and Evanescence co-headlining, I expected their sets to be about the same length, but Evanescence's was about twice as long.

After Halestorm finished their set, I heard a lot of people around me complaining that Evanescence was taking a ridiculously long time to come on, but I didn't think so. I totally understand being anxious for who you're ultimately there for to come on (especially since it was a Thursday night which meant that a lot of people had to work the following morning), but it was approximately a half-hour wait which wasn't all that long. I have been to shows at which I waited much longer than that. Anyway, when I first heard The Bitter Truth when it came out last March and listened to the transition between "Artifact / The Turn" and "Broken Pieces Shine," I just knew that that was also how shows would open when they toured for the album, and I was correct. (You can hear both songs together in one track here.) I envisioned it as such: the stage would stay mostly shrouded in darkness with only a little bit of lighting and colors as "Artifact / The Turn" played, the band not yet on stage, and only when "Broken Pieces Shine" started and that incredibly sick guitar riff came would the stage light up fully, revealing the band members and eventually Amy once she started singing the first verse, and I couldn't have been any more on the money. (Amy was at first centered and elevated in the background in shadow before making her full entrance which was very cool.) I just knew that the quiet atmospheric nature of "Artifact / The Turn" while fans anticipated the band to come on stage and then that guitar riff coming in to cut through that and actually get the show started would be a kicka** way to start the show. (Plus, Amy has said before that "Broken Pieces Shine" was essentially written as an anthem for us the fans, so it only made sense to open with it.) That countdown and opening riff at the beginning of "Broken Pieces Shine" was honestly what I was most excited for, and I was not disappointed. Before I continue discussion of the show and some of its highlights, however, I will reveal the set list. There were definitely aspects of the set list that took me by surprise while there were also a couple of aspects that disappointed me, but I will get into all of that shortly.

1. Artifact / The Turn / Broken Pieces Shine
2. Made of Stone
3. Take Cover
4. Going Under
5. Lose Control
6. The Change
7. Lithium
8. Wasted on You
9. The End of the Dream
10. Far from Heaven
11. Better Without You
12. Call Me When You're Sober
13. Imaginary
14. Heavy (with Lzzy Hale)
15. Use My Voice
16. Bring Me to Life
17. My Immortal
18. Blind Belief

Starting with the highlights, "Take Cover," as one would likely expect being familiar with the song, was packed with fierce and raw energy, and it seems to be a favorite of theirs to play live since they actually debuted it live several years ago long before The Bitter Truth was even conceived. There is a part of the song in The Bitter Truth version (that is not in the version that they used to do live) in which Amy sings, "...so come on inside; rest in peace!" When she sings inside, she holds the second i for several seconds in a high pitched wail, one of Amy's most impressive vocal displays thus far in her career in my opinion, and she nailed it perfectly on stage. "Going Under" was also a highlight because it's a song featuring a different vocal style than Lee usually implements, a much lower register in its verses, so it was really cool to see/hear her do that again. The transition from "Lithium" to "Wasted on You" (The Bitter Truth's lead single released a good year or so before the album was) was kind of a cool moment because while I don't know if it was intentional, it made for a pretty cool thematic parallel. In "Lithium," Lee is of course referring to the drug which acts as a mood stabilizer, usually for people who are manic-depressive. "Wasted on You" is also a metaphorical reference to drugs, with Lee telling the addressee of the song that she is wasted on them like she would be a drug. (The first line of the chorus is even "I don't need drugs.") What makes this even more interesting, however, is that on the final night of the tour (which was the night after the show that I went to) in Newark, NJ, the band followed up on "Wasted on You" with "Part of Me" which also makes a metaphorical drug reference ("I need you now like the drug keeping me alive"). Other highlights included "The End of the Dream" (especially since they combined the Synthesis version and the Evanescence version, which was a very pleasant surprise), "Heavy" (a Linkin Park cover - possibly to commemorate Chester Bennington's passing - which involved bringing Lzzy back on stage), "Use My Voice" (mainly because of how Amy involved the audience for the chanting part of the chorus), and "Bring Me to Life" (which was a highlight for me because Amy did Paul McCoy's rapping part - "All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see..." - another pleasant surprise).

One aspect of this show that made it unique for me is how, with it starting with "Artifact / The Turn / Broken Pieces Shine" and then ending with "Blind Belief," it opened and closed the same way as the album that it was promoting. That usually is not the case. When I saw Madonna in 2015, for example, she opened with "Iconic" and closed with "Holiday," even though Rebel Heart opens with "Living for Love" and closes with either "Wash All Over Me" or the title track, depending on the edition. I was also very surprised by the fact that a good number of the older songs that were played, such as "Made of Stone," "Lose Control," "The Change," "The End of the Dream," and "Imaginary," were not singles. Typically, when an artist goes on tour to promote a new album, most of the songs are from the new album (which was not the case - only seven of the set's eighteen songs are from the new album which isn't even half) while the older songs played are former singles, but singles such as "Everybody's Fool," "Sweet Sacrifice," "What You Want," "My Heart Is Broken," etc. were nowhere to be heard. This isn't really a complaint, especially since, if anything, it goes to show that they probably like to mix their set lists up and play what they want to play rather than keep playing the same songs over and over again; it's just a point of surprise for me. The fact that there were several songs from The Bitter Truth not played was a disappointment, however, mainly because I didn't get to hear my favorite song from the new album, the aforementioned "Part of Me." This was definitely a surprise because I remember Amy saying in an interview that (a) the line in the song "drown me in your blinding light" was written specifically about performing live for fans and (b) it was the song from the album that she was most looking forward to playing; however, only certain dates on the tour featured "Part of Me," and mine unfortunately was not one of them. Not even "The Game Is Over" was played, and that is one of the singles from the new album!

I personally would have scrapped older songs such as "The Change" (especially "The Change" because that has always been one of my lesser favorites on the self-titled album) in favor of some more content from The Bitter Truth. Four songs from The Bitter Truth - "The Game Is Over," "Yeah Right" (technically another single albeit a promo single), "Feeding the Dark" (a fan favorite and one of the heaviest tracks - if not the heaviest track - on the album, so that was another surprise), and "Part of Me" were not played, with, as I said, "Part of Me" being the exclusion that disappointed me the most. I also would have loved to have heard them play band versions of "Imperfection" and/or "Hi-Lo," since, with them being the two new songs released as singles from Synthesis, a pretty recent album, it would have made sense to play at least one. With all of that being said, however, I have far more to rave about than I do to complain about and am so, so grateful that I took advantage of the opportunity to see my favorite band a second time, especially since it had been fifteen years since the first time which was far too long. They didn't lose a bit of energy and are still very much in their prime, and the stage was so colorful with really cool graphics and metaphorical images showing on a screen at its rear. Even though I totally expected this because she has been doing it for several years and did it all through the Synthesis tour, a touching moment was definitely when, right before beginning to play "My Immortal," Amy dedicated the song to us and thanked us for being there for her for as long as we have. I also got emotional during the video interlude in between "Far from Heaven" and "Better Without You." A beautiful piano piece (which is apparently appropriately titled "Time Travel" and is from the Donnie Darko score) played during a video that showcased some of the band's memorable moments over the years, and I especially got emotional when a fan was shown at a concert in the past absolutely bawling his eyes out as he sang along to a song. I knew exactly how he felt in that moment because no artist has hit me emotionally like this band has for nearly two decades now, and Evanescence is part of me, now and always.

