Evanescence (Deluxe Edition) - By Evanescence (2011)

I'm a big fan of Evanescence and have been for a little while now. When I first listened to their new album - simply titled "Evanescence" - I thought it didn't compare to their older work. However, the more I listened to it, the more it grew on me and now I think it's some of their best work yet!

The album carries the same hybrid of rock and classical instruments that the band have always had (despite the several line-up changes). Amy Lee is just as good as she always has been as the band's lead singer, and the rest of the group all prove their worth through some fantastic drum and guitar solos.

But it's not all good. As per usual with Evanescence there are a few dud tracks. Most notable are "Swimming Home" which seems to lack the entire band's presence (with the exception of Amy). While this has proved to be a winning formula before with songs such as "My Immortal" this time it really doesn't work, and makes "Swimming Home" just very boring to listen to.

The only other track I had a problem with was "Secret Door" - one of the four bonus tracks you get with the deluxe edition. It suffers a similar problem to "Swimming Home" in that both the lyrics and rhythm fail to grab your attention.

Those two tracks aside though, Evanescence really is a great album. With the exception of the aforementioned two, all the songs are fantastic to listen to, and feature some great lyrics - and also some quite meaningful ones.
Highlights of the album are "Made of Stone", "Lost In Paradise", "Oceans", and "Say You Will."

The fact that they wrote these songs themselves is great too, as that feature is becoming increasingly difficult to find in music acts.

The deluxe edition also comes with a behind-the-scenes DVD featuring the video to "What You Want," the first single of the new album as well as many interviews with the band. While this is a nice touch, it's not a reason to splash out for the deluxe edition. Although the 3 bonus tracks (not including Secret Door) are of high quality - but still the deluxe edition may be a fan-only thing.

So all in all, apart from a couple of poor songs, this album is definitely one worth adding to your collection. If you liked any of Evanescence's previous work, or want to start listening to them, there's no better entry point than here. With some meaningful and catchy songs this album is unmissable.

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