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Top positive review

Take a gander and help me out I suppose. :)

ByAdrian Cooperon February 21, 2008

The good or the bad?

This CD has both. I think that most of my favorite Evanescence songs are here (good) as well as a few on their more varied, less-liked sophomore effort. But at the same time, the riffs, while a bit heavier for a POP band, get repetitive by the 5th song (bad), leaving out the 4th completely because it has no heaviness whatsoever. I actually used to hate that about My Immortal (track 4) but considering that I just bought the import version "used" but brand new and still in plastic, I can appreciate it for I have what's NOT on the U.S. version - My Immortal the rockier version (band version)(the closer) (good!). So both being present is definitely a good thing!

But back to the album as a whole. It's good and bad. The lyrics barely vary (bad) and Amy seems to drown in her own pain song after song (bad). But the people that I think this album has mainly attracted in the past and will in the future are:

Down and out (emotionally/spiritually) Christian teens and pop-rock fans in general or the ones that are looking for something a tad heavier than usual. If you're just plain down and out then you may like them too. And if you like an occasional riff run, then you will find that here.

The people who LOVE to hate this are probably the people that constantly hear that Evanescence is the greatest rock or metal band EVER. I agree with them because this isn't metal at all (good). And to say that they are the best band, well, that's just plain opinion! ^_^

The riffs are probably what's so deceiving (bad). They may seem metal-ish, which in my limited knowledge of true metal is true. However, Amy herself is NOT a metal artist. She's probably a fan of it as well as rock tunes but her voice is pretty, and kinda powerful when it wants to be instead of rough, masculine and predictable. Not to say that females can't make a metal band, and not to say that all metal bands have predictable lead vocalists, and that's all that it takes, but 99% of the time that's all I hear..

I think it would take heavier riffs, and usually they're faster and the voice is angry instead of melancholy and such.

Lately, her voice has been more opera-like which to me (and many others) is hit or miss. It works on Lithium in spades but doesn't work all the time.

HOWEVER, her emotions are more emo to me than anything. Correct me if you think this is a stretch cause I don't!

If I turn it to Music Choice's Metal (uncensored) station I hear what I don't and have never ever liked really; angry men SCREAMING and GROANING over heavy riffs. THIS, to ME, is actual Metal. Is it not? That's why I can't stand any real metal of ANY kind!; Arise and Ruin, Vision Of Disorder, Pantera, Meshuggah's Bleed (what is he saying through all that scream? o_o), The Ocean's Hadean (more repetitive than anything on this album by far) or any of those bands have never ever appealed to me and for good reason. I'm a pop fan! I also like to u n d e r s t a n d what the artist or band is saying usually. Sure, mindless fun in the form of a pop song with a hip hop beat or a rap song is there once in a while, but like I said, I like my music with meaning and I like to be able to find that meaning somewhat easily with next to no effort.

And that's what brings me back to this album. Although I have criticized it, I actually like it more than I'm leading on I suppose. It's just I know what it's not. In fact, I'd say that this band (Evanescence) is pure pop-rock. Nothing more and certainly nothing less.

But that's another argument that everyone and their mother has an opinion on. To be honest, my first of two Creative mp3 players (what my mp3 players have all been) first labeled The Open Door ('06) Goth-Rock. Did I believe it at the time?

Yes. But that's cause I knew no better. To this day I don't think I've ever heard anything that falls right into the Goth-Rock definition but I highly, HIGHLY doubt this is that also!

OK. Song by song rating. I think we've run through long enough on what Evanescence is (and mostly isn't).

1. Going Under - The intro to the CD. It's a lot harder than a lot of pop-rock I tend to hear these days and that's good. The opening riff is extremely uncomplicated yet it does it's job quite well. This was their 2nd single. According to Wikipedia this song is about the emotional and physical abuse Lee dealt with in a previous relationship. Much sadder now that I know what the lyrics are totally based on. Must've broken her in two...

Also fun to sing and actually dance in the shower to. >_> 5.5/5

2. Bring Me To Life - first single, doesn't bring much new to the table but it's truth is what held ground. relate-able lyrics about being half yourself without a love. a true love. same riffs you've come to expect thus far, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. you can hate me for doing so, but i love this song. still. it came out April 22nd, 2003 and even on February 22nd, 2008, it stands as strong as ever. stronger even! 5/5

3. Everybody's Fool - I love the message in this song. I knew it had some reference to pop stars by watching the awesome video which gave us insight in 2003/2004. But looking at Wiki, I see that it's a bit deeper; Amy saw her sister glamorizing pop stars such as Christina Aguilera and was pissed. She wrote this song in retaliation for her disgust for what she's now become. Sure, her music may be harder, but a pop star, she is.

Now that I've said that, it's contradicting, but humans on a whole are contradicting so it takes nothing away from the song. In fact, she may not have hate for Christina or Britney directly, but that lifestyle; the way they WANT you portrayed when you come out is probably fuming to her. 5.5/5

4. My Immortal - Their most famous ballad, hands down, MTV-wise and probably otherwise. To me, it's for very good reason: it's soft, as portrayed through the video and the album version but the only (big) difference is the ending; on the main album version, it stays soft, but in the video and on track 12 here, right before the end, the softness breaks, and the bass guitar is once again brought out. It was the perfect time to do so, and sends you skyrocketing emotionally. A bittersweet tale.

I *LOVE* the end of the video when she holds her head between folded arms, like a child, as if all is doomed because of a love gone wrong. Their best video still. Single 4 (from this album) and Single 2 from the sophomore effort are close. 5.25/5 (6/5 for the video, not included on this disc)

5. Haunted - A song that starts off with a brief, lite and lovely hip-hop beat. It gets harder though, featuring bass guitar done by Francesco DiCosmo too, who's done all the guitar work thus far, and the brief solo run, mid-song, he does is catchy.

