By Emily Suarez Contributor
Evanescence has burst back into the spotlight with their new album, “Synthesis.” It is a collection of the band’s songs redone with an orchestra. On previous albums, they’ve had songs that featured orchestra-like sounds, like “Lacrymosa” and “Lithium,” but they were nothing like the ones on the new album. “Synthesis” provides a beautiful blend of rock and classical that is only enhanced by singer Amy Lee’s haunting vocals.
By stripping away the rock elements of their previous songs, Evanescence has created something new.
The first song after the overture is a rendition of “Never Go Back” from the group’s 2011 self-titled album. The song opens up with a great piano solo, in contrast to the original’s guitar riffs. The song slows down as quickly as it starts, and does this throughout. The orchestrations are arranged so beautifully, you won’t even miss the guitars.
You couldn’t have a rework of an Evanescence album without the famed song “Bring Me to Life.” The new arrangement of this classic song is something out of a movie trailer. The large orchestrations work extremely well because of how big the song is. It is a great rendition of an already fun song that fans are sure to love.
Another song that I loved was “Imaginary.” It comes from the band’s 2003 album, “Fallen,” and works perfectly with the new orchestrations. The song opens the same way as the original, with strings playing the melody. However, the “Synthesis” version quickly distinguishes itself from the original with an electronic sound after the opening. While I am a fan of the original arrangement, the new one was just as good in a different way.
“Lost in Paradise” was one of my favorite songs from the band’s 2011 album, “Evanescence,” and I was pleasantly surprised with the new “Synthesis” arrangement. The song starts out quietly, with Lee’s vocals sounding almost a cappella, and about halfway through, the orchestra builds to a crescendo.
The album features two new songs, “Hi-Lo” and “Imperfection.” Of the two, “Imperfection” is the better one. “Hi-Lo” definitely has the orchestral sound that fits into the album, and it is not a bad song, but it doesn’t stand out in the way that it should in an album full of older songs. “Imperfection,” however, was a great standout, and as the album closer, it does its job. The song begins with a great piano instrumental that then turns into a faster-paced beat.
By stripping away the rock elements of their previous songs, Evanescence has created something new. They have created a beautiful orchestral album that still captures their classic sound. “Synthesis” is sure to be loved by current Evanescence fans and is a great listen for those who enjoy the grand orchestrations of classical music.
