Evanescence is a noun. The definition is the quality or state of gradually disappearing or fading away, often from sight or memory. This is the AI definition of the word. I’m not writing about the word today, instead I’m going to write about the band Evanescence and their leader Amy Lee. I’ve been a passive fan of the group for many years. I introduced their music to my eldest son who has become quite the fan. Why do we like them? Read on…

The first time I heard Amy Lee sing was on Sirius XM radio in the 2000’s while commuting to work. It was Bring Me to Life from their 2003 Fallen release. Amy Lee’s strength as a vocalist is how she delivers a phrase. She sculpts the musical line dynamically. Her vocal phrases seldom remain at one single dynamic. This caught my ears. It was an element of musical surprise. What started out as passive listening became active listening. I looked forward to hearing more.

Lee has a a distinctive mezzo-soprano voice. Her quality of sound is very brilliant in the louder dynamics while her softer dynamics are darker and silky in nature. Her vocal skills allow the overtones to resonate within the piano. This is far more noticeable in the live Anywhere but Home recording. To borrow a phrase from an article I read from AARP (I’m old,) listening to her sing is like a “Sound Bath.” Lacrymosa from The Open Door album and the entire Synthesis album demonstrate that resonance. It envelopes the listener and moves the music into that aesthetic experience we all seek.

Even though Amy Lee and Evanescence are considered a rock band, nu-metal, gothic, symphonic rock, etc… by genre the music they compose and perform is constructed more like a bel canto style opera aria. The lyrics (libretto) guide the compositions construction. The piano is key to Lee’s composing process. You can hear how everything is structured around her piano writing when you pay attention to the orchestration of the guitars, bass, and drums. This process creates a frame of sound around Lee’s beautiful and haunting singing style. Imagine taking a Bellini or Donizetti bel canto opera and re-imagining it with a rock band. This is what I imagine when I try to place Evanescence in context within my musical experiences.

Genres do not matter when I listen to Evanescence. Evanescence is a special listening experience somewhere between the rock symphonic developments of Emerson, Lake and Palmer and the virtuosic grandeur of Dream Theater or Tool. You have the heaviness of guitar, the rhythmic drive, the expansiveness of frequency, the use of dissonance for color, but one singular difference separates Evanescence from these other artists. This notable difference is why I connect their music to bel canto opera. They dispense with the flashy instrumental solos. The virtuosity is replaced with textural development. Everything is designed around Amy Lee’s piano and vocal delivery. She is like a lead trumpet of a jazz band, a violinist playing a concerto, or better yet the diva delivering the aria to end all arias.

This is where one could assume Amy Lee is Evanescence. That would be a mistake. The band needs her, as much as she needs the band. No opera diva is successful without their orchestra. Maria Callas, Dawn Upshaw, or Kiri Te Kanawa all needed their collaborative artists to be successful. If you don’t know Dawn Upshaw check out her grammy winning recording of Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915. I’m biased as we both graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University… though nine years apart.

Sadly, critics of Evanescence have been hard on them for continuing to develop this particular style instead of experimenting with different processes. I dissent with the critics. I have found the development of the broader orchestrations (including electronics and orchestra instruments) to be quite satisfying musically. I like how the newest band members are more focused on the group product rather than individual exploits of fancy. Each role of the band member is key to the successful product. They seem to be pursuing a broader aesthetic in the big picture of rock music. This transcends popular criticisms, it becomes an art of process.

As a listener of classical music I find the music of Evanescence entertaining and enjoyable. Yes, I hear the quotations of Bach, Scarlatti, Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, and other greats in their compositions. If one is going to sample, let’s sample the composers of historical merit. Their music is in the public domain. Our popular music would not be as diverse as it is now without those Western European composers both women and men… What if Evanescence remade a Barbara Strozzi tune for their next album??? Remember when Sting released a John Dowland recording with a professional lutist? Remember Songs of the Labyrinth. Or Billy Joel’s exploration of classical piano, Fantasies and Delusions. This is part of the appeal for me, the blurring of genre inducing lines.

Evanescence is a group of great musicians. They have created something special. Their music is a sound bath of rock, heavy metal, symphonic rock, and even modern rock opera to some extent. Amy Lee’s vocal delivery and phrasing is beautiful, powerful, and musical. Go listen to a few tracks online. Here are a few recommended examples:

1. My Immortal – Fallen
2. Bring Me to Life – Fallen
3. Lacrymosa – The Open Door
4. Call Me When You’re Sober – The Open Door
5. What You Want – Evanescence
6. Lost in Paradies – Evanescence
7. Synthesis – The entire album
8. Use My Voice – The Bitter Truth
9. Wasted on You – The Bitter Truth

Happy listening! Stay the Course! So it goes…