Fallen
is the major-label debut of
Evanescence
, a Little Rock, Arkansas-based quartet led by the soaring vocals of a then-20-year-old
Amy Lee
. Emboldened by the inclusion of its single "Bring Me to Life" on the soundtrack to the hit film
Daredevil
,
debuted at an impressive number seven on Billboard's Top 40. But "Bring Me to Life" is a bit misleading. A flawless slice of
Linkin Park
-style anguish pop, it's actually a duet between
Lee
and
12 Stones
'
Paul McCoy
. In fact, almost half of
's 11 songs are piano-driven ballads that suggest a goth
Tori Amos
recording for the
Projekt
label. The other half of the album does include flashes of the single's PG-rated nu-metal ("Everybody's Fool," "Going Under"). But it's the symphonic goth rock of groups like
Type O Negative
that influences most of
. Ethereal synths float above
Ben Moody
's crunching guitar in "Haunted," while "Whisper" even features apocalyptic strings and a scary chorus of Latin voices right out of Carmina Burana. A cover of Christian death metal band
Soul Embraced
's song of a similar title, "Tourniquet," is an anguished, urgent rocker driven by chugging guitars and spiraling synths, with brooding lyrics that reference the spiritual values of both bands: "Am I too lost to be saved?/Am I too lost?/My God! My tourniquet/Return to me salvation." The song is
's emotional center point and defines the band's sound.
[This landmark release, which has become one of the biggest-selling albums of all time, was remastered in 2023 for the 20th Anniversary Edition. In addition to the enduring original LP, the set also includes both the "Strings Version" and the cathartic "Band Version" of the soaring "My Immortal," as well as previously released era favorites like "Breathe No More," "Farther Away," and "Missing." For diehards well-versed in the long saga of the song, the remastered demo of "Bring Me to Life" is a treat: while
's vocals remain impeccable (and there's no rap verse, just as she intended before A&R meddling),
Moody
unleashes a killer guitar solo atop more electro-leaning production that echoes
even more than the final product. The bonus disc is rounded out by some demos and live recordings. As a celebration of this era in the band's history, the Fallen 20th Anniversary Edition reminds listeners of this special time in the early 2000s when
were one of the biggest bands on the planet.] ~ Johnny Loftus & Neil Z. Yeung