Evanescence is a “gothic” rock band that has offered music to those feeling sad or unworthy, with songs characterized by a slow tempo, sad melody and heavy metal influences.
Smash hits like “Bring Me to Life,” which has a somewhat spiritual connotation, and “My Immortal,” which is about the death of a loved one, brought the band to notoriety in 2003, along with the brilliant voice of lead singer Amy Lee.
To their fans’ disappointment, Evanescence hasn’t released any new music since 2011. This pause was due to the split of the band among many other conflicts, such as Lee’s involvement in a lawsuit in March 2014 against former record label Wind-up Record for over $1 million in unpaid royalties.
During the hiatus, Lee began to explore film scoring, or composing music for movies, beginning by writing the band Portishead's “It’s A Fire.”
Then, in April of this year, Evanescence reunited and began performing to the joy of many, including myself. As an avid fan of Evanescence who bought all three of their albums, I was thrilled after the band announced its plans to go on tour. Coming back from a long day at school and whipping out a couple of Evanescence recordings while looking at photos from happier times was something that I once cherished.
Adding to my excitement was that Evanescence was one of the few bands whose live performances could outshine studio recordings. In the past, Lee’s soaring vocals and the band’s instrumentals made its live performances truly spectacular.
Unfortunately, I soon learned that the Evanescence Tour wouldn’t be coming to the Bay Area. The tour began on Nov. 13 at Nashville and made stops in Dallas and Los Angeles before beginning its journey to Ozzfest in Japan. However, Lee did mention that the band may go on tour again next year.
Lee also told Rolling Stone that she has been writing solo music and has plans to release this music in the future, which is exciting news given the uncertain plans for Evanescence.
In an era when the charts of the music industry are often topped by artists who can’t match their studio recordings live, it’s nice to witness the revival of an exceptionally talented, albeit eccentric, band. Although I may not see them live, I am looking forward to hearing more of the band’s powerful yet melancholy melodies again.
