EvDork Central

Evanescence is Amy Lee (vocals, piano), Terry Balsamo (guitar), Tim McCord (bass), Troy McLawhorn (guitar) and Will Hunt (drums).  Fallen, their major-label debut, was released in April 2003 to critical and commercial success and has sold more than fifteen million copies.  Their second major label debut, The Open Door, debuted at Number One on the Billboard charts and reached platinum status in just over a month.

Originally hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas, the band’s evolving sound – a nearly mystical marriage between rock, goth and classical – was informed by a curious duality.  Lee, who spent nine years studying classical piano, explains, “When I was in high school I listened to a lot of death metal bands.  Both genres are intricate, complex types of music that are very dramatic, and I’m naturally drawn to that.”

Evanescence self-released two EPs and a first full-length album, the much-sought-after Origin, before finding a home at Wind-up Records.  Fallen, their major-label debut, was released in April 2003 to critical and commercial success.  The internationally appealing Top 10 singles “Bring Me to Life” and “My Immortal” helped drive airplay and led to two 2003 Grammy Awards (Best New Artist and Best Hard Rock Performance for “Bring Me To Life”).  Propelling the band to sales of nearly 14 million albums worldwide, Fallen spent more than 100 weeks on Billboard’s Top 200 chart, was certified gold or platinum in over 35 countries, and sold out arenas globally.  Anywhere But Home, their 2004 live DVD release, has sold over one million copies to date.

The inherent drama in Evanescence’s music – a kind of audio odyssey that can turn on a dime from piano-led introspection to hammering guitar – has resonated with listeners everywhere.  The band’s aggressive core finds a counterpart in Lee’s passionate vocals, lyrics that forge a connection with audiences searching for identity or struggling with feelings of desire, hope love and loss.  The Open Door is a logical (but certainly not predictable) transformation of epic proportions for the band, which, in many ways has only just begun to make its mark on the music world.

(Via www.evanescence.com)