Album: Evanescence - Open Door
Evanescence’s new album, The Open Door, has been a long time coming but in my opinion it has been well-worth the wait. I believe this album truly reflects what the band has been through recently – a difficult break up for singer/songwriter, Amy Lee, and a stroke for guitarist and fellow song writer, Terry Balsamo – it is passionate and heartfelt, and really covers the whole range of emotions, including, funnily enough, happiness.
One element the band strove to include on this album was the feeling of empowerment. No song shows this better than the first track, Sweet Sacrifice. The lyrics and just the sheer power of Amy’s vocals can’t help but make you feel emotionally strong – it’s a great post-relationship song.
Other standout songs on the album include Lithium, which embraces the lack of power and weakness that we all experience at one point in our lives – a feeling of numbness. The first single off the album, Call Me When You’re Sober, reinforces the moving-on-theme, and I feel it was an obvious choice for their first hit. Apart from being a basically awesome song both musically and lyrically, it symbolizes, in a way, Amy’s rebirth. Finally, Good Enough is a truly beautiful song, which I feel was a perfect end to the album.
Verdict: Evanescence’s mix of goth rock and passionate classical vocals has always been something I have alluring and powerful. This album is a rational, but certainly not predictable, revolution for a band that has been through a lot lately and has still managed to come out on top. I give The Open Door an 8/10.