Evanescence – Wind Up/Sony-BMG
The Open Door
Okay this is going to be a double whammy review of the first show of the new tour (which just happened to be kicking off in the T dot O) and the new album “The Open Door”.
Evanescence was the first band that successfully meshed classical vocals and a rocking echo making a very different sound from what we generally hear. I do not understand why the media and music stores classify the band under the genres Goth Rock or Pop Rock, to ones ear it is so clear their sound should be classified as Vocal Rock! Bring me to life was their first mainstream hit which was catapulted into the top 10, the track being on the Daredevil soundtrack gave them their big break. The bands first album “Fallen” co-written by Amy Lee (Lead Vocals), along with then guitarist Ben Moody (who was the man who made the music), the pair as writing partners were phenomenal, their chemistry was obvious as a band and as co writers, thus the magic showed on the majority of the debut release. The questions that arose when Ben ditched the band were; Why did Moody leave the band? Will the sophomore LP live up to its predecessor without the bands key musical counterpart? There was no direct answer from Lee on the primary question except that she herself does not know the reason for his departure. However, speculation pointed fingers at Lee for being “Too much of a Diva”. Now it is almost time to find out.
The Kool Haus is the venue, October Fifth is the day, and October Third is the release date for “The Open Door”. I did not have the chance to listen to the whole album much before the show. Although I was familiar with a few tunes along with the first single, “Call Me When You’re Sober”. I was running late to the show because the subway station closest to me was closed according to the popo waiting in the hallway. That was due to either a jumper (selfish suicide by jumping in front of the moving train) or a shooting. I have not yet discovered much about the situation due to my timing constraint and the popo would not tell me anything, I do not like pigs. A mission it turned out to be but I got there in time for the middle of “Sweet Sacrifice” which was the opening tune. The KH was not sold out and I was probably the last one in, the crowd was chill not many screamers, no moshers. Majority of the females were Amy-abee’s with long dark hair the tutus, holed stockings and Docs. The males were either with their Amy-abee girlfriends or with their boyfriend. I stood at the back because no way did I want to be in the front row of a General Admission gig! I decided I wanted to see a show like a normal person and I had learnt my lesson on front row at a GA show a while ago. People are ****ing crazy!! The last GA front row show for me was the first Anger Management tour stop in Toronto with Xzibit, Papa Roach, Eminem and Limp Bizkit. That was an experience of a lifetime if you want to know just ask, do not want go into detail about my past adventures in this review.
Back to Evanescence, Too many tall dudes in my way to see anything I got a few shots of the band but it was hard to get them all in one shot because Amy was always flying around or flicking her hair everywhere. The band rocked the house with fierce guitar licks and crazy drumming. They played all the singles and a few tracks on the new disc; Miss Lee’s voice was immense it was the first show of the tour so I expected nothing except perfection on her vocals, that she did deliver. The show was over before I knew it no costume changes a set of 13 the encore “My Immortal” and good-bye. Literally, this was shortest performance I had ever attended, most mainstream bands and artists cover more than just 13 tracks. I thought I was going to miss majority of the show but caught it all and there is no desire to go catch another Evanescence concert. Now we move to the album, we have already established the first single as a smash hit with unique backing vocals in which Lee’s sisters lent their pipes for. The first release was meant to be for Lee’s intoxicated front man of Seether ex-boyfriend. “Don’t cry to me, if you loved me, you would be here with. If you want me, come find me, make up you mind.” Is the hook off that track. The other tunes that stick out amongst the bunch are “Lithium”, “All That I’m living for”, and the “The Only One”. The track “Weight Of The World” is about Lee at war within herself trying to break free of her past persona “I won’t be held down by who I used to be, she’s nothing to me, she’s nothing to me”. Whether or not she had a troubled life, this track is certainly good if you are trying to battle your other personality or personalities and if you can relate to the latter, you are definitely a schizo. The weakest tracks of the album lay within “Snow White Queen”, “Lacrymosa”, “Like You”, and “Lose Control” the vocal arraignments on those tracks just do not flow with the lyrics and music combined therefore making them annoying because her voice gets a bit unsettling and can only be tolerable to a certain extent. Majority of the subject matter has to do with relationships whether it be herself she is quarrelling with or the love and hate that she shared with her ex.
This new disc overall does not even compare to “Fallen” you cannot make the same album all the time, The Open Door is not an amazing let me go buy it type but in its own unique way it can grow on you, I suggest a run through before you take the plunge, I must say at least they tried.
©2006Fridae™
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Evanescence - The Open Door
