A Dissipation or Disappearance Like Vapour (Fallen - Evanescence)

Member Name: delawney

Product:	Fallen - Evanescence
Date:	15/04/03 (1632 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Exquisite Vocals, Belting Rock, A little bit goth

Disadvantages: None!

THE QUICK REVIEW (For those in a hurry)

"Fallen" is the debut major release from the delightfully goth-tinged Evanescence. Chief amongst its attractions is the catchy single "Bring Me To Life", currently flying high in the movie "Daredevil".

From the moment I heard "Bring Me To Life" on Launch, I was totally hooked and had to get the CD. Currently only available on import, it set me back a whopping £15.99, an amount I would never normally dream of spending on a single CD. That's how much I think of this band!

Evanescence will appeal to you if you like your music loud, but also dark, haunting and at times ethereal. They will probably not appeal if you're only into fluffy pop songs.

Standout tracks have to include "Bring Me To Life", but also "Imaginart", "Taking Over Me" and "My Last Breath". They're all so darned good though it's hard to choose!



THE FULL OP

I used to be a bit of a goth, and I still absolutely adore a wealth of goth music. I'm not sure whether Evanescence would take it as a compliment or not, but "Fallen" represents for me the very best of goth-rock music updated for the noughties.

"evanescence (ev'e-nes'ens ): a dissipation or disappearance like vapor" (Taken from the Evanescence website - hence the American spelling of "vapour").

From Little Rock, Arkansas, original band members Ben Moody (guitarist) and Amy Lee (vocals) met as teenagers at a youth camp and hit it off straight away. Evanescence first evovolved in Little Rock in the late 1990s, and were a bit off the wall for a town usually populated by death metal and soft rock bands, apparently.

Taking their influences from a variety of different artists including Bjork, Danny Elfman and Tori Amos, Evanescence mix it all together to create a powerful dark rock with
a twist of delicate beauty from Amy's vocals.



*** The Packaging ***

A very goth-looking Amy adorns the cover of the CD in a super goth mood. Just my cup of tea. All lyrics are included in the CD booklet (I get very upset if they're not) and it is readable - not one of those that's so arty-farty you can't read it.



*** The Track Run-Down ***

*** GOING UNDER ***

"Blurring and stirring the truth and the lies
So I don't know what's real and what's not"

A cracker of an opening track, that really gives you a taste of what's to come on the rest of the album. Thumping guitars and passionate belting vocals. There's clever use of vocal effects and good contrast, with a piano gently tinkling in the background under the wall of sound from the guitars.


*** BRING ME TO LIFE ***

"Bid my blood to run before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become
Bring me to life"

The current single and the track featured in the movie "Daredevil".

This is the track that first introduced me to Evanescence, and from the moment I heard it I was instantly hooked. It begins with a gentle, haunting piano sound before Amy's delicious vocals kick in. Then suddenly a thumping guitar riff and a build up to a pounding chorus.

This song is given another layer with the guest vocals of Paul McCoy of 12 Stones, another band I'm now figuring I'm going to have to check out. The tonal qualities of the two singers compliment each other really well.

The video for this track is excellent, and you can watch it at www.evanescence.com


*** EVERYBODY'S FOOL ***

Another cracking rock number, full of delightful bitterness and spitting lyrics. It follows on well from the opening two tracks, and carries an appropriate progression of mood.

This track I
didn't find as instant as "Bring Me To Life", but after a few listens I can tell you it's a real singer-alonger.


*** MY IMMORTAL ***

"These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's too much that time cannot erase"

After three belting tracks we get to see a different side of Evanescence on track four. A gentle piano ballad, with Amy's exquisite voice complemented by a string section.

I'm delighted that they have not over-complicated this song - it's simple and not at all fussy. In fact it's truly beautiful. It's delicateness serves to emphasise the power and strenght of the more rocking numbers on the album.


*** HAUNTED ***

Focused on a mid-tempo thumping rhythm, this is a real foot-tapper and head-nodder. The choral arrangements on this song are fantastic, and for me stir up memories of The Sisters of Mercy's "This Corrosion", although I hasten to add the two songs are completely different.


*** TORNIQUET ***

"And I'm pouring crimson regret and betrayal
I'm dying praying bleeding and screaming
Am I too lost to be saved
Am I too lost?"

Another loud, pounding rock song. Good use of vocal effects on this one, that really help emphasise the mood.

Just one small niggle here - I'm really not convinced about Amy's pronounciation of "Torniquet", but I'm not going to let that ruin a perfectly good song.


*** IMAGINARY ***

"In my field of paper flowers
And candy clouds of lullaby
I lie inside myself for hours
And watch my purple sky fly over me"

Power-ballad time. We've slowed things down a little once more, but this is not the delicate minimalism of "My Immortal". Here the chorus still kicks ass.

Still, this song beautifully crafts a mix of
light and shade - delightful contrast between loud guitars, gentle piano and gliding string sections. Top stuff.


*** TAKING OVER ME ***

"I believe in you
I'll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you to live to breathe
You're taking over me"

This track opens with the same careful use of contrast between the delicate piano and the aggressive guitars. Probably also bordering on power-ballad, this is another corker of a track.


*** HELLO ***

"Don't try to fix me I'm not broken"

We return once more to the more austere ballad. Somehow you are completely captivated by Amy's voice, and you can focus on every single word, sung with absolute clarity.

Probably not a song to listen to if you are in need of cheering up.


*** MY LAST BREATH ***

"Holding my last breath
Safe inside myself
All my thoughts are of you"

Evanescence pick up the temp again once more with another cracker of a song. Like most of the songs on the album, a great one to belt out in the shower (not that I do it justice).

A potential future single?


*** WHISPER ***

Evanescence seem to manage to combine a bit of everything in this album closer. There's the piano, the belting guitars, the lilting chior and a hint of string section. I don't find it quite as gripping as some of the earlier tracks on the album and I'm not convinced of it as the dramatic album-closer I think they'd intended. Make no mistake though, this is still a darned good track. It may be a grower - maybe I'll change my mind in due course!

That said, I absolutely adore the ending, where Amy's voice and the music fades out and we are left with the strings and the choir. Very effective.





Make no mistake, this album is dark. Some of the song titles are almost go
th cliche, such as "My Immortal", "Torniquet" and "My Last Breath" - but for me I have to say that just adds to the mood and I really don't mind.

Nevertheless it manages to be catchy, emotive, deliciously haunting yet delightfully feisty. Evanescence are probably never going to be the sort of band to hit number one (in this country at least) as they're style of music may lack that mass appeal, but I still think they are destined for big things.

Currently only available on import, I got mine from Amazon for £15.99. They appear to only be selling it via their marketplace sellers now, at the more reasonable price of £10.99. The good news is that it appears the album will be released in the UK on 28 April, and you can currently order it on Amazon for just £9.99. But whatever you pay for it, it's worth every penny.


Amy Lee - Vocals
Ben Moody - Lead Guitar
John LeCompt - Guitar
Rocky Gray - Drums

For more information, the "Bring Me To Life" video and audio samples check out the website at www.evanescence.com

"Fallen" 2003
Wind-up 60150-13063-2
Produced by Dave Fortman

Summary: