In the overcrowded pop music scene where most bands are mere
shooting stars, Evanescence stands out. Even better. They have been
continuously at the forefront of the innovation since Fallen, their first album
that was released in 2003. We all remember My Immortal and Tourniquet, the two
songs that took the music world by storm back then.
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The band is now back and has brought us a new album, The
Bitter Truth, just out last March.
The distinctive voice and style of front singer Amy Lee is,
without a doubt, what strikes you first when you play Evanescence music. Along
with Jen Majura, who plays the guitar and contributes the backing vocals, they
are the two ladies in the 5-member band.
Whereas the 12 songs on the new album sound very new, they
remain in the line of the group’s main spirit. High-pitched vocals, mainstream
pop-rock oriented distorted electric guitars, as energetic as metal rock but
less aggressive, somewhat sweeter, definitely more subtle. Again, the voice of
Amy Lee makes all the difference, it carries genuine emotion and is hard to
resist. It has often been described as being “Hauntingly beautiful”.
Most of the 12 tracks of the 47-minute album are rather
loud. This is pop-rock after all! Your ears are given a little rest with Wasted
on You, a magnificent song, purely in the gentle Evanescence style, with Lee’s
exquisite, typical voice. Amazingly, she sounds as good in the lows as in the
highs; in the soft passages and in the loud ones alike. Besides, one of the
songs is aptly titled “Use my Voice”!
Far from Heaven is the most emotional numbers on the album,
it truly makes you appreciate and enjoy the superlative quality, the authentic,
fine musicality of both Amy Lee’s voice and the band’s particular style.
The Bitter Truth is also a welcome departure from the bulk
of the pop music produced today that is heavily built on digital effects,
loops, samples, and dance-oriented material, often with sophisticated rhythm
patterns, but at the expense of melodic lines. Evanescence on the other hand,
brings us lovely melodies.
How does the album compare with Evanescence very best? It
may not be a real match for Fallen, their first album, but it remains well
above the current crop. A number of the tracks — perhaps three or four out of
the total 12 — sound too much the same, which still leaves you with several
songs that are unique and that sound really different one from the other. By
any measure, this is better than what most bands can achieve today.
Several musicians’ changes took place in the band over the
years. Amy Lee is the only member to have stayed with the band since they were
established. Along with bass player Tim McCord who joined the group in 2006,
the two are the longest “survivors”.
It is refreshing and reassuring to see that artists are
still able to find inspiration and record new material in the current situation
where large concerts are essentially not allowed. Public performances and live
audience feedback generally stimulate musicians, help to keep the spirit alive,
and provide them with new ideas.
Despite that, Evanescence has managed to make new music with
The Bitter Truth. An album worth listening to, even if, in the end, you have to
make your own selection of the tracks you like best. The album is available on
most streaming platforms. On Spotify, it can be enjoyed in excellent audio
quality.
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