Evanescence
Biography
The goth-inspired Arkansas rock band Evanescence, with its Linkin Park-meets-Tori Amos sound backed by chugging guitars, easily made it to the top of the charts in 2003 with its Wind-Up Entertainment debut album, Fallen. Singer/pianist Amy Lee and guitarist/songwriter Ben Moody formed the band at the end of the '90s after meeting in their early teens during a "youth camp," Moody said in a statement. "I heard Amy playing Meat Loaf's 'I'd Do Anything for Love' at the piano. So I went over to meet her, and she started singing for me. I was pretty much blown away, so I suckered her into joining a band with me."
As a duo, Evanescence didn't perform live, instead opting to release EPs and the full-length Origin. Lee told the BBC that Evanescence was mastering demos in Memphis, TN, when she and the band were discovered by producer Pete Matthews. He shopped the songs to record companies in New York, and Evanescence -- rounded out by bassist Will Boyd, guitarist John LeCompt, and drummer Rocky Gray -- eventually landed a contract with Wind-Up, the home of Creed. The soundtrack to the 2003 Ben Affleck action movie Daredevil brought success to Evanescence; the begging "Bring Me to Life," which appeared on the soundtrack along with the ballad "My Immortal," became a hit. (Paul McCoy, of labelmates 12 Stones, rapped on "Bring Me to Life," which originated as a piano ballad.) The songs proved to be a head start to Evanescence's future hit album Fallen, produced by Dave Fortman (Boy Sets Fire, Superjoint Ritual) and released in March 2003.
Evanescence ran head first into controversy promoting Fallen. Originally, it was released in the Christian and secular markets; however, the band's use of profanity during an interview with Rolling Stone prompted its label, Wind-Up Records, to recall Fallen from Christian stores. Ironically, 12 Stones are also labeled Christian. Fallen surpassed double-platinum status, reaching the Top Ten in the United States, including the Top Contemporary Christian Albums chart, the Top Five in Canada, and number one in the United Kingdom. It spent more than 100 weeks on Billboard's Top 200; Evanescence also managed to pick up two Grammys (Best New Artist and Best Hard Rock Performance) for the 2003 awards.
During a European tour late that same year, however, Moody abruptly left the group over apparent creative differences. Ex-Cold guitarist Terry Balsamo soon replaced him in the band; he clicked with Lee and the two became cohesive songwriting partners who worked to further define Evanescence's classically influenced hard rock identity. The band continued to tour nonstop for the next year, and they issued the live album Anywhere But Home (recorded at a show in Paris) in November 2004 to hold over fans hungry for their follow-up. It also went platinum. More internal band drama ensued -- including Balsamo recovering from a stroke suffered in fall 2005 and Boyd's departure the following summer -- before that album, The Open Door, finally appeared in early October 2006. Tim McCord (ex-the Revolution Smile) joined up in Boyd's place that August, switching from his usual guitar to bass. Spearheaded by the single "Call Me When You're Sober," the album displayed a broader emotional range amid the band's evolving sound. Evanescence played several intimate theater dates immediately following the record's release before moving on to larger arena shows. ~ Christina Fuoco, All Music Guide
Selected Discography
I wonder if the torment she sings about is a pain that she really feels. A sadness and an emptyness, lonliness, worthlessnes s . I hope not because she is so very talented and beautiful!
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Bleh. I hate it when talented musicians dumb down their music for the sake of popularity. Nevertheless , if this comes up on my station again I'll have to kill someone.
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needless to say I WOULD kiss every toe on what I WOULD die to be her loyal husband.At 47 and knowingly still great looking as I am I know that is not happening... . . . . . . . . . . . . . l i f e sucks and then you are GOTH AND LIVE TO LOVE IT AS I DO HER-...OH HER MUSIC IS WELL LOVED...KEVI N FROM HEAVEN....YE A H RIGHT
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Amy Lee is vvvvvvvvvvvv v e e e e e e e e e r r r r r r r r r r y y y y y gorgeous ...from voice to face to body to mind....ever y t h i n g about her is incredible.. . i f i were single and actually had a chance, i would so go after her....
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I love Evanescence! ! I was also introduced to a singer, Kerli, if you like Evanescence, you might like her too!!
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i guess no matter what you say-cancel the station-edit this group out-pandora will shove amy lee into your world whether you like it or not,media money talks and true great bands like ,leave's eyes,within temptation,t h e a t r e of tragedy,walk and gathering-pa n d o r a - i t isn't fair.
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my daugters & I
love evanescence music alott too!!! We love, amys voice is the amazing from PHX A.Z.LV YA |
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I don't know about any of you, but I can identify with the lyrics, espcially those from "The Open Door,."
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this girl has one of the most unique voices out there and it really meshes well with their music
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I used to really love this band but then I guess my musical tastes evolved into Nightwish and Within Temptation.. . I find it so much better than this.
When it's all said and done though, not bad, not bad at all. |
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i think she has the most beautiful voice!!!!!!! ! ! y o u guys rock!!!!!!!!
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I used to love Evanescence. . . I ' m not really sure why when most of their songs sound the same.
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I saw them in concert. They were amazing! It was such an awesome concert. They were with Shiny Toy Guns and Julien K.
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I think that the first few Albums they released were far greater then the ones that came after. I think that its still a really great band. I just believe that they should have stuck with the original theme of their music.
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I also love how they didn't sell their CD's at Christian stores just because they used profanity. Well, find me a Christian that doesn't use profanity and I'll show you God; even Jesus cussed... yeah, remember when he called the priesthood vipers, what do you think that was? By the way, I am Christian! Peace!
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Her voice is bland and mediocre, always sounds the same without any variation, they stole their logo from Oklahoma-bas e d band Proof Theory when they toured together so long ago, and no, they are not goth. Goth is Lacuna Coil, The Birthday Massacre, etc.... this is sell-out media total dumbed down "rock" for people that do not know better... Thank God their drummer left and rejoined Living Sacrifice, had he stayed in Evanescence, he would be wasting his talent.
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I only like their first album. They just sound the same. It's a bit boring.
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i've just gotta say... amy and tarja are BOTH great. it appears that that possibility has as yet occurred to no one. they're very different vocalists, subgenres (tarja- opera metal, amy- goth metal) and i like 'em both.
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AMY! DON'T JUST BECAUSE YOU GOT MARREID, YOU DON'T HAVE TO STOP! YOU'RE AN AMAZING WOMAN, AND YOU CAN GET THROUGH THIS TIME!! WE'RE ALL COUNTING ON YOU! I HOPE THE HARP LESSONS GO REALLY WELL, TOO; AS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THEM IN YOUR NEXT SONG.
All in all, this is my FAVORITE band. Amy Lee(Hartzler ) ' s vocals are freaking amazing! I love them!!! The Open Door is thier best work, because Ben was gone, and amy could experiment with other stuff. |
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My Immortal tis da best. I also like Bring me to life. tis good as well. I've gots all of their cds on my mp3 player. yay! ^^
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I LOVE this band. They speak the truth and i hope they NEVER stop recording!
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Goth? I thought never. I guess i di not know what it was really. The first time I heard Amy Lee. I was in tears. I felt her voice in me. It was "Going Under" I'm a fan for life.....
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okay-maybe i'm wrong what a dumb motherf**ker i am-sorry-why is everyone sorry all the time-well-he r e is my opinon-sorry - i don't agree -sorry-quit being so f**king sorry and stand for something-GO D DAMMITT !
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