The Open Door

Evanescence
"The Open Door"

With Ben Moody leaving the band in 2003, I have heard speculations that Evanescence will fall apart. That they are nothing without his guitar playing. Well to clear the air, those who said that are dead wrong. Now if you told me that singer Amy Lee was leaving, then I would agree that they'd fall apart. In fact, if you listen to the new album The Open Door, you'll see how she carries this band. After their smashing debut Fallen, I wondered how they would do their next album. Would they change their style? Tone it down a little? No. They stayed with the style that made their first album work so well. Haunting melodies, piano ballads with a hard rock background, and Amy's hypnotizing voice soaring on each song makes this album work well. Evanescence has always been honest in their songs when dealing with life, love, self worth, faith, and doubt. And you'll find that this new album further explores those topics. From reading a little about the band, I found that Amy had just gone through a breakup. It shows on The Open Door how that experience shaped some of the songwriting. That kind of transparency connects the band with an audience that also deals with the pain in life while looking for hope. That's where Evanescence connects with listeners on a more intimate level. The Open Door is a great follow up to their debut album.