Evanescence - The Bitter Truth [Review]

Approximately a year or so following the revelation of its title and cover art, American alternative metal band Evanescence (as anyone who knows me knows, my favorite band of all time) finally returns in full swing with its first album of wholly original material, The Bitter Truth, in a decade. The band's sixth album (yeah, sorry, but I can't not count the beautiful and groundbreaking masterpiece that is Origin), it features some of the band's rawest production and lyrically doesn't hold back any punches, telling things like they are as the title of the album would suggest that it does. The albums kicks off rather quietly with a soft, ambient introduction. (Past albums have begun with numbers like "Going Under," "Sweet Sacrifice," and "What You Want," all louder and more energetic songs, with exceptions being Origin and Synthesis.) "Artifact / The Turn," as the title would suggest, is technically two songs in one. Each part is pretty short, leading me to believe that they might have been poems written by frontwoman Amy Lee that were adapted to music. In "Artifact," Lee, over soft trills that sound a bit like they're being played on a xylophone or something similar, sings, "Underneath golden skies, you will always be there. In the mirror, in my eyes, you will always be there." It's definitely befitting of the title of the song because an artifact is, of course, an item created that is of historical significance, and Lee is capturing someone's presence here in these lyrics (a theme that she, in a sense, returns to later in the album). In a recent interview, Amy revealed that "Artifact" was actually recorded on her laptop in a hotel room which is very impressive (not that I am at all surprised). The melody of "Artifact" also reminds me so much of something else, but, try as I might, I can't put my finger on what. The song then takes a turn (see what I did there?), featuring ambient sounds and electronic warbles. Lee, here, sings, "Where do we go now that I have seen the turn? Where do we go now? Find a way to go back, to go back home, to who we are." The final statement there makes this track not only a perfect intro to the album as a whole but also to the first full length song on the album, "Broken Pieces Shine."

"Broken Pieces Shine" is definitely a highlight on The Bitter Truth for me, and I have seen many other Evanescence fans say the same. "Artifact / The Turn" moves gaplessly into it, and, in fact, at the very beginning of "Broken Pieces Shine," you can still hear the echo of Amy's voice singing the final word of the previous track. The song definitely has the energy that you would expect an opener to have - not only an opener to an album but also to a show, and I fully expect "Artifact / The Turn" and "Broken Pieces Shine" to, together, open shows when the band is able to go on tour for the album, especially since Amy has stated that the song is sort of like our (as in Evanescence fans) anthem, and it definitely has an anthemic quality to its big arena sound. Amy Lee has long been a proponent for fighting off the harmful voices in our heads that weigh us down and hold us back by trying to convince us that we're worthless and not good enough, having, for example, said the following during the live Synthesis show that was released to home video: "You ever have that thing like every day at some point during the day where you're totally criticizing yourself and you feel like you can't do what you're doing or you don't belong where you are or you just can't pull it off? Yeah, that voice is a waste of time. That voice in your head is a liar. I just want to say that we have to keep fighting it. That's not a flaw. Those things that you keep telling yourself are a flaw, those things I keep telling myself are flaws, I think I'm starting to realize and I keep having to hammer it in my brain but I know that it's true, they're not flaws. Those are the things about us that make us who we are, so just embrace who you are. You are good enough. You do belong here. We can't waste our lives being afraid to live them." This definitely ties into "The Turn" referring to finding "who we are" and also the theme of "Broken Pieces Shine," which is lyrically about the capability that our imperfections have of being beautiful (a theme similarly explored on the 2017 Synthesis track "Imperfection").

"Broken Pieces Shine" is a welcome return to the band's hard rock / alternative metal sound after the orchestral and electronic soundscape of 2017's Synthesis, which primarily reimagined previous Evanescence tracks as new stripped down, quieter recordings (while also including two new songs and three new instrumental pieces). This album is really our first time hearing Evanescence in their rock and metal element in a very long time, at least via original music. (While they did release a rock song back in 2019, it was a cover of a classic Fleetwood Mac song, not an original Evanescence song.) "Broken Pieces Shine" begins with electronic warbling and a monotonous and muffled male voice counting down: "3, 2, 1, 0." We then get slamming electric guitar and drums, and the best part of the song is definitely the melodically and thematically powerful chorus in which Lee, in a soaring and infectious melody that instantly hooked me upon first listen, asserts, "I'm not fine. I don't know if I will be all right, but I have to try. I know you're with me, so what if we do fall apart, give into all that we are and let all the broken pieces shine?" The deluxe box set edition of The Bitter Truth includes a bonus disc featuring the virtual concert that they did several months ago as well as a cassette tape, side A of which features short outtakes from the recording sessions and side B of which features seven instrumentals. One of the outtakes on side A is titled "BPS #7.1," and its lyrics would suggest that the song originally had a very different meaning, as Amy sings the chorus in that version much differently: "Can you still hear me or is this in my mind? I need you near me. I can't get you out of my head, still singing songs for the dead, baby, 'cause broken gems still shine." (The Evanescence Reference claims that she is saying "broken champs still shine," but I hear "broken gems still shine" which makes a lot more sense.) As I will discuss again later in this review, Amy Lee tragically lost her younger brother Robby three years ago to epilepsy complications, and, as past Evanescence songs such as "Hello" and "Like You" chronicle, she also lost a sister when she was very young, and it seems to me like "Broken Pieces Shine" might have originally been about one or both of them ("still singing songs for the dead").

The Bitter Truth then gives us two songs that we had already heard since they had already been released as singles - "The Game Is Over" (reviewed here) and "Yeah Right" (reviewed here). I won't discuss either of these songs at length here since I have already reviewed them, but I do want to say that "Yeah Right" has really grown on me, and I like it even more than I did when it first came out. I frequently find it stuck in my head and find it to be such an empowering song, and I wish that it had gotten a music video treatment (seeing as how it is the only single that didn't). Like "Broken Pieces Shine," "Feeding the Dark" is another song that I instantly loved upon first listen, in large part because of the nostalgia that it made me feel. Why did it make me feel nostalgic, you ask? Well, it sounds (at least to me) exactly like it could easily fit on Fallen, the band's first major label commercial album - the album that started it all for most Evanescence fans who have been here since the beginning. The song is sonically identical to the overall sound heard on that album, and Lee even vocally delivers it in a similar way. The song's eerie instrumental and Lee's lower register vocals remind me especially of the Fallen track "Haunted." "Feeding the Dark" employs some industrial and nu metal tactics in keeping not only with Fallen but with classic Linkin Park (namely Hybrid Theory and Meteora). Also featured is a relentlessly heavy guitar groove that persists throughout the majority of the song. I believe that it was the album's producer Nick Raskulinecz who said in the recently released documentary Embracing the Bitter Truth that the song is the heaviest song that Evanescence has ever done, and while I do definitely think that it's up there, I wouldn't agree that it's the heaviest song that they have ever done, as I think that tracks such as "Lies," "Whisper," and the original version of "Never Go Back" are heavier in my opinion. I personally interpret its lyrics as being from the perspective of depression, trauma, or mental illness in general - whatever voices in your head are trying to bring you down: "Well, you know that you can't hide," Lee taunts in the powerful chorus, "and you know that you can't lie 'cause I know all your secrets, and I won't let you forget."

