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Rating:
Evanescence: one of the bands that surprised many with just the single "Bring me to Life". A high-class hit and an album that had its ups and downs, but still a good debut without too many qualitative pretenses, offering a fairly personal interpretation of gothic-nu-metal.
Returning to the market with the new "Open Door", Evanescence should confirm and develop the good points that the previous "Fallen" presented. Let's say the operation wasn't entirely successful. The album could perfectly pair with 'Fallen', since, in a stylistic comparison, it deviates little from its predecessor: riffs always equipped with good rhythmic power but not very original and not very complex, very elaborate melodies but at times predictable and songs often filled with massive insertions of keyboards and pianos, reminiscent of the work of songs that made a good impression in "Fallen".
Naturally, having learned the lesson of success, the frontwoman Amy Lee does not fail to include in this new work some tracks that can become hits, broadly reminiscent of songs like "My Immortal" or "Hello". The album begins almost parallel to "Fallen": voice almost sampled and a pounding syncopated distorted guitar riff. "Sweet sacrifice" is an excellent start just like "Going Under". Amy Lee's voice sounds great on this album, it will be seen live if she will maintain certain vocalizations...! An excellent chorus, melodic just right, and good work from Terry Balsamo who replaced Ben Moody well (who, in my opinion, would have done better to stay...). "Call me when you're sober" presents an almost more cheerful soul, leaving aside afflicting melodies, in favor of a chorus and verses with predictable melodies but more cheerful and let's say it"pop".
"Weight of the world" replays the melodic and rhythmic atmospheres and openings of "Fallen", thus staying perfectly Evanescence style. Don't be fooled by "Lithium". It’s not the cover of Cobain’s more famous song, but a track that is gentle but predictably disarming. "Cloud Nine" features Amy with an effected voice (almost reminiscent of the Muse with the megaphone-like effect) in a track that is simply bad. And bad and boring is the next track "Snow White Queen". The subsequent tracks begin to decline, just as the first album noticeably did after halfway. "Lacrymosa" bores. "Like You" is soporific. The slowness of "Lose Control" is sincerely pathetic and Lee's voice seems less and less charming and sometimes annoying in her continuous virtuosity and background choirs. "The Only One" lifts the tone of the album a bit, while "Your Star" is the classic song that starts with gentle piano notes to be overwhelmed by predictable riffs and rhythmic solutions. "All that I'm living for" uses the Evanescence cliché, therefore nothing new. At the end of the album, here's the obligatory ballad: "Good enough" is cute, sure, and is cleverly placed at the end of the album.
That said: "The Open Door" is the perfect continuation of "Fallen", and it almost results in a qualitative copy: a good first part and a completely poor second part or, at least, not very original and developed. The band surely doesn't offer much more than this, so fans will have to be content. For the detractors, the album will surely confirm their criticisms.
There’s a passing grade, though barely...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Sweet Sacrifice (03:06)
It's true, we're all a little insane
but it's so clear
now that I am unchained
Fear is only in our minds
taking over all the time
fear is only in our minds
but it's taking over all the time
You poor sweet innocent thing
dry your eyes and testify
you know you live to break me- don't deny
sweet sacrifice
One day I'm gonna forget your name
and one sweet day,
you're gonna drown in my lost pain
Fear is only in our minds
taking over all the time
fear is only in our minds
but it's taking over all the time
You poor sweet innocent thing
dry your eyes and testify
and oh you love to hate me don't you, honey?
I'm your sacrifice
[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]
Do you wonder why you hate?
are you still too weak to survive your mistakes?
You poor sweet innocent thing
dry your eyes and testify
you know you live to break me- don't deny
sweet sacrifice
03 Weight of the World (03:38)
Feels like the weight of the world
Like God in heaven gave me a turn
Don't cling to me, I swear I can't fix you
Still in the dark, can you fix me?
Free fall, free fall
All through life
If you love me
Then let go of me
I won't be held down
By who I used to be
She's nothing to me
Feels like the weight of the world
Like all my screaming has gone unheard
And, oh, I know you don't believe in me
Safe in the dark, how can you see?
Free fall, free fall
All through life
If you love me
Then let go of me
I won't be held down
By who I used to be
If you love me
Then let go of me
I won't be held down
By who I was
If you love me
Then let go of me
I won't be held down
By who I used to be
04 Lithium (03:44)
Lithium- Don't wanna lock me up inside
Lithium- Don't wanna forget how it feels without
Lithium- I wanna stay in love with my sorrow
Oh, but God, I wanna let it go
Come to bed, don't make me sleep alone
Couldn't hide the emptiness, you let it show
Never wanted it to be so cold
Just didn't drink enough to say you love me
I can't hold on to me
Wonder what's wrong with me?
Lithium- Don't wanna lock me up inside
Lithium- Don't wanna forget how it feels without
Lithium- I wanna stay in love with my sorrow
I don't wanna let it lay me down this time
Drown my will to fly
Here in the darkness, I know myself
Can't break free until I let it go
Let me go
Darling, I forgive you after all
Anything is better than to be alone
And in the end I guess I had to fall
Always find my place among the ashes
I can't hold on to me
Wonder what's wrong with me?
