Don't turn away (Fallen - Evanescence)

Member Name: star500

Product:	Fallen - Evanescence
Date:	10/11/03 (752 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unique, Great tracks

Disadvantages: None

I've had this review sitting on my hard drive for the best part of four months now but never got around to posting it for one reason or another. However after going to the Carling Academy in Glasgow a few days ago to see the band's first live Scottish gig and being lucky enough to meet lead singer Amy Lee, I decided it was about time I dusted off the ol' computer and let you all read my thoughts on Amy and the band, their debut album and their live performance.

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Many of you have probably heard of Evanescence after the success of their first two singles "Bring Me To Life" and "Going Under" but they seemed to just appear from nowhere over the summer and hit the big time very quickly. To be honest, I had a copy of the album in my hands even before their debut single was released as I first heard of Evanescence on the Daredevil soundtrack (which I really only got because Saliva and Nickelback were featured on it). However, Evanescence with their two tracks "Bring Me To Life" and "My Immortal" really stood out on the whole album and my boyfriend at the time rushed out and bought Fallen on import before it was even released here. He raved about it so much that I just had to get my own copy and played it to death even before "Bring Me To Life" was getting airplay on the radio.

At the time nobody knew much about this four piece band other than they were from Little Rock in Arkansas, their debut album was very different to other bands in their genre, and that lead singer Amy Lee had an amazing voice. However, over the past few months the general public soon got to know them and they managed to secure a no1 hit with their debut single.

The band consists of Amy Lee (vocals), Ben Moody (guitarist), John LeCompt (guitar) and Rocky Gray (drums). Amy and Ben formed the band in the late 90s and wrote most of the songs together. After gaining recognition in their home
town, John and Rocky joined and they managed to secure a record deal.

[Unfortunately at the beginning of November on the eve of the British leg of their tour, Ben announced he was leaving the band. At time of writing, there has been no word as to his replacement, although a guitarist was brought in to allow them to continue their tour and fulfil their European and US dates.]

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So just what is it that makes Evanescence special?

Hmmmmm...

Well I'd have to say that it makes a refreshing change to hear a strong female vocalist singing the kind of rocky, edgier songs that are usually left to guys. And that's what makes them unique. I do find it hard to describe their sound and originally thought of Sarah McLachlan on lead vocals for Linkin Park as Amy's voice is so succinct and clear but fits in well with the guitar riffs and bangin' drums.

So on to the album itself.

The tracks:


~ Going Under ~

"I'm going under
drowning in you
I'm falling forever
I've got to break through"

This is definitely a good choice of opening track to introduce us to the band as it is upbeat but with a classic "rock" feel to it. Establishing Amy as lead vocalist, it really sets up the rest of the album and even after only hearing it a few times, I did think that it was strong enough to be a future single.

It was released hot on the heals of "Bring Me to Life", received a lot of radio airplay and charted at number eight thus proving Evanescence weren't just a one hit wonder. One of my favourites and definitely one of the best from the whole album.


~ Bring Me To Life ~

"Frozen inside without your touch,
without your love darling
only you are the life among the dead"

As I've said before, this song is the first single released from the album and again is on
e of my favourites. The opening is a stark contrast to the previous Going Under as it is more mellow and the soft piano introduction makes you think it is going to end up as a ballad. But the verse picks up speed until we have a full blown rock sound complete with banging drums and guitars and guest vocalist Paul McCoy (from band 12 Stones) play a big part in the chorus and towards the end.

This track received an amazing response when performed live in Glasgow where John LeCompt took over the male lyrics.


~ Everybody's Fool ~

"I know the truth now
I know who you are
and I don't love you anymore"

At first listening, this sounds as if "Bring Me To Life" has ran for longer than it was supposed to as both tracks are very similar upon first hearing but with the absence of any male vocals. In fact, at their live gig, this track was sung straight after "Bring Me to Life" - almost melding both of them together - although it had a slightly different arrangement to the album version.

It is a good track with meaningful lyrics about betrayal by a loved one and feeling a fool when it's all out in the open - something that myself, and I expect many others can relate to. This one certainly does help to establish the Evanescence "sound" although I found that it was much better performed live.


~ My Immortal ~

"When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me"

There really is only one way to describe this song and that is: haunting.

It is a stark contrast to the first three songs and I do think sounds very like Sarah McLachlan but with smoother vocals and in a lower key. It is essentially a ballad with Amy's strong vocals accompanied with violins and a piano i
n the background. The lyrics are poignant and sad - "these wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real, there's just too much that time cannot erase" - and convey the despair and pain felt for a loved one who is now gone.

Released as a third single, it takes Evanescence in a different direction and widens their appeal to more people. However, the album version is quite different to the one released as a single as Amy herself wanted to re-record it as the one on the album was actually from a few years back after she had just written the track. The new version is more similar to when they perform it live with the majority of the song having Amy accompanying herself on the piano and a few soft drums and guitars kicking in for the final chorus. Essentially, the album version is an acoustic version of what you may be hearing on the radio now. Definitely the best song from the album and the highlight of the night at their live gigs!