Following "Feeding the Dark" are three previously released singles in a row - the lead single "Wasted on You" (reviewed here), "Better Without You" (reviewed here), and "Use My Voice" (reviewed here) - and I do want to point out that I recently found out (from Embracing the Bitter Truth) that "Use My Voice" was originally intended to be the lead single, and I found that interesting because while I knew that "Wasted on You" was not originally intended to be the first single, I didn't know which song was. I am honestly glad that it didn't end up being "Use My Voice" because while I by no means whatsoever hate it, it's probably the lowest point on the album in my opinion. We then get "Take Cover," and this is technically another one that I had already heard, although obviously not this studio version. With slightly different lyrics in a few spots, the band first debuted the song live in 2016, and it, along with "Yeah Right" and "Feeding the Dark," is an outtake (albeit likely completely re-recorded for The Bitter Truth) from the 2011 self-titled album. I have always loved "Take Cover," one of the angriest, most aggressive, and emotionally rawest songs that Evanescence has ever done, and I remember, after hearing songs like "The Game Is Over" and "Use My Voice" which I felt were somewhat similar in tone and energy, speculating that we were perhaps finally going to get a studio version of the song on The Bitter Truth, and I have to give myself credit for speculating correctly. It definitely fits some of the themes on the album and belongs alongside other songs such as "The Game Is Over," "Yeah Right," "Better Without You," and "Use My Voice." Heavy and aggressive with slamming guitar and drums and Lee employing a more aggressive attitude in her tone than she normally does, the song pulls no punches, warning the target to "take cover 'cause... I'm coming to take your world down." We also hear some of, in my opinion, Amy's most impressive vocal work to date when, near the end of the song, she sings, "...so come on in inside." On the word "inside," she, staying at a relatively high pitch, undulates the word for a relatively sustained period of time, and it blows me away every time.

As mentioned earlier, Amy Lee experienced a devastating loss three years ago - the death of her younger brother Robby Lee. Shortly after that happened, she performed a cover of The Beatles' "Across the Universe" at certain shows during the second leg of the Synthesis Tour to honor him, as he was a huge Beatles fan. (He even provided guest vocals for Amy's cover of "Hello Goodbye" on her Dream Too Much album.) I knew then that there was no question that Robby would have at least one spot on the next Evanescence album, and "Far from Heaven" - the only piano ballad on the album - is his spot. (He technically has two spots and potentially has even more, but I will touch upon that later.) "Far from Heaven" is a beautiful piano ballad somewhat reminiscent of previous ballads such as "My Immortal" and "Lost in Paradise," and it did take a little bit of time to grow on me, as it took me some time to find the melody, if that makes sense. Once I did, I immediately realized how beautiful that it is, not to mention heartbreaking. Lee's brother is one of the primary subjects of this song, but it also has a broader theme - depression and grief in general and Amy questioning her faith. With questioning her faith comes questioning what follows death and whether or not we get to be reunited with loved ones who have passed: "What if I can't see your light anymore," Lee questions in the song's celestial chorus, "'cause I've spent too long in the dark? And I'm on my knees without shame begging to believe, but I feel so far from heaven." You can hear the authentic pain and heartbreak in Amy's vocals, especially in two specific parts: (1) in the second verse: "Wake up to a new day, break my heart again. Dreaming makes for sweet escape, but I can't forget." and (2) in the bridge when she calls out, "Is anyone out there? Did you give up on us?" I am not someone of Christian faith myself, but the beauty of this song is that I don't think that you have to be in order to relate to it and appreciate it. Many of us want to believe in a higher power that protects us and comforts us when we're suffering, and I myself was struggling with wanting to believe in that when I went through my own hardship earlier this year.

A common theme among Amy's lyrics throughout the years is the peace and solace that sleep and dreaming offer. "Imaginary," "Secret Door," and "Dream Too Much" are all examples of this, and The Bitter Truth offers up more of the same. As previously mentioned, "Far from Heaven" refers to waking up to a new day and painfully realizing that you have to be reintroduced to your pain and your grief. In the following song on the album, "Part of Me," there is a lyric that potentially refers to the same theme: "Feed my imaginings; don't let a sweet dream die." I honestly, in a few ways, love that "Part of Me" directly follows "Far from Heaven" because it is kind of like a sequel to it. Genius even points out that the song is about recovering from grief and rediscovering the beauty of life. "Part of Me" is quite possibly my favorite song from The Bitter Truth, as difficult as it is to choose a favorite because of how many gems that the album has to offer. It is such an incredibly powerful track both lyrically and melodically, and it's very emotionally empowering. "I will be more than my survival," Lee asserts powerfully in the song's chorus, "own these scars on my heart. Even in dreams, I hear you calling. Breaking the surface, I won't let go. You're part of me." One of the many reasons why I love this song is how many different ways that there are to interpret its meaning, none of which are, I think, mutually exclusive. Amy revealed, for example, that the song is, in part, about us - the fans - that it is we who will always be a part of her. I also firmly believe, however, that, as mentioned prior, it ties into "Far from Heaven." The theme of survival is one that is present on multiple tracks on the album. In "Broken Pieces Shine," for example, she claims that "survival hurts," and here, she asserts that she "will be more than my survival." Is it possible that part of the process of Amy's grief following the loss of her brother was experiencing survivor's guilt? It is a common response to losing a loved one - wondering why death didn't take you instead and wondering what right you have to go on living and experience happiness when your loved one doesn't get that opportunity.

If that is indeed the case, then it puts the meaning behind "Part of Me" in a new context. As previously stated, the song is said to be about Amy recovering from grief, so I don't think that it is a stretch by any means to suggest that her line about survival is referring to survivor's guilt. Lee stating that she "will be more than my survival" is, in a sense, saying that, "Yes, I am alive, but I am done feeling guilty about it. I am going to live my best life." It is such an incredibly powerful statement. The song also potentially ties into "Artifact / The Turn," especially "Artifact." In "Artifact," she quietly sings in the final line, "You will always be there," and here, she sings that "you're part of me now and always." In both cases, she is essentially capturing someone's presence in a song. Another reason why I love "Part of Me" is because of past Evanescence albums of which it reminds me. It sounds a lot like the 2011 self-titled album (reminding me of songs like "Oceans" and "Never Go Back"), but Amy's haunting chanting at the end reminds me of Origin. I, in addition, love how relentlessly heavy that the song is, featuring, for example, a heavy guitar breakdown approximately two-thirds of the way through the song that reminds me a great deal of HIM's 2007 album Venus Doom. The final song (officially - I will get to that shortly) on The Bitter Truth is "Blind Belief," and although Evanescence has definitely ended albums before on high energy (Fallen's "Whisper" and "Imperfection" on Synthesis serving as examples), they frequently end with ballads (such as The Open Door closing with "Good Enough" and the self-titled album ending with either "Swimming Home" or "Secret Door" depending on if you listen to the standard edition or the deluxe edition). When I first listened to the album, I was somewhat disappointed with how the album ends because I felt like it ended kind of abruptly without closure, and it felt like a song was supposed to follow but was missing. I eventually warmed up to it as the album closer, however, especially because of the words on which the album ends - love over all. What a powerful way to end an album!

The album leaked prior to its official release on March 26th, and although I did not listen to any leaks (wanting to wait for the catharsis of the official release date), I remember a fan on Twitter having listened to it and saying that "Blind Belief" reminded them of Flyleaf's 2005 self-titled album, and I can definitely hear where they were coming from. The song is heavy and also brings in some classic Evanescence by opening with trilling piano (playing a melody that guitar soon joins in playing) and incorporating an orchestra into the mix. The song is very optimistic and hopeful and, like "Use My Voice," is likely thematically sociopolitical, hoping for a brighter future in which we see change for the better. "Are you afraid to see that our fathers were wrong?" we are asked in the chorus. The use of the word fathers strongly suggests to me that Evanescence is addressing injustice stemming from institutionalized systems of power such as patriarchy. The song can also possibly be tied back to "Use My Voice" in that both songs likely refer to firearms in a critical way. In "Use My Voice," Amy sings sarcastically, "Gather your friends and wave your gun in my face, but I will use my voice," and in "Blind Belief," she encourages, "Arms of self-sacrifice, lay them down." It's a little less direct in "Blind Belief" as it's more open to interpretation, but I am reminded of In This Moment's song "Lay Your Gun Down," which frontwoman Maria Brink has, at live shows, sang in response to gun violence, and I think that Evanescence is similarly addressing gun violence here, insisting that it needs to stop. "Blind Belief" also, in a way, brings the album full circle in the way that a line potentially parallels a line from "Broken Pieces Shine," where Lee questions, "How can we ever be us, wondering who we can trust?" Here in "Blind Belief," she declares in the first verse that "love begins with us, but we can't be trusted." I don't believe this to be a coincidence. "Broken Pieces Shine" isn't just questioning whether or not we can trust others; it's also questioning whether or not we can trust ourselves.

As previously stated, however, "Blind Belief" is ultimately hopeful and optimistic. Lee may initially argue that "love begins with us, but we can't be trusted," but as I said before, the final line of the song (and of the album) is love over all, indicating that if we put love before everything else - injustice, oppression, violence, hate, etc. - then maybe we can be trusted. This especially rings true given the line in the chorus about how "we hold the key to redemption," and I also love that there is, as is the case with several of the album's tracks, more than one way to read the lyrics. There is the sociopolitical way that I just suggested, but I think that "Far from Heaven," "Part of Me," and "Blind Belief" can also be read almost as a trilogy about grief - with "Blind Belief" encompassing acceptance and moving forward with hope and renewed resilience. As I said, I came to love and appreciate it as the closing track even if I didn't at first. It, officially speaking, closes the album, but there are different editions of the album that feature differing bonus content. The Target edition CD and the Japanese edition CD, as examples, both feature the cover of Bananarama's "Cruel Summer" that Amy Lee and Troy McLawhorn performed last year as well as the band's cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" released as a standalone single in 2019 to promote the video game Gears 5. (I especially love the acoustic take on "Cruel Summer.") As I talked about earlier in this review when I discussed "Broken Pieces Shine," there was also a deluxe box set released that featured the album (without, unfortunately, "Cruel Summer" or "The Chain" which meant that diehards like myself who wanted to own all of the tracks had to buy more than one copy of the album), a bonus disc, as I explained, featuring the virtual concert that they streamed from Rock Falcon Studios on December 5th (which includes a cover of Portishead's "Glory Box," making it the second time that Amy has covered a Portishead song) last year as well as a hauntingly gorgeous studio version of "Across the Universe" as a bonus track. (I mentioned earlier that Robby technically has two spots on the album, and this is the other one.)

I also previously mentioned the cassette tape included in the deluxe box set and how side A features snippets of outtakes from the album's recording sessions and side B features seven instrumentals - "The Game Is Over," "Yeah Right," "Use My Voice," "Better Without You," "Wasted on You," "Far from Heaven," and "Blind Belief." (I do wish that "Broken Pieces Shine," "Feeding the Dark," and "Part of Me" instrumentals had been included since they are three of my favorites, but I digress.) Of the outtakes on side A, some of the highlights for me are the intro titled "Wolves," "Avocado Cream" (it's typical of Amy to give songs silly food-related working titles, as "The Only One" was titled "Tuna Afternoon," "Never Go Back" was titled "Orange," and "Part of Me" was titled "Pickle Mustard"), the aforementioned "BPS #7.1," "Teleportation," and "Farther." The Bitter Truth, as I have come to expect from Evanescence over the last two decades, is phenomenal and does not disappoint, although I do have some minor complaints to voice, none of which are serious enough to really make me appreciate this album (which, as is also always the case with Evanescence albums, dropped at a perfect time in my life) any less. Firstly (and I am not the only fan who has voiced this complaint), some of the songs are mixed/produced in such a way that Amy's vocals are drowned out and too quiet, and I believe that I mentioned that in some of my reviews of the singles. This is especially apparent in the verses of "Blind Belief," but it's also a problem in "The Game Is Over" and "Feeding the Dark." With that being said, you can tell that the band was going for a very raw, almost live sound with this album and wanted it to be heavy, so the focus being more centered on the instruments is very likely intentional. Secondly, there are aspects of the tracklisting that I personally would have done a little bit differently. I don't really like the transition between "Feeding the Dark" and "Wasted on You" and think that "Wasted on You" should have been either closer to the beginning of the album or closer to the end. It, to me, doesn't sound right in the middle.

What even is the bitter truth? Well, despite the title of the album and despite Amy's claim in "The Game Is Over" that "there's only one," I think that the title is in reference to more than one truth - the truth that we all die, the truth that life isn't always a fairy-tale, and Amy's own personal truth that she isn't going to let be silenced. One of the overarching themes of The Bitter Truth, for example, is fighting off patriarchal oppression both in the music industry and in the world in general, as can be clearly heard in "Yeah Right," "Better Without You," "Use My Voice," and "Take Cover," and I kind of wish that all of these songs were right next to each other consecutively so that it felt almost like a story arc on the album as you listen from start to finish. Three of them - "Better Without You," "Use My Voice," and "Take Cover" are, but I also feel that "Yeah Right" is part of that saga and that it's interrupted by "Feeding the Dark" and "Wasted on You." I put some thought into how I might structure the tracklisting:

1. Artifact / The Turn
2. Broken Pieces Shine
3. Feeding the Dark
4. The Game Is Over
5. Take Cover
6. Use My Voice
7. Yeah Right
8. Better Without You
9. Wasted on You
10. Far from Heaven
11. Part of Me
12. Blind Belief
    

That, I think, pretty much solves most of the issues that I personally have with the tracklisting, but I once again digress. At the end of the day, the fact remains that my favorite band of all time is back with a vengeance. As I have also seen some other fans comment, I do miss the epic theatrical quality of songs like "Whisper," "Lacrymosa," and "Your Star," but this album definitely offers theatricality in its own way (such as the lulling bells of "Wasted on You" and the music box opening to "Better Without You"). Here is to hoping that it isn't another ten years before we get another original album!

Evanescence - Better Without You - Single [Review]

American alternative metal band Evanescence's brand new studio album (the first wholly original one in a decade) The Bitter Truth is set to drop in just a few weeks (March 26th), and "Better Without You" marks the fifth single (and very likely the final single before the album is released) released from the album. It has been nearly a year since the album's first single "Wasted on You" was released in April of last year, and that one remains by far my favorite of the five songs released so far. "Better Without You" is strong, although there are some problems that I have with it which I will discuss shortly. My favorite aspect of the song is the very opening - the sound of a device winding up and then a music box playing a haunting and beautiful melody that reminds me a lot of Ben Steed's "Your Lullaby" (which I am 100% sure is a complete coincidence, especially since Ben is an indie artist whom Amy and the band probably have not heard). The intro also reminds me a lot of Lindsey Stirling and Lzzy Hale's song "Shatter Me," and that probably is not a coincidence. Frontwoman Amy Lee covered "Shatter Me" with Lindsey at certain shows during the Synthesis tour, and she is also good friends with both Lindsey and Lzzy, so the intro here could very well be an intentional homage to that song. The music box melody is eventually broken by a staticky electronic sound (although the melody continues as accompaniment throughout much of the song), and the song then gets pretty heavy. (In fact, it might be the heaviest single released so far. It's either this or "The Game Is Over." I can't decide.) The slamming and unforgiving guitar riffs are definitely some of the song's highlights. The tightly controlled melody of the chorus is also pretty powerful, and it reminds me a lot of the song "Virtual Reality" by the band Scarlett Seven (a rock band that has sadly retired which was fronted by Amy's sister Lori Lee).

