jbrd's Full Review: The Open Door [Digipak] * by Evanescence
Amy Lee, what the hell have you done? If you haven't heard, Evanescence is a rock group, but not just any rock group that can create gritty guitar licks and "gothic" sound, Evanescence has something any rock band would die to have--Amy Lee. Indeed, Amy Lee has a very powerful voice and when used correctly, she will blow you away. Their debut album, Fallen dropped in 2003 and it sent Evanescence on a world-wide popularity contest with every rock group out there. However, Evanescence still had Amy Lee and without her, I promise you Evanescence would be nothing. I myself is a huge fan of theirs and I was very excited to hear about The Open Door just because it has been three long years since Fallen. If you liked Fallen, The Open Door is very unlike Fallen. Even though the whole two-bit about "maturing" or becoming "more real", Evanescence didn't need this one bit, but Open Door is that and oh boy, does it ever suck!
When I first heard Sweet Sacrifice, I was blown away how the band experimented with their music. Sweet Sacrifice is heavy indeed with the bass "raping" the listener and the guitar licks cuts you up in nice chunks. Unfortunately, one word from Amy, it ruined the song. Way too pitchy, unbalanced and not focused too well on her message is what you'll get on this. I'll admit, the chorus is a tiny bit enjoyable. Another song that resembles what Sweet Sacrifice is about is Weight of the World. Although, the song's sound sounds so out of place and jumbled up like a puzzle, it falls in to place when the childish twinkle appears in the song. This is another heavy song, although a less impressive as Sweet Sacrifice, it's a beautifully intense song. One problem though, Amy sounds like pure sh*t on this song. Yet again, she's off balance with her voice getting way too high and the ever sucking whispers.
A musically challenged song is Lacrymosa. It has those sorrowfully striking violins, but when the thud of a bass kicks in, it becomes a ballroom's nightmare. Throw in a ghastly choir and another pitchy Amy Lee, it's one of those songs that you'll skip in a matter of seconds. May I even add the song Good Enough which has a sweet and innocent feel. The lovely piano and the violins are perfect, but Amy tears this song down with her flat and boring as hell vocals. Too slow and too boring for a fan.
Okay, okay, fine! I'll get to the single, Call Me When You're Sober. Okay, I know it's not too like Evanescence to make a song like this, but I have to admit, it's THE most enjoyable song to listen to and sing to. Crunchy, heavy guitars burst in along with a distant piano playing. Finally, Amy Lee has provided good vocals here. She provides some memorable moments in her voice with her beautiful and powerful voice, but at times, it's sharp as hell and most likely make you cringe.
A tragic mess is Lithium. Amy's voice is utter trash, not once does she provide a note that won't make people's ears hide and the production isn't that worthy to brag about either. It's too dull with the guitars and the predictable bass kicking in right as Amy wails is all too tragic to hear. Another mess is Your Star which only points out that Amy doesn't know how to keep her voice at a point where it doesn't make people's ears cringe in horror. Although, the dull piano is innocent and sh*t and the latter thumping(what the hell, this isn't R&B!?), I wonder who can literally stand and listen to Amy sound like a little girl wanting to have something her way. Might I add Cloud Nine where Amy's "gangsta" side shows a tad bit. It's not exactly a great sounding song because everything sounds too jumbled together, but the real ear turner is Amy's voice on the verses. Her voice just tries to break out with a rap rhythm with the disjointed words and might add the screechy high pitches in her voice makes this another awful song.
I was actually surprised to hear Amy literally singing like a man. Amy why did you do this? On songs Like You and Snow White Queen. Like You being the soft, angelic song that is. I don't have a problem with the song's sound because it has a very angelic and simple sound with a piano and a thud here and there, but Amy's voice is too low and sounds much like a man and at times way too high to enjoy. Shocking, I know. Snow White Queen is a techno-pop song with it's speedy pace of guitars and bass(I just don't know how to describe them) and Amy's voice sounds pop this time and yet again, her voice is too distorted and messy to enjoy.
I have a guilty pleasure. I may be crazy or whatever, but I think Lose Control, although I doubt I'd beat to listen to over 5 times, has amazing production. Gritty and extremely crunchy guitars and a haunting piano fills this haunted ride with some amazing stuff. Again, Amy is the problem. The utterly embarrassing intro from Amy to her whispers fall too flat. However, the catchy and energetic chorus is simply bliss for any fan. Basically, The Only One and All That I'm Living For follows the same songs that will make you cringe in horror. The Only One has some gritty guitar work and bashing drums, it's easily a forgettable track and Amy is mostly responsible. Do I even have to say it? All That I'm Living For gives you a warning not to listen to this song as soon as Amy starts yelling "All That I'm Living For!!!!". Vocals that make you cringe even more than previous songs just because it's something we call "way too high to be called singing". The song's sound, although it's gritty, it lacks anything energetic or memorable.
Basically, The Open Door is an album you'll forget as soon as you hear the last track. Nothing on this album is worth listening over and over again until you get sick of the song after billions of listens. Although, there are a few songs that can be worth a few listens, they are still repetitive with it's lack of Fallen inspiration. If you've heard of that album, you'll know Amy Lee can wail, but on Open Door, Amy is simply terrible. Every song, she brings down with her shrieks and trashy yells. One good thing Open Door did was that I noticed that the band's sound had improved with better guitar work and such, but Open Door is not like Fallen and we know how Fallen was so enjoyable and how you came running back to hear it often in your CD player. The Open Door, however, is not an album that will be caught in your CD player often nor will you remember it the next day. It is hell for any Evanescence fan.
Track Listing:(Best in bold..or ones that can be enjoyable)
Sweet Sacrifice Call Me When Your Sober
Weight of the World
Lithium
Cloud Nine
Lacrymosa
Like You
Lose Control
The Only One
Your Star
All That I'm Living For
Good Enough
On the band s highly anticipated 2006 album, The Open Door, Evanescence presents the full-length studio debut of its new line-up, after the departure ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
![The Open Door [Digipak] * by Evanescence](http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/d6/00/bb/2011393638-177x150-0-0.jpg)
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.