Pros: Amy Lee's magnificent vocal talent is the soul of the group
Cons: Forgive me, but these guitars can be replaced
The Bottom Line: These songs resonate in the dark places of the psyche - Fallen provides a powerful voice for the desperate soul - ignore these screams at your own peril...
There are about one hundred other reviews of this album on epinions right now - I'm driven to comment based on my appreciation for the recording itself, but also by the very emotional issues raised by the songs themselves. Some may protest that religious interpretation is inappropriate for this collection, especially since the band members themselves have tried to avoid the "Christian" label, though professing to be believers themselves. I can respect that viewpoint, as the lyrics of the songs primarily speak of personal despair within broken personal relationships - however, the imagery of the album's lyrics and sounds is steeped in religion. Given this fact, and one very important point that I want to make, I ask that you allow me a few moments to delve into the deeper implications of Evanescence's Fallen.
Fallen: Mass in E minor Introitus
First of all, congratulations to the band for winning the Grammys for Best New Artist, and Best Hard Rock Performance (Bring Me To Life)! It's been an interesting year for Amy Lee and company, having sold over six million copies of the album worldwide, losing the band's founder, songwriter/guitarist Ben Moody, and possibly inheriting the dreaded kiss of death from the Grammy for Best New Artist... Moody has gone on to work with Avril Lavigne, and was replaced with guitarist Terry Balsamo of Cold. What effect Ben's departure will have on the band still remains to be seen, as he and Amy were collaborators in the production of their demos and "demo-album" Origin, as well as the lyrics and music of Fallen.
Kyrie: Chorda Typicalis
For me, the only shortcoming of Fallen is the repetitive nature of the guitar chords and rhythms in most of the songs. The constant drone of distorted guitars playing simplistic minor chord progressions over and over adds to the emotional effect of the album, but musically, lowers my appreciation for the skills of the band and their production team. Evanescence could utilize nearly any average metal guitarist and get the same sounds for these songs. There is no stunning guitar work present on this album, outside of a few inspired riffs (Whisper, Everybody's Fool) and some interesting effects here and there (Taking Over Me). The production is definitely slick, perhaps too slick in places - Fallen tends towards power pop-metal more than any other genre label, but it is not badly done. Though this will alienate true metalheads, Evanescence has made metal more pop friendly with Fallen...
Offertorium: Auctoris Tremendum
It is apparent to me that the real talents of Evanescence lie in the utilization of the piano and synthesizer programming. What sets the band apart from other metal bands is what I'd describe as a woman's touch. Though the keyboards on Fallen are performed by Dwight Hodges, they are based in the original inspiration of Amy's performances in the demos (you can find these demos in various Evanescence fan clubs - the band has approved public sharing of the tracks). The "woman's touch" is often seen in the soft synthesizer effects that hover behind the guitars, and in the piano interludes and soft vocal passages (My Immortal, Hello, Imaginary) that intersperse the album's heavier material. Many have compared Amy to other artists such as Sarah Maclachlan, Tori Amos or Fiona Apple - I think that Amy certainly could be grouped in that company based on the piano and vocal styles displayed in the quieter songs of Fallen, but there is also a liberal dash of Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill here. There is a palpable connection to the emotional core of the singer, baring her soul, making transparent the inner recesses of those places we seek to hide. Amy's lyrics are beautifully alluring yet guarded, screaming at once for attention, then pushing away in fear or revulsion. Rarely has anyone captured the realities of the struggles of the mind and soul in lyric and melody as Amy Lee has done with the songs of Fallen - it is a tremendous showing by a musical ingénue who is destined to go far in her own career, Evanescence or no.
Hosanna: Vox Maginificat
The woman's touch is not limited to these soft breezes that occasionally blow the dark clouds of despair away - on the contrary, Amy conjures the hellion storms of powerful rage and despair using the strength of her voice - in places, she sings with wild abandon, giving rein to the emotional outbursts of the words. The strength of her vocal talent lies in her ability to fully express the range of emotions of the lyric and melody all at once - she gives the right nuance and tone for every phrase, getting all she can out of each evocative word. A co-worker of mine, upon hearing My Immortal for the first time, commented, "she sounds stretched...like she's in pain" - this was not a personal slam against Amy's sound, it was a heartfelt comment on the feeling being conveyed by the performance. Amy Lee will draw you in, reveal the full magnitude of a seared soul, and dare you to do something about it, all with the power of her vocal performance.
Sanctus
Fallen is a musical dichotomy - a melding of gentle piano melodies and distorted metal guitars, voices that rise and fall between rage and quiet despair. The goth metal treatment perfectly frames the passionate railing against broken relationships and shattered dreams, the heavy guitar chords echoing the deep angers of a desperate heart. The gorgeous piano and strings weave throughout as if hope is not completely lost, yet remains elusive and unobtainable, as vaporous as the band's name suggests. Amy Lee's vocals traverse a wide range of dark emotional territory, sometimes a whispered plea, and sometimes a ragged scream ripped straight from the heart.
