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In many ways, Evanescence changed the landscape of modern
rock at the start of the new millennium by forging a path of Goth-rock
metal images and classical piano musings adorned with Sarah
Brightman-like operatic vocal tones. Unlike their Goth-rock
counter-partner Marilyn Monson, Evanescence's orchestral-pop
elements were personable as they weaved through the hard rock
mazes which struck a chord with audiences on their full length
debut release Fallen. Their sequel, The Open Door
is doing equally well for them which shows that music fans have
not saturated their desire for lead singer Amy Lee's melodramatic
vocals and the cacophonous rattling of her music troop which presently
includes bassist Tim McCord, drummer Rocky Gray,
and guitarists John LeCompt and Cold's guitarist
Terry Balsamo, who replaces her previous partner Ben
Moody. The Open Door is actually lighter in tone and
more uplifting then the macabre Fallen, but equally as
penetrating and intense.
The opening track "Sweet Sacrifice" has the typical
theatrical characteristics of Evanescence with a symphonic voicing
rising and gliding through the vocal shafts and intense instrument
tones. The rhythmic grooves and chord changes tailor an aura around
Lee's voice, moving with her and deepening her vocal hues. The
album, which was produced by Evanescence's long-time collaborator
Dave Fortman, shows many of Evanescence's typically dark
lyrical themes, as in "Sweet Sacrifice" when Lee calls
out, "I dream in darkness/ I sleep to die/ Erase the silence/
Erase my life/ Our burning ashes/ Blacken the day/ A world of
nothingness/ Blow me away." Her lyrics are as poetically
versed as Wordsworth and the music is evenly poetically
seamed. The haunting piano soliloquy on "Call Me When You're
Sober" is intensified with a pouring of molten guitar collates,
hounding rhythms, and a smoldering string assortment. The braiding
guitar twists on "Weight Of The World" have a mid-eastern
accent and Lee's howls are cavernous. On the rock ballad "Lithium,"
her vocal tones slink around the chord changes, coast across the
melodic floor and fondle the syllables of each word while being
circled by guitar riffs that gust breezily as an empyreal string
arrangement deepens the melodic textures.
Lee's curvaceous vocals give the songs charm and a subtle mysticism,
as her libretto resonance on "Snow White Queen" and
"Cloud Nine" give hard rock chimeras a sensual vibration.
Tracks like "Lacrymosa" and "All That I'm Living
For" have the bonus of spigots of ghostly choirs which intensify
the lavish grand piano tinkles and shearing guitar razzles. The
movements billow softly and tempestuously through the transitions
creating lush dynamics. Lee's impassioned vocals on "Your
Star" and "The Only One" are showered with orchestral
upheavals interspersed with thorns of demonic guitar ripostes.
The album concludes with the mellow dramatic piece "Good
Enough", embodying a somber piano melody and angelic strings
compiled with Lee's operatic voicing.
The Open Door is typical of Evanescence and yet advances
their style into lighter tones and more uplifting movements. The
music is still opulently dark and hauntingly gloomy, but with
more confidence and a deeper sense of strength, rather than the
helplessness protruding in Fallen. The poetic lines are
still present but with more diversity and new accents. Cold's
guitarist Terry Balsamo not only brought Cold's tempestuous guitar
fretting but actually Evanescence-ized it to fit with Amy Lee
and company. The Open Door is just as exciting as Fallen
only less crestfallen and morose. Somehow, Evanescence's sonnets
are just as universally meaningful as they were back in 2003.
-Susan Frances
Track listing:
1. Sweet Sacrifice
2. Call Me When You're Sober
3. Weight Of The World
4. Lithium
5. Cloud Nine
6. Snow White Queen
7. Lacrymosa
8. Like You
9. Lose Control
10. The Only One
11. Your Star
12. All That I'm Living For
13. Good Enough
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