Fallen

Vocalist Amy Lee has one of those voices that only comes along once in a while; haunting, beautiful and melodic. She manages to make every track her own, but really excels on the two ballads "My Immortal" and "Hello". Backed with little more than a piano she is able to demonstrate her full vocal dexterity, and sent shivers down my spine in the process. Meanwhile, on "Bring Me To Life" she is the perfect antithesis to guest singer Paul McCoy's (lead singer of 12 stones, another fantastic group) gravelly, rough voice.

The music itself is no less wonderful. Guitars, drums, keyboards, synthesisers and even violins work in harmony to create highly atmospheric pieces like "Haunted" and "Imaginary". Basically Evanescence are the perfect musical combination; everything comes together in order to make eleven stand-out tracks that will often leave you awestruck.

Some reviewers have compared the group to Linkin Park, but look beyond that and you'll find that Evanescence are so much more. This album will be staying in my CD player for a long, long time...

So what can I say? This isn't my usual musical bag but there's just something about Amy Lee's voice that makes me tingle every time I hear it. I'd like to say that there's at least one filler track on this disc but I can't - every one is a gem, were I forced to choose then at the moment I'd have to count "Everybody's Fool" and "My Immortal" as my favourites but it seems to change whenever I listen to the disc. The nu-metal bass line, Amy Lee's haunting vocals, classical strings and power guitar riffs combine to make this a serious contender for a top spot in my CD collection for years to come. How the hell Evanescence haven't had a major record label snap them up before now is anyone's guess - all I can say is thank God for Daredevil :)

Buy this album, buy it now, you will *not* be sorry.

I worried that perhaps "Bring Me To Life" and "My Immortal" were going to be the best tracks on Fallen too and the rest would be a disappointment, but I got a pleasant surprise!

I'm not going to do a track-by-track breakdown, partly because it's too difficult. Every song is so great, the music rocks without being too stodgy or cumbersome, Amy Lee's voice has great range, power, warmth, and beauty. The lyrics are brilliant and precise, with some you'll want to use as screen savers or personal mottos ("Don't want your hand this time, I'll save myself" -- "How can you see into my eyes like open doors?" -- "And if you have to leave, I wish that you would just leave because your presence still lingers here, and it won't leave me alone" -- "I linger in the doorway or alarm clock screaming monsters calling my name" -- "Hello, I'm your mind giving you someone to talk to" -- "Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken" -- "I know you hear me, I can taste it in your tears" -- "I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away... if I will it all away...".

I like the album for many reasons, especially the little contradictions, like how it sounds new and youthful and optimistic, and yet gothic and dark in places. In a world of male singers with screeching guitar riffs in the background, it's totally refreshing to hear a beautiful female voice soaring over and through it. Somehow it just feels right!

I love the grand touches, that turn what might otherwise be a nice but unremarkable song into something epic. It happens everywhere, noticeably for me in "Imaginary". Choirs, orchestras, strings... Oh yes! It leaves you begging for more, and you can see why their music lends itself so well to being used in a movie score.

The first six tracks grab attention immediately, but the remaining five grow on you very quickly, particularly "Hello" and "Whisper" for me. Incidentally, "Hello" has one of those checking-to-see-you're-not-dead moments, where the vocals put a shiver all the way through you like a blade and seem to pierce the heart while it's at it. You'll know what I mean when you hear it ~ the hairs on the back of your neck will definitely stand up!

I bought this CD for myself, and had to get two more for my friends! They love it as much as I do.