You simply cannot listen to Fallen without having some sort of visceral, emotional response - we have all experienced loss, depression, failure, grief or other devastating emotions at one time or another. We are taught to bottle up these feelings, that time will heal all wounds, saying "this, too, shall pass"... the lyrics and sounds of Fallen are the sudden, violent release of pent-up frustration, anger and hidden questions never voiced. These feelings and questions have been around for thousands of years...
do you remember me
lost for so long
will you be on the other side
or will you forget me
i'm dying, praying, bleeding and screaming
am i too lost to be saved
am i too lost?
- Evanescence, Tourniquet
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?
Look on me and answer O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death
My enemy will say, I have overcome him, and my foes will rejoice when I fall
- a psalm of David, Ps 13: 1-4 (NIV)
Benedictus
Evanescence sparked controversy in the contemporary Christian music (CCM) scene last year when, despite being #1 on the CCM charts, they insisted that they did not wish to be labeled as a Christian band. Wind-Up Entertainment pulled the album from all Christian music stores, and CCM radio stopped playing songs from the album. Alan Meltzer, the CEO of Wind-Up Records, stated in a letter addressed to the CCM industry regarding Evanescence -
" I have no issues or problems with the band not wishing to promote a religious agenda. That is their opinion. How it has been handled is a separate issue. That being said, I do have a problem with misrepresenting the artist to the Christian community. That is not and has never been the intent of Wind-up or the band. Nevertheless, it is quite apparent that the landscape has now changed. As such, the right and honorable thing to do is remove the record from Christian retail. While it is the mission of every business, record labels notwithstanding, to be "successful", Wind-up's goals in embracing the Christian community came as an outgrowth of my own personal spiritual commitment with the hopes of providing great music for our children with positive spiritual messages...
While I cannot go back and undo what has been done, going forward we will scrutinize our Christian artists' beliefs and commitment with even greater diligence. I assure you that there will not be any repeat of anything even resembling this present situation. I will personally inform all of our future artists who represent themselves as Christian artists and wish to be represented in the Christian community that in doing so they must understand the lasting and on-going commitment that involves. Those who are not 100% committed will not be offered to Christian retail." - found at www.christianrock.net/evanescence.asp
I appreciate Mr. Meltzer's position, and understand why he made the decision to pull the album; the point I wish to make is that this action and this statement point out the fundamental issue I have with the CCM industry - by ensuring that all CCM releases remain "positive" to the Christian community at large, CCM and the Church at large are turning their back on a vital discussion of very real issues in this world. CCM has censored other artists (who did want to be labeled "Christian") before - Steve Taylor and Sam Phillips being prime examples. How can the Church expect to emulate the example of the One they claim to follow if it is unwilling to heed the screams of those the Church claims are "the lost"?
The content of Fallen is difficult to listen to, and harder to respond to - grief, despair, hopelessness, death, suicide - these are not easily understood or handled. But what is the cost of ignoring those who greatly identify with these very real issues? I am not saying that only a Christian has the answers to these problems - I would advocate that everyone take time to listen to what is presented on Fallen, and that each one of us respond in any way we know how to assist those we can. The wounds that these dark emotions make cannot heal left alone; time will not make anything better. Healing comes from active and genuine caring, sympathy and loving understanding by those around the wounded soul. Christian theology teaches this very concept, but I cannot understand how we as Christians can expect to deal with the real world if we do not seek out understanding of these realities.
My position is that Christians need to learn to accept that they are in the world - "secular" music makes many statements that Christians do not agree with, and I have no problem with individual Christians choosing to tune out the music that they do not wish to hear. Parents should raise their children in a positive spiritual atmosphere; they must not shelter them from the real world. Please - listen to those around you; learn what they identify with. You may find that your own child or spouse is dealing with the very same emotional issues explored in Evanescence's Fallen - music is a common language that can spark the conversation that will open the door for a hurting soul.
But I trust in Your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in my salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.
- a psalm of David, Ps. 13: 5-6 (NIV)
Evanescence - Fallen
Originally released in the US in March 2003 by Wind Up Entertainment Track listing
Going Under / Bring Me To Life / Everybody's Fool / My Immortal / Haunted / Tourniquet / Imaginary / Taking Over Me / Hello / My Last Breath / Whisper
Total Time 44:19
Guest Artist Paul McCoy, Vocal - Bring Me To Life
Although the band s name may suggest a sudden vanishing, the music of Evanescence is poised for longevity. Fallen, the Wind-up Records debut of this t...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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