Revolver has called the song "a biting, anthemic fuck-you to the forces that have attempted to hold [Amy] back," and Amy herself has also made a statement about the song on her Instagram page: "This song is about my journey, and some of what I had to overcome to get where I am, and where our band is, today. I've fought many battles for my self and my music which are very intertwined..." The song touches upon sexism in society and in the industry (as did previous single "Use My Voice"). Speaking from the perspective of a patriarchal figure attempting to put her in what he perceives to be her proper place, she sings in the first verse, "...This is my world, little girl; you'd be lost on your own." It's fairly obvious that Lee is referencing people in the past - especially men - who attempted to hold her back creatively, and I don't think that it's any coincidence that the song opens with the sound of a music box "winding up." (Evanescence fans should understand what I mean by that.) It is a very empowering song that can have individualized meaning and significance depending on the listener. Amy even said on the aforementioned Instagram post, "Don't ever let fear stop you from being who you were born to be." If that fear is ultimately the you that we are better without, we're all afraid of different things. I do love how brutally honest the lyrics of the singles have been thus far; they have definitely lived up to the title of the album. However, I am fearful that while I definitely won't hate The Bitter Truth, it might end up being my least favorite Evanescence album so far based on what I have heard so far. Like many of the singles thus far, it's poorly mixed; Amy's vocals are often drowned out by the instruments (especially guitar), and it's hard to understand the lyrics as a result. I also really miss the theatricality of epic tracks like "Whisper," "Your Star," "Never Go Back," and so forth; The Bitter Truth has so far not offered much in the way of that grand-scale sound, but we will find out in approximately three weeks!

Evanescence - Yeah Right - Single [Review]

"Yeah Right" is American alternative metal band Evanescence's fourth single from their upcoming studio album The Bitter Truth, set to be released on March 26, 2021. Interestingly, frontwoman Amy Lee revealed on social media recently that the song was originally written for the band's 2011 self-titled album (which I reviewed here) but was ultimately cut when the album went in a different direction, and although it doesn't really remind me too much of most of what's heard on that album, it does kind of remind me of the song "Say You Will" from that album. When I first listened to the track, I found myself pleasantly surprised with the upbeat direction, bobbing my head along to the electronic production and beat of the first verse which reminded me a great deal of Muse, especially the material on their 2009 album The Resistance. I instantly loved the catchy verses featuring Lee's spitfire vocals that reminded me a bit of "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing" and "Imperfection," and I honestly find the verses even catchier than the chorus (which is interesting because a song's chorus is typically its hook). The song effectively teeters between electro-rock and alternative metal, making a somewhat surprise turn, for example, when it dives into a grinding guitar solo more than halfway through the track. It's almost like it can't decide what kind of song that it wants to be, even suddenly becoming somewhat dissonant and eerie at the very end when Lee, over nothing but piano, softly repeats abridged lyrics from the song's chorus: "Yeah, right, that sounds nice - more than it was worth to sell our souls." (The Evanescence Community pointed out on Twitter that this outro is very reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails, and they definitely hit the nail on the head - pun intended - with that observation because I can't unhear it now.) Much of the material released from The Bitter Truth so far has been angst-ridden and, well, bitter, and "Yeah Right" sticks to that trend. It's a bitingly sarcastic song that I believe takes a jab at the band's former record label Wind-Up. Several years ago, Lee sued the label for unpaid royalties and parted ways with them which was after years of struggle and conflict. (The original vision of the 2011 album, for example, was scrapped due to Wind-Up's insistence, as they were not happy with the direction in which Evanescence was going.) "Someday, we'll get paid more than it was worth to sell our souls," she predicts in the powerful and anthemic chorus. In the second verse, she asserts that "I'm a rock star. I'm a queen resurrected, just as messed up as before. Twist the knife hard, just makes it easier to tell you I don't need you anymore," and I love the staccato way that the beat is rapidly punctuated near the end of that line. The lyrics, as I said, make it clear to me that the song is aimed at the music industry and likely Wind-Up specifically. As previously mentioned, The Bitter Truth is expected to drop on March 26, 2021, and along with the tracklisting (featured below) having been revealed, the album is now available for pre-order. (Please note by the way that the above cover art is courtesy of Evanescenceville, as the band has not released actual cover art for the single. Streaming platforms simply show the album cover.)

Evanescence - Use My Voice - Single [Review]

"Use My Voice" is the third single from American alternative metal band Evanescence's upcoming studio album The Bitter Truth (preceded by "The Game Is Over" - reviewed here - and "Wasted on You" - reviewed here). Of the three singles released from the album so far, "Wasted on You" remains, by far, my favorite, and I am, in fact, kind of disappointed by "Use My Voice" because given what it lyrically represents as well as its boasted guest features, it really could have been so much more than it is. The song features guest vocals from Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless, Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, Sharon del Adel of Within Temptation, Lindsey Stirling, etc., and when I read that news, I got so excited, especially since, given her friendship with Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee and given the fact that I am also a huge fan of Within Temptation, I had been hoping for a collaboration between Sharon den Adel and Evanescence (or at least between Sharon den Adel and Amy Lee) for a long time. This isn't really much of a collaboration, however, as the guest vocalists are only featured together harmonizing a wordless chant in the song's chorus. The chant is definitely catchy and powerful, but I would have loved to have heard some of the featured guests - especially Sharon - more prominently and maybe having sung a few actual words. The chanting is, as I said, catchy and powerful, but I just feel that the guests each deserved a bigger spotlight, especially since den Adel is a legend in the realm of female-fronted rock and metal. (I can, at least, definitely hear her voice in the harmonizing.) Disappointments regarding the featured vocalists aside, however, it is definitely a powerful song, both lyrically and melodically. It begins with light and airy piano and Lee's ethereal vocals. It interestingly begins on a passive note, both lyrically and melodically (making that word note literal), as the very beginning of the song could easily trick you into thinking that the song is a soft ballad. Lee sings here, "Cover my ears and close my eyes just long enough to stop the noise."

The song fools you in this way, too, however, because Lee eventually flips that passivity on its head when she sings that "I will use my voice" right before the heavy guitar and the aforementioned chanting come in. The song is structured interestingly and unusually, however, because even though the chanting is usually part of the full chorus, the first time that we hear it, it stands on its own, and we get the second verse technically before we hear the chorus. The second verse is the first time that the song makes clear what the song is actually about: "Label me 'bitch' because I dare to draw my own line," Lee sings in a soft and low voice, almost a whisper. Amy Lee candidly explained the song's meaning and said that it's primarily about the need to reclaim America by voting in November. She said that she has never used music as a political platform but now feels that it's her responsibility to do so because of what is now at stake, and I couldn't agree more. She is, perhaps ironically, using her voice as an artist to encourage us to use our voices in various ways such as voting. That particular line to which I just called attention, however, makes it clear that the song is also addressing sexism and misogyny. I don't think that it's any coincidence that all of the featured guest vocalists on the song (which includes not only the ones that I previously mentioned but also Deena Jakoub of VERIDIA, Evanescence's own Jen Majura, Evanescence member Troy McLawhorn's wife Amy McLawhorn, and Amy Lee's sisters Lori and Carrie) are women, and there is absolutely a long-standing tradition of attempting to silence assertive women by calling them hysterical, bossy, bitches, and so forth, and Lee has definitely faced her fair share of sexism in the rock and metal music industry such as when Wind-Up Records initially demanded that Evanescence feature not only Amy as a lead vocalist but also a male vocalist. Lee fought that, and the compromise ended up boiling down to the debut single ("Bring Me to Life") featuring Paul McCoy of 12 Stones on guest vocals. In a lot of ways, she has been freed from such shackles. The band is no longer signed to Wind-Up; they are effectively self-signed which has given them a great deal more freedom to do what they want. (See what I did there?)