Lithium- Don't wanna lock me up inside
Lithium- Don't wanna forget how it feels without
Lithium- Stay in love with you
I'm gonna let it go
05 Cloud Nine (04:22)
If you wanna live, let live
If you wanna go, let go
I'm not afraid to dream, to sleep- sleep forever
I don't need to touch the sky
I just wanna feel that high
And you refuse to lift me
Guess it wasn't real after all
Guess it wasn't real all along
If I fall and all is lost
It's where I belong
If you wanna live, let live
If you wanna go, let go
I'm never gonna be your sweet, sweet surrender
Guess it wasn't real after all
Guess it wasn't real all along
[Chorus]:
If I fall and all is lost
No light to lead the way
Remember that all alone
Is where I belong
In a dream
Will you give your love to me?
Beg my broken heart to beat
Save my life, Change my mind
[Chorus]
06 Snow White Queen (04:23)
Stoplight, lock the door
Don't look back
Undress in the dark
And hide from you, all of you
You'll never know the way your words have haunted me
I can't believe you'd ask these things of me
You don't know me
[Chorus]:
You belong to me, my snow white queen
There's nowhere to run, so let's just get it over
Soon I know you'll see, you're just like me
Don't scream anymore, my love, 'cause all I want is you
Wake up in a dream
Frozen fear
All your hands on me
I can't scream, I can't scream
I can't escape the twisted way you think of me
I feel you in my dreams and I don't sleep
I don't sleep
[Chorus]
I can't save your life
Though nothing I bleed for is more tormenting
I'm losing my mind
And you just stand there and stare as my world divides
[Chorus]
All I want is you (x4)
07 Lacrymosa (03:37)
Out on your own
Cold and alone again
Can this be what you really wanted, baby?
Blame it on me, set your guilt free
Nothing can hold you back now
Now that you're gone
Feel like myself again
Greiving the things I can't repair and willing...
To let you blame it on me
And set your guilt free
I don't wanna hold you back now, love
I can't change who I am
Not this time
I won't lie to keep you near me
And in this short life
There's no time to waste on giving up
My love wasn't enough
And you can blame it on me
And set your guilt free, honey
I don't wanna hold you back now, love
09 Lose Control (04:50)
You don't remember my name
I don't really care
Can we play the game your way?
Can I really lose control?
[Chorus]:
Just once in my life
I think it'd be nice
Just to lose control- just once
(With all the pretty flowers) in the dust
Mary had a lamb
His eyes black as coals
If we play very quiet, my lamb
Mary never has to know
[Chorus]
If I cut you down to a thing I can use
I fear there'll be nothing good left of you
(Just to lose control- just once)
10 The Only One (04:40)
(You know you're not the only one)
When they all come crashing down- midflight
You know you're not the only one
When they're so alone they find a back door out of life
You know you're not the only one
We're all grieving
Lost and bleeding
All our lives
We've been waiting
For someone to call our leader
But all your lies
I'm not believing
Heaven shine a light down on me
So afraid to open your eyes- hypnotized
You know you're not the only one
Never understood this life
And you're right, I don't deserve
But you know I'm not the only one
We're all grieving
Lost and bleeding
All our lives
We've been waiting
For someone to call our leader
But all your lies
I'm not believing
Heaven shine a light down on me
Don't look down
Don't look into the eyes of the world beneath you
Don't look down
You'll fall down
You'll become their sacrifice
Right or wrong
Can't hold on to the fear that I'm lost without you
If I can't feel, I'm not mine
I'm not real
All our lives
We've been waiting
For someone to call our leader
But all your lies
I'm not believing
Heaven shine a light down on me
11 Your Star (04:43)
I can't see your star
I can't see your star
Though I patiently waited, bedside for the death of today
I can't see your star
The mechanical lights of Lisbon frightened it away
[Chorus]:
And I'm alone now
Me and all I stood for
We're wandering now
All in parts and pieces, swim lonely
Find your own way out
I can't see your star
I can't see your star
How can the darkness feel so wrong?
[Chorus]
So far away
It's growing colder without your love
Why can't you feel me
Calling your name?
Can't break the silence
It's breaking me
All my fears
Turn to rage
[Chorus]
13 Good Enough (05:31)
Under your spell again
I can't say no to you
Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand
I can't say no to you
Shouldn't let you torture me so sweetly
Now I can't let go of this dream
I can't breathe but I feel
Good enough
I feel good enough
For you
Drink up sweet decadence
I can't say no to you
And I've completely lost myself and I don't mind
I can't say no to you
Shouldn't let you conquer me completely
Now I can't let go of this dream
Can't believe that I feel
Good enough
I feel good enough
It's been such a long time coming, but I feel good
And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall
Pour real life down on me
'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough
Am I good enough for you to love me too?
So take care what you ask of me
'Cause I can't say no
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Other reviews
By Il Grande Hallel
The album immediately showcases the band’s unique characteristics right from the first listen: heavy guitar riffs in pure rock/metal style interspersed with keyboards, acoustic pieces, and piano, creating a very gothic atmosphere.
The 13 songs that make up the album are true poems, beautifully sung by the angelic voice of vocalist Amy Lee, who seems to have even improved her style and power compared to the last album.
By cinciu
The element that stands out the most is the musical exploration.
'Call Me When You’re Sober' is now known to everyone, and even if it doesn’t repeat the success of 'Bring Me To Life,' it still achieves considerable success.
By Ophitae
Evanescence is no longer the (fake) dark ones of the past, they are... refined, if I can say so.
'Call Me When You're Sober'... has become too commercial. They could have directly eliminated it from the album.
By lovelorn
"The Open Door is the best among Evanescence’s albums."
"Amy’s voice states 'fear is only in our minds' and offers operatic hints in parts never excessive and always well dosed."
