Evanescence
The Open Door

THE REVIEW

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...