Amy Lee's voice crescendos in power as the song progresses, and she is practically roaring in the powerful chorus, especially when she asserts, "...don't you speak for me!" She makes it clear that she will not be silenced: "Whether you like it or not, you're gonna take what I got." There is also a cultural history of men attempting to speak for women. I am, for example, reminded of an iconic scene in the film White Chicks in which the following dialogue occurs: "And for the lady, perhaps a salad?" The "lady" in question responds with, "Perhaps not" and proceeds to order what she actually wants. A similar scene is also in the film Titanic in which Rose's fiancé Cal orders a meal for her before she gets the chance to do so herself. He then asks her whether or not she likes what he ordered, but it's made clear that it is more of a statement than a question. Coincidentally, as writing this review of this song, I saw a photo on Facebook featuring a woman holding up a sign that says "Stop teaching girls that being nice is more important than having a voice" on it. Kindness is so important, regardless of sex or gender; however, if being kind comes at the expense of you being uncomfortable, then it isn't worth it. It is so important to exercise your right to speak up for yourself and stand up for yourself and say no when you feel that you need to. As previously mentioned, Lee has stated that prior to the release of this song, she has never used music as an outlet to express political views, and months ago, shortly after "Wasted on You" was first released, I had a strong feeling that this upcoming album would mark the first time that that changed because of something that the band tweeted. In response to someone asking if The Bitter Truth would be politically charged, the band said, "Be prepared for all of it... this is rock. The voice that needs to be heard right now. The voice that is being silenced. The will that can no longer be controlled..." It is now clear that they were, in that tweet, likely planting this song's seed for us without our having realized it.

The cover art for this single (which I am really glad exists, since "Wasted on You" and "The Game Is Over" merely use the album cover as their covers) also indicates a politically charged theme, as the American flag is featured off to the left. In the song's third verse, Lee sings over the track's slow and steady beat, "Gather your friends, and wave your gun in my face." This is definitely a statement addressing the cult mentality that Trump has fostered in his followers, especially since most of them are vehement NRA supporters. I am personally really happy that Evanescence is taking this stand, especially since you know that things must be bad when an artist who has never previously implemented any kind of political commentary in her music now feels the need to do so. I have seen so many people lash out at musicians and celebrities for using their voices, saying that famous people should not be political, and I find that to be ridiculous. The key word in the term famous people is people. Just because someone is famous does not mean that they don't have the right to express political opinions. Several months ago, for example, Chris Motionless of Motionless in White tweeted something expressing his disapproval of Trump, and someone replied to him, telling him to "stick to music." It is absolutely ludicrous to reduce a musician to nothing more than a musician; as I said, they are people, and that could very well be another issue that Evanescence is touching upon in "Use My Voice." As previously stated, "Wasted on You" remains my favorite single from The Bitter Truth so far, but "The Game Is Over" and "Use My Voice" are definitely growers (as opposed to "Wasted on You" with which I honestly instantly fell in love). "Use My Voice" is definitely not metal like some of Evanescence's past tracks. (Songs such as "Lies," "Whisper," and "Never Go Back" come to mind.) It is, however, still heavy, with its heavy guitar (which breaks out into a brief solo near the end of the song) as well as its aforementioned slow and steady but powerful drumbeat. "The Game Is Over" is definitely the heaviest of the three singles thus far, however, and while I do love "Use My Voice" and love its power, I do feel that it could have been made even better by featuring the guest vocalists more prominently.

Evanescence - The Game Is Over - Single [Review]

After releasing the lead single "Wasted on You" (which I reviewed here) from their upcoming studio album The Bitter Truth, American alternative metal band has recently dropped the second single from the project, a song titled "The Game Is Over." I am definitely left scratching my head wondering what the overall sound of The Bitter Truth will be because "Wasted on You" and "The Game Is Over" are so vastly different from each other. The only aspect that I would argue that they have in common, in fact, is that both are rather raw in regards to production (which is probably in large part because recording and production is likely happening primarily, if not only, at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic), but that is especially true of "The Game Is Over." When I first listened to the song, which dropped a little more than a week ago on Wednesday, July 1st, 2020, the first thought that came to mind, in fact, even in the first several seconds of the song, was that it reminded me of Evanescence's first full-length effort Origin (which, although Amy does not consider to be an album, is my favorite Evanescence album) because of its raw and organic production. I know of an audiophile or two who tends to be bothered by raw production (sometimes even noticing production "flaws" that I don't notice even after knowing what they apparently are and deliberately listening for them), but I would definitely argue that there is something to be said about a raw and organic sound in rock music, and "The Game Is Over" is definitely a rock track. (Some opponents of the band's 2006 album The Open Door, in fact, criticized the album for being overproduced and too polished, although I personally felt that it was fitting of the album's dreamy and lush world.) I saw many Evanescence complaining after "Wasted on You" was released, saying that the song was not heavy enough and that, after the band's 2017 album Synthesis (which I reviewed here), they really were hoping for a return to form, for the band to return with a headbanging comeback single. I personally feel that "Wasted on You" is heavy in its own way, especially in the chorus, but "The Game Is Over" is definitely heavier, and fans who complained that "Wasted on You" was not heavy enough should have no such complaints about this single. In addition to its raw production reminding me a bit of Origin, there is also one particular spot about halfway through the song (at about the 2:11 mark) in which Lee's background chanting reminds me a great deal of her operatic chanting from "Weight of the World" from The Open Door.

"The Game Is Over" begins with a stomping drum beat, reminding me a little bit of the opening of Evanescence's 2011 single "What You Want." Frontwoman Amy Lee soon comes in angrily affirming that she's "had enough, I've really had enough...," and she is accompanied by angrily chugging heavy guitar that persists throughout the track. The most powerful aspect of the song is arguably the melodic chorus in which Lee asks to "change me into something I believe in. Change me so I don't have to pretend." Lee has made a statement about the meaning behind the lyrics of "The Game Is Over," saying that the song is about rebelling against the masks that society demands that we wear, telling us that we can't be our true selves. She has also said that it's about declaring that, in the midst of depression and anxiety, it's okay to admit that you're not okay. In the incredible music video (which is so wonderfully put together considering that, like the music video for "Wasted on You," it was done in quarantine), you see the band members' individual struggles, with Amy Lee wearing masks and war paint, which definitely emphasizes the song's theme so well. I also love how in both music videos from this album thus far, the entire band is about equally represented. As much as I adore the band's older music videos, many of them visually placed most of the attention on Amy Lee (especially true of music videos such as "Everybody's Fool" and "Lithium"), and I just really like how Evanescence, perhaps more now than ever, seems to be a group effort and seems to have great chemistry. I have personally found that "The Game Is Over" is a grower. I immediately fell in love with "Wasted on You" upon first listen, but I felt rather indifferent about "The Game Is Over" the first few times that I listened to it, and even though it has absolutely grown on me and I now really like it, it definitely isn't as melodic or as infectious as "Wasted on You" is. As previously mentioned, it sounds very raw and unpolished, which, in and of itself, is not something that would normally bother me, since, as I said, I love Origin perhaps because of how raw that it is, but in this case, I don't think that "The Game Is Over" is mixed as well as it could have been. There are, for example, several parts of the track, especially the chorus, where I feel like Lee's vocals are not loud enough, and it's consequently kind of difficult to hear the lyrics. It's a great alternative metal track, however, and I am so excited to hear The Bitter Truth (although I suspect that we will get several more singles before the entire album is dropped).