The lyrics don't go anywhere new really, until Amy pleads, "raping me." and you're like What?! Yes, she really says that! The beginning is my favorite part. 4.5/5.

6. Tourniquet - A tale of suicide believe it or not. You must look some of these things up to actually "get" it. I thought this was just about a lost soul (human), praying to be redeemed, and bettered.

That turns out half-true, and the rest is that the person HAS committed suicide, asking, as they lay dying "Am I too lost...to be saved? Am...I...too...lost?" finally, meeting with death...

Didn't like it the first time I heard it in '04 after Christmas (bought it for my buddy Ebony who LOVED it, and was only disappointed that the band version of My Immortal (track 12) was missing on the original) because I was so not into any thought, religious then. I was just sick of it and this song reminded me of that.

But now I see that it's deeper than I thought. And for that it gets props. 4.5/5

7. Imaginary - "In my field of paper flowers, ... "I lie in myself for hours", etc, etc. A relate-able mid-tempo. If you're numb and can barely feel anymore, then this song is for you. Repetitive riffs, but what's important is that it's relate-able. 4/5

8. Taking Over Me - Not too bad at all. It doesn't step out of the predictable zone, but I do like the lyrics, "Who can decide what they dream? And dream I do." Not much more to say. It's got the pretty vocal, it's got the bass guitar but not much new is here. 3.5/5

9. Hello - This was the first song that I heard mentioned on a review or two about their second album, that I had not known at all. Everyone was praising it saying that Amy was unable to channel anything as good as this heartbreaking ballad after the debut. So I checked it out Summer '07.

I wasn't let down one bit. In fact, I was all the more enchanted. This song has no metal fabrications whatsoever. It just is. It's real and raw. Very heart-wrenching. I'll just say it's about her now dead-for-years sister and the reality that she's left behind; next to nothing for Amy to see or hold onto but pain, loneliness and true emptiness...here, she reminisces and reveals what she's felt since her absence, but on The Open Door ('06), a track Like You which is similar in vein, spouts how Amy wants to be just like her little sister; DEAD.

The ending to Hello is truly mesmerizing; the way she holds the note, then goes lower and lower in key is UN-forgettable and won't let go. BEST track by them I've ever heard between both albums, and popular for very good reason. 6/5

10. My Last Breath - This song could have been gold. The been-there-done-that sound of the bass really, really sounds good here. No complaints in that regard. But the arrangement doesn't totally do it for me. But after the bridge, the bass kicks back into the chorus and I love it. 4/5

11. Whisper - Not bad vocal-wise till her voice goes up and then up at the end, a few times then it's a bit iffy. Not off-key but almost like it wants to. But the problem here is the lyrics. She's pretty much said this all in another song. And the chants in the background towards the end are kinda cool yet kinda weird. Not scary, just kinda weird. (: 4.25

12. My Immortal (Band Version/Video Version) - Just Like the first describes it, it's like the first but gets hard at the end, stirring emotions. A touching, slow ballad. 5.5/5

Cover Art: B+ -- Very pretty in a pale kinda way.
Inside Art: B -- Not much to work with but the little symbols on page 1 and two, and at the end are cool. The one page where the band is is awesome too. Amy just lies there, waiting...
Songwriting: C -- Can become repetitive and tiresome, but it's usually relate-able to the down-and-trotted.
Vocals: C++ Soaring at best, enchanting when she's restraining.
Vocal Emotion: C++ -- Better than the vocals I suppose. Could be wrong.
Production: B- -- Predictable metal-ish riffs with the power of the bass guitar are only so varied (meh) yet the occasional hip-hop pop feel comes through your speaker also (good). The calm ballads (Track 4, 9 and 12) are the only ones that have minimal to no noisy production and I prefer those overall.
Length: B- (Wish it were at least 13 tracks...)

4.791666666667

4.79 stars.

Overall: A

In the end I must say that Amy has talent; her songwriting, though limited to 2-3 subjects is not too bad and the arrangements for some of these tunes are enchanting.

HOWEVER, if you know the real back story to some of these songs, it's Moody who should get most of the praise. Sure, Amy brings it to life but without Moody, this album would never be! My Immortal is about his grandfather that passed, and not about just any relationship. The song takes different shape once you know that! However, we all know songs are something different to us all so, meh. :P

Leave comments as you feel. This is all my opinion. I know that I don't necessarily know enough about what metal really is to actually try and review something that may or may not be. I actually wrote this, ran through it a couple of times to make corrections and posted it. After an hour or less, I took it down because I KNOW it's full of contradictions. Now, it's back up and I don't care. I just wanna get my word out! :)

Edit: I'm starting to see the similarities to how heavy some of the riffs that Evanescence displays in their songs, especially on their sophomore effort, are, and comparing them to the songs that I hear on the "Metal" station. Not that different. Like I said, it's just the voice and emotion display that's different. If someone could clear up why Evanescence is just a pop band "trying to be metal" that would be nice. I think they're pop/rock personally. But I don't think they're that far from metal (RIFF-WISE). Clue me in, in a manner that teaches instead of scolds and I will be elated.

Top critical review

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Pretty good

ByJavaJoeon May 11, 2017

I am giving this 3 stars not because I think it is bad, but because as an Album I think many songs sound similar. The slower tracks are ok, and some of the heavier stuff is pretty good if not classic. Happy with the discounted purchase, but can't say I love every song.