I wrote this and posted on my
Facebook page (had to translate into English though).
To whoever is a fan of Evanescence, please read my opinion about Amy Lee's newest musical revolution as an independent artist:
Thanks to the massive amount of negative reviews - mainly from people who are "every now and then" fans - I decided to write a little text about Amy's new album, "Aftermath".
Unfortunately a crushing majority of people who negatively criticize this album are taken completely out of context, not understanding what this project really is about, so I felt the need to write this list, as a fan who's been active and updated for the last 10 years:
1. This album was written for and inspired by the movie "War Story", even though it's seen and promoted as an Amy's solo album, she received the collaboration from other artists as well (Dave Egga, Malika Zarra, Chuck Palmer).
2. The album was, in a certain way, wrongly promoted as being Amy's first solo album: even though this is not wrong, it's not entirely right. This album is, firstly above all, a soundtrack constructed around the storyline of the movie "War Story", that's how the album should be evaluated.
3. Once we know this album is a soundtrack, we can't expect all songs to have vocals, let alone lyrics. Soundtracks have many tracks that are constructed to help build up a situation or occurrence in the movie, to help create drama, build suspense, it depends on what the producers want. Amy accepted the challenge and she was up to it, no matter what anyone says.
4. Amy's dream has been about working on a soundtrack for a long time now. She said that in many interviews and has been confirming for many years that this is what she's been dreaming about in a long time. We, as fans, should be happy and thankful that she has actually reached this goal.
5. Amy is musically a very creative and versatile person. She dedicated her heart and soul to what she does and she admitted herself that she's a perfeccionist. She decided to risk and try new styles, walk on paths she hasn't explored before. She's always liked electronic music (you can see that on the album Origin) but unfortunately Wind-Up, Evanescence's ex-recording label, wouldn't cut slack for them to expand their experience and inspiration. Any new track that didn't follow the same pattern of the old songs of the band, the label simply wouldn't accept them leave them aside.
6. This is AMY LEE, not Evanescence. Learn the difference. We have to know that in the last years - as I said above - Evanescence's sound was obrigatorily adultered and obligated to follow a different route, a more passive and submissive one, to please the label, to sell singles, albums and promos. Even though the lyrics and instrumentals are written by the band, they are severely chained to the same old traditions to please more people, to give Wind-Up more profits and follow the same trendmark, which leads us into believing that the music from the last years was not as Evanescence-like as you may believe.
7. Since Amy has been experimenting a lot with this album, since now she's an independent artist, it's normal to not please everyone. She surprised many fans - many of these fans only took interest in her and the band whenever new work was to come out and not caring to seek information about on-going work and developing projects, winding up