Evanescence - Wasted on You - Single [Review]

Anyone who knows me knows that Evanescence is my favorite band/artist of all time; I have been a diehard fan for seventeen years now ever since they released their debut single "Bring Me to Life" in the spring of 2003. The band recently announced that their sixth studio album The Bitter Truth is being released some time this year and that the lead single "Wasted on You" would be released on Friday, April 24, 2020. That time has come, and I can't express my enthusiasm and excitement properly because I am absolutely in love with this song. Evanescence Ireland on Facebook described the song as Evanescence having thrown "swimming home [sic], halfway down the stairs [sic], weight of the world [sic] and some 90s grunge in a blender." For the most part, I think that that is accurate because even though I don't really find it comparable at all to "Weight of the World," it does have the lullaby qualities of "Swimming Home" and "Halfway Down the Stairs," and the guitars definitely remind me of '90s grunge. In fact, one of the first thoughts that I had when listening to the song was that it was a cross between a lullaby and Radiohead's "Creep." I have also seen some fans compare the song to Evanescence's 2000 album Origin (which wasn't officially released until 2016 when Evanescence released The Ultimate Collection - a box set of all of their albums up to that point on vinyl - a box set which I reviewed here), but I can't say that I hear that. A good deal of Origin is uncomfortably dark and gritty (one of the reasons why it's my favorite Evanescence album), but there isn't anything dark about this song - perhaps lyrically but not sonically. The song sounds a great deal like a keyboard-driven lullaby before it gets heavy, and it seems to lyrically be about being stuck in grief following a breakup: "I can't move on. Feels like we're frozen in time. I'm wasted on you." It does make me wonder who the song is about because if the song is personal to frontwoman Amy Lee at all, then who could she have written this about? To the best of my knowledge, she is still with her husband Josh Hartzler, although it is also worth noting that the song never once explicitly says that the subject was a lover. Friends can and often do break our hearts, as well.

As I write this review, it is April 24, 2020 - an extremely trying and difficult time for just about everyone in the world because of the COVID-19 crisis. A lot of creativity has been put on hold because of stay-at-home orders. We are expected to quarantine ourselves at home to the best of our ability to help stop the spread of the disease, which means that movies cannot be made; musicians cannot record music unless they have studios at home, nor can musicians shoot music videos because they are not allowed to be together. Evanescence found a creative way around shooting this music video, however; the music video depicts the band members hanging out at home - struggling between emotional highs and lows, something to which we can all (or at least most of us) relate right now. The music video comes at such a poignant time in our lives, proving once again that art saves. That is something that I have always loved about Amy Lee - her ability to turn hardship into something beautiful and creative. She has been quoted as saying that "you can't control all the crazy stuff that happens to you; all you can control is the way you handle it," and those are definitely words by which she seems to live. When Evanescence's equipment was set afire last year at a festival in Mexico, for example, it went on to inspire some of the imagery in the music video for "The Chain," Evanescence's Fleetwood Mac cover that they released last year to promote the video game Gears of War 5. The ability to transform something destructive into something creative is so inspirational and one of several reasons why I look up to Amy. The music video for "Wasted on You" is no exception. The band members having to stay at home didn't stop them from giving us an emotionally moving and powerful music video. Lee also lost her brother Robby to epilepsy two years ago, which cut his life short at only twenty-four or twenty-five years of age (depending on when his birthday was), so I also fully expect there to be at least one song on The Bitter Truth about him.

"Wasted on You" itself - although not originally written about this pandemic (as I said, it sounds like a breakup song, and the title reminds me a great deal of Amy's beautiful b-side from The Open Door titled "The Last Song I'm Wasting on You") - could also be repurposed as being about the COVID-19 pandemic. It could be expressing anger toward leaders because of how they have handled the pandemic. (I won't mention any names, although Evanescence did confirm that there will potentially be some political material on the album.) The second verse especially reminds me a great deal of what's going on right now: "Once, this was a garden. This was our world. All of the nightmares stayed in the dark. A little too much time by yourself, and you become the enemy. Just look at us now." If that doesn't accurately describe what's going on right now, then nothing ever will. Amy even said that this song was not originally going to be the album's lead single, but it seemed like the most appropriate choice because of the pandemic, and I couldn't agree more. You can tell that it wasn't originally meant to be the lead single because it sounds more like a closing track than it does a lead single; it doesn't have the energy that previous lead singles such as "Bring Me to Life," "Call Me When You're Sober," and "What You Want" had, but I am still so happy that this song was chosen because even though I can't speak for the rest of the album because I haven't heard anything else yet, this beautiful song and music video were much needed right now. The only thing that irks me about the media attention that this song has been getting is that some of it claims that it's the band's first new song in nine years, which is not true. While The Bitter Truth will be the band's first album of all new content since its self-titled 2011 album, "Wasted on You" is not its first new song since 2011. Such journalists obviously slept on "Imperfection" and "Hi-Lo" released from Synthesis (which I reviewed here) in 2017. I cannot wait to hear more of this album and am really looking forward to hearing what the central sound will be. Amy has said before that it has some The Open Door vibes, and that's definitely exciting to me because that is my favorite commercial album of theirs.

Evanescence - Synthesis [Review]

Synthesis (defined as the combination of ideas to form a theory or system) is Evanescence's fourth studio album (fifth if one counts Origin) and was announced by frontwoman Amy Lee earlier this year. Lee announced that the album would consist mostly of re-recorded versions of older songs now stripped back and infused with orchestra and synth. (Synth being heavily prominent on the album is partly why the album's title is quite clever.) The album features eleven re-recorded songs, three new instrumental pieces, and two new songs ("Hi-Lo" and "Imperfection"), opening with an instrumental piece referred to as the overture. The overture, driven by piano and strings, initially reminded me a lot of the introduction heard at the beginning of an early version of the band's song "Whisper" (a song that I actually wish had been reimagined on Synthesis) and sure enough, Lee confirmed that the overture intentionally features elements of "Whisper." The short overture (running at just under a minute long) moves smoothly into "Never Go Back," reimagined from the band's 2011 self-titled album. The Evanescence version is one of the heaviest songs that the band has done to date, but this one is stripped back and driven primarily by piano and strings. The original version features a hauntingly beautiful piano break approximately halfway through, but it is featured more prominently here, serving as the introduction to the song. When it returns where it originally was in the Evanescence version, it is played with strings instead of piano. Lee sings the song in a slightly gentler and lower register. My favorite part of the song is when thumping strings accentuate Lee's syllables during the second verse, but I, overall, prefer the original heavy version. The song was written about the earthquake and tsunami that hit and shook Japan in 2011, and I strongly believe that the weight of the original version better captures the nature of the disaster and the damage that it left in its wake.

The third track on the album is a "new" song titled "Hi-Lo." I was first made aware of the existence of this song years ago when Lee mentioned the title, saying that it was written for the self-titled album, even though it obviously did not make the final cut. The song is an electronic song featuring strings and piano as support, and the best part of the song is renowned violinist Lindsey Stirling being featured on violin during a dramatic instrumental break near the end of the song. "Hi-Lo" lyrically addresses a former lover or friend with whom she is no longer angry: "Oh, the damage was real, but nothing cut me so deep I could not heal." (Fans have speculated that the song is about ex-member and co-fouder Ben Moody, but this has not been officially substantiated.) The fourth track on Synthesis is a new rendition of "My Heart Is Broken," which was originally featured on the 2011 self-titled album. "My Heart Is Broken" has always been one of my favorite Evanescence songs, especially since it has personally helped me through some very difficult times, so I was pretty excited to hear the Synthesis version. While this is another song that I think sounds better backed by heavy guitar, I still very much appreciate the Synthesis version. The raw emotion is still there, and even though the beautiful piano accompaniment persistent throughout the original version is only featured minimally in this version fairly close to the end, it is played on the harp and is absolutely beautiful. I cried the first time that I heard it because of how beautiful that it sounds on the harp, and it is also beautiful because it is almost a dream realized for Amy Lee. She originally wanted to play the part on the harp on the Evanescence version but opted to play the piano instead because she still wasn't all that proficient on the harp. Although it still is not her playing it on the Synthesis version, it is the woman who taught her to play harp who is playing, and there is still a beauty to that.

"Lacrymosa" serves as the album's third single and is its fifth track, probably deliberately placed as the third song in a row that could easily be interpreted as a song about a failed relationship. ("My Heart Is Broken" was actually written in response to sex trafficking being on the rise, but it can easily be interpreted as being about having lost a loved one in some way in a more universal way.) The song, which was originally featured on the 2006 album The Open Door, was originally an epic metal piece that managed to successfully synthesize hard rock and classical music, as the song features elements of Mozart's Lacrymosa from his Requiem mass. This is yet another song of which I prefer the original version. I find the song to be much more dramatic backed by heavy guitar, and the killer guitar solo that screeches out of control near the end of the original version is noticeably absent. The Lacrymosa chorus of Mozart's is also much more prominent and easily heard on the original version. It is difficult to see the re-recordings of separate bodies of work independent of their original versions, and this is one that seems to be drastically lacking something. With that being said, near the end of the Synthesis version, Lee operatically sings in a hauntingly high register that sends chills down my spine, so this version of the song, a song which speaks of finding strength and independence at the end of a failed relationship, does have an evident strength. Following "Lacrymosa" is the new version of "The End of the Dream," a song that I might just prefer on Synthesis to the original version, which was found on the 2011 self-titled album. This new version is darker and sounds very eerie with its low electronic droning. The piano part in the original version is brought to the foreground and played on what sounds like a xylophone, and it's stunningly beautiful. My favorite part of this version is near the end when the chorus is broken by thumping strings and what sounds like a little bit of electric guitar. 

The seventh track on Synthesis is the first single released from the album, the new version of the band's first ever single, "Bring Me to Life" (which I reviewed here). We then move into a new instrumental interlude titled "Unraveling," a beautiful blend of piano and strings. I saw one fan say that they could hear elements of "Call Me When You're Sober" in this piece, but I honestly don't hear that; I do, however, definitely hear elements of "Bring Me to Life," which is why I find it interesting that this piece was originally meant to open the album, with the following track "Imaginary" being the first song heard. It, to me, makes sense to have this piece either before or after "Bring Me to Life" because of its obvious melodic allusions to it. The next two tracks on Synthesis are two revamped versions of older songs, revamped versions which I love. "Imaginary," originally from the 2003 major label debut album Fallen, reminds me a bit of demo versions that were recorded prior to Fallen. This new version is very electronic driven and very upbeat, and the coolest part of the song is, perhaps, when the instrumental break from the Fallen version, then played on electric guitar, is now played by horns. I felt absolutely floored when I first heard that part. "Secret Door," a lulling and beautiful song about the escapism that dreams can sometimes offer, was originally on the deluxe version of the band's 2011 self-titled album and then re-released on last year's Lost Whispers compilation of b-sides. "Secret Door" is probably the only song that has had something added to it on Synthesis rather than being stripped down. On Evanescence, the song featured only piano, strings, harp (the first ever Evanescence song to feature harp after Amy learned how to play), and a very light beat; on Synthesis, however, a stronger and much more prominent beat has been added, breathing new life into a beautiful song that has always been one of my favorite Evanescence songs.

"Lithium" is another song that has always been one of my favorite Evanescence songs of all time. The melody is gorgeous, and the raw emotion in the lyrics is evident, such as when Lee sings "Come to bed; don't make me sleep alone" and "Just didn't drink enough to say you love me." Featured originally on the 2006 album The Open Door, Lee seemed to be baring her soul much more transparently than she did on Fallen, as this was one of several songs on the album written about her ex-boyfriend Shaun Morgan, the frontman of Seether. I have always vehemently related to this song on a personal level, as the song is basically stating that she would rather feel melancholy than feel nothing at all. (As a side-note, the song's music video is more than likely my favorite music video of all time.) Heavy guitar has been removed from the Synthesis version, and harp has been added as well as what is probably a xylophone, as heard in "End of the Dream." As is the case with several other songs on the album such as "Bring Me to Life," Lee's vocals are a lot more raw and live-sounding than they are on the original version of the song. We then hear "Lost in Paradise" and "Your Star," which flow together with no gap. "Lost in Paradise" was originally featured on the self-titled album and was one of the softer songs on the album. The chiming probably played on a xylophone (although I could definitely be wrong about that) are heard once again, but as is the case with most of the new versions on Synthesis, it is stripped down and is even softer than the Evanescence version. The original version brings in electric guitar and a more prominent orchestra after the chorus is heard the first time, but that break on Synthesis brings in a much more intense orchestra than heard before in the song but no electric guitar. The Synthesis version is definitely beautiful and raw, but this is another song that I think sounds better as a rock song.

As previously mentioned, "Lost in Paradise" transitions smoothly with no gap into "Your Star," originally featured on The Open Door. Layered with piano, electric guitar, strings, and choir, it is a breathtaking song and definitely in my top five favorites. The Synthesis version is, of course, stripped back, relying more on synth than on guitar. The chillingly beautiful piano break heard about halfway through the original version is still present, but the choir that eventually joins it is much more subdued and nowhere near as prominent. I was so happy when I found out that "Your Star" was on the tracklisting, but it unfortunately is lacking something on here and is weakened. The fourteenth track might be the only track on Synthesis that feels unnecessary. Fans have heard multiple versions of the band's smash hit single "My Immortal." It was first recorded in a very raw and underdeveloped stage in 1998. (I love the lyrics that are in that version and later unfortunately removed.) It was then re-recorded and further developed for Origin and was then placed on Fallen only slightly changed. The song was then released as a single from Fallen, and the single version was a different recording with heavy guitar added near the end. "My Immortal" went on to become the band's best known single, being partially responsible for Fallen being certified 7x platinum in the United States. It is almost always included in setlists when the band goes on tour and was, of course, included on their live album Anywhere but Home. Including it on Synthesis consequently felt like beating a dead horse (if you'll pardon the crudity). Lee has even said that she has grown to hate the song, especially since the lyrics were written by Ben Moody, so I am thinking that she felt obligated to include it because of how popular that it is. It wouldn't be so bad if the Synthesis version were drastically different from what we have heard before, but it's really not. It's driven by strings and piano, just like we have almost always heard in the past. As I said, it feels unnecessary.

Synthesis ends with a new piano solo titled "The In-Between" which transitions into the album's second single, the new song "Imperfection" (which I reviewed here). "The In-Between" is, as just mentioned, a piano solo which features the piano melody from "Hello" drastically slowed down, so Lee playing the piano is the only sound that is heard up until the end when strings begin to transition into "Imperfection." The piece sounds very classical in nature and picks up in in intensity as it progresses. I find myself wondering if the title of the piece is intended to be a reference to a place between life and death, since the intended audience of "Imperfection" (which is, without a doubt, one of the most intense songs on the album) is those who suffer from mental illness and suicidal thoughts. I am overall pretty pleased with Synthesis, although there are definitely some things that I would have done differently. "Whisper," one of Evanescence's heaviest and most intense songs to date, seems to be sacrilegiously missing, and "My Immortal," as previously mentioned, seems to be wholly unnecessary. I also wish that another Evanescence song in my top five favorites, "Disappear," were on Synthesis because it features a beautiful piano part that I would love to hear more isolated. I have always felt like that song would sound great stripped back. I finally find myself wishing that the album went farther back in the Evanescence catalogue than just Fallen and had included some revamped songs from Origin. They re-recorded the Origin song "Even in Death" for the Lost Whispers compilation, so it doesn't seem like too ridiculous of a thought to me. It would have been a real treat to hear songs like "Where Will You Go?" or "Away from Me" on Synthesis, but at least we finally got a new Evanescence album after six years; beggars can't be choosers, I suppose. The rumor is that yet another Evanescence album featuring strictly new songs, apparently in the same vein as that of "Hi-Lo" and "Imperfection," is in the works and should be dropped next year (as in 2018). Here is to hoping for that!