Web Site for the Official Student Newspaper of Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota Evanescence lights up First Avenue despite band setbacks By Jordan Corrigan A lot can happen in three years. In 2003, Evanescence was riding a massive wave of mainstream success, selling millions of copies of their major label debut, “Fallen” and headlining arenas around the world. However, at the height of their popularity, the band suffered the first of what would be a series of near-cataclysmic setbacks when founding guitarist Ben Moody left the band in the middle of a tour of Europe. Ex-Cold guitarist Terry Balsamo soon replaced him, and an event that might have spelled the end of a lesser band passed without much fanfare. Then, in November 2005, Balsamo suffered a stroke that limited his mobility, putting his future with the band in doubt, and singer Amy Lee was sued for breach of contract by Evanescence’s former manager. The following month, Lee filed a countersuit, alleging financial and sexual misconduct. In the midst of this potentially band-destroying maelstrom, Lee broke up with her boyfriend, Shaun Morgan of South African rock band Seether. After a period of relative calm, yet another founding member of Evanescence, bassist Will Boyd, left the band this past July. Amazingly, Evanescence has emerged from this bizarre and potentially devastating series of events with a stellar new album, “The Open Door,” and the accompanying tour stopped at the First Avenue on October 15th. Following a rather uninspiring set by disposable New York metal act Revelation Theory, Evanescence took the stage. In stark contrast to the 2004 tour, in which the band performed from a massive, multi-tiered stage along with video monitors and elaborate light shows, the show at the First Avenue featured only scant lighting on a stage that barely held the members of the band. Launching into “Sweet Sacrifice,” the opening track off “The Open Door,” it was immediately clear that the change of venues from arenas to clubs was for the better, as a palpable energy surged through the sold out crowd. Dressed in a black tank top and a frilly skirt, Lee bobbed around the stage like the pep squad’s gothiest cheerleader as Evanescence tore through a well-orchestrated mix of past hits and new material. The events of the past three years seemed not to have affected Lee’s sense of humor, as she spent the night smiling, and even cracked a few jokes, announcing "Just because I’m sitting down doesn’t mean it’s not gonna rock,” she announced just prior to “Whisper.” True to her word, the entire concert did exactly that. After a tumultuous three years, encompassing lineup changes, lawsuits, and life threatening afflictions, Evanescence returns new and improved with “The Open Door”. Similar enough to 2003’s “Fallen” not to alienate fans of the band, and yet accessible to first time listeners, “The Open Door” is the latest in a thankfully growing lineup of albums that seem to contradict the notion of the sophomore slump. Starting off with a bang, “Sweet Sacrifice” is classic Evanescence, with Amy Lee’s distinctive vocals soaring over the jagged sludge of Terry Balsamo’s guitar work and the staccato punctuation of the rhythm section. “Call Me When You’re Sober”, Lee’s kiss-off to a former boyfriend, is as addictive as anything else in the Evanescence canon, melding strings, and piano with a great riff and a memorable hook. “Weight of the World” wraps a haunting music box melody around the verse, providing an excellent contrast for the bombastic chug of the chorus. “Lithium”, the album’s first mid tempo track, is a dark, atmospheric blend of Lee’s driving piano coupled with a gorgeous string arrangement and a complementary acoustic guitar track, and is easily one of the standout songs on the album. Evanescence dials it back up to 11 with “Cloud Nine”, balancing the syrupy drum ‘n’ bass of the verse with a soaring, operatic chorus. On “Snow White Queen”, processed electronic percussion and stark harmonies melt into an epic, sprawling chorus. “Lacrymosa”, another standout track, weds a beautiful choral arrangement to Lee’s vocal gymnastics and Balsamo’s razor sharp riffing. “Like You” slowly burns from a simple piano and string arrangement into a full blown blaze of distortion and Lee’s operatic wails. ”Lose Control” nails the verse-chorus-verse, quiet-loud-quiet dynamic, reminiscent of grunge artists long since forgotten. “The Only One” again uses a driving drum and bass line to great effect, accentuating a somber piano arrangement. “Your Star” and “All That I’m Living For” kick the tempo back up to a fever pitch in stark contrast to the closing track, the somber, haunting “Good Enough.” With “The Open Door” Evanescence builds on the formulas that made “Fallen” such a success, and brings a wealth of new ideas into the mix. The result is a sprawling, grandiose masterpiece that heralds the evolution of Evanescence. If this is any indication of the direction Evanescence is headed, things can only get better.