~ Haunted ~

"Watching me wanting me
I can feel you pull me down
fearing you loving you
I won't let you pull me down"

Following on from My Immortal, this one starts off relatively slowly, possibly to justify the title of Haunting - except it has a rockier feel to it with the re-introduction of a strong drum beat and a few guitars. We are even treated to a 20 second guitar solo midway through the song and although I do like this one, it isn't one of my favourites as it seems to cut off very quickly just as it seems to be getting somewhere.

However, they used it to open their Glasgow gig and I felt it was a good choice as the pace of the song built up to a strong opener, setting the scene for the rest of the night. A good track but not one that really stood out for me until I heard it performed live and the lyrics are slightly darker than previous Evanescence tracks.


~ Tourniquet ~

"I'm dying praying
bleeding and screaming
am I too lost to be saved
am I too lost?"

We're halfway through the album and I've decided that Evanescence definitely have a sound - although I'm still finding it difficult to describe. Even from the first few notes, "Tourniquet" is instantly recognisable as an Evanescence track as Amy's lead vocals over a bed of soft guitars works well.

This song in particular, is why a few journalists have been categorising Evanescence as "Christian Rockers" as this song has a religious undertone to it, describing God as a tourniquet bringing us to salvation. However, Evanescence don't see themselves as sending a Christian message out through their music as their songs have different themes; this one just happens to be about their feelings towards God.


~ Imaginary ~

"I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge
the nightmare I built my own world to escape"

Upon listening to this, it's actually quite hard to separate it from the previous track as there aren't really any distinguishing parts to it although the pace does slow a little. Listening to the lyrics, they do sound nonsensical as they are about living life as a dream - "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" - bizarrely enough they do make sense in the context of the song which really is much more melancholy than I had first realised.

This is a good track - just not a great one and sounds a little too similar to a slower, less rockier version of Tourniquet and thus maybe should have been separated from it in the track listing. In a perfect world, every track on an album would be fantastic and, although Evanescence try their best, this one just doesn't stand out for me although I'm sure there will be many that will disagree with me.


~ Taking Over M
e ~

"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"

The pace slows down considerably at the start of this one - or so you think as the soft piano introduction is quickly replaced with a loud drum beat and guitars quickly kick in. Following on from "Imaginary", dreams again play a big part in the lyrics of this one: "I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you but who can decide what they dream? And dream I do..."

Again, like "Imaginary", this track isn't as outstanding as some of the others on the album but after a few plays and hearing it sung live I'm definitely beginning to warm to it.


~ Hello ~

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

For "Hello" we have another opening whereby Amy's vocals are accompanied solely by a gentle piano providing yet another haunting tune. Perhaps not as intriguing as "My Immortal", the slower pace of the song kind of allows you to catch your breath as the previous tracks have been relatively upbeat. This concept was used to great effect at their live gig as the lights dimmed, the mood changed and a keyboard was brought out for Amy to accompany herself while singing this. Again this is another track that sounds much better live than on the album.

Lyric wise, I'm not actually sure what this one is about as the song itself is so short but the immortal line: "Don't try to fix me I'm not broken" is one which I certainly can relate to in the sense that people are always trying to change others into something they aren't.


~ My Last Breath ~

"Holding my last breath
safe inside myself
are all my thoughts of you"

Usually when it comes to the last few songs on an album the quality isn't as good as the beginning as mo
st bands place their stronger tracks earlier in the listing but Evanescence have decided to be different and have left two of their best tracks to the end of the album.

Upbeat and easy to listen to, it is a little different to some of the previous tracks in the middle of the album which seem to lose their way a bit. This one brings the album back up to the high standard of the opening few songs and gives Amy's vocals a chance to shine again.


~ Whisper ~

"Don't turn away
don't give in to the pain
don't try to hide"

As I said previously, most albums seem to leave their poorer tracks to the end but Evanescence have decided to end their debut album with one of their best tracks. A Whisper it certainly isn't as it is loud, upbeat and, although sounding a little more "pop/rock-esque" it is definitely one of my favourites. A more positive song than a few of the others on the album it speaks of not giving in no matter how bad it gets and is a great way to bring the album to a close.

I would even go as far to say that it could hold its own if it was released as a single and is definitely one of the stronger tracks on the album. Used as the encore song when they played at Glasgow's Carling Academy, it got a fantastic reception, and is Evanescence at their best!!


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So that's my thoughts on Fallen - one of the best albums I've bought this year and the more I listen to it, the more I think that it could have a wider appeal than I had first thought as, even though it is predominantly a rock album, it has a couple of good ballads, is fairly easy to listen to and is definitely radio friendly (no explicit lyrics, profanities or parental advisory stickers here!!)

I have to admit that I wasn't quite sure if I'd like Evanescence as I thought that Amy's vocals would become irritating after a while (I'm not a big fan of
female vocalists if I'm being honest as I hate screeching!) but her voice suits the tracks. I was a big fan of the band even before I saw them live and met Amy but now they are right up there near the top of my fav bands list. Amy herself is very down to earth and easy to talk to and admitted that the whole band were surprised at how fast they've gained favour with the general public. Although she is only twenty years old, she wants to be taken seriously as a songwriter and on the day I spoke to her, founder band member Ben Moody had just left the band, leaving her as the now main writer so she has a lot to live up to. However, the fact that she wrote "My Immortal" when she was only 16 or 17 proves that she is up to the job and I can't wait to see how Evanescence progress over the coming months.

Definitely a 5/5 album and I can't wait for the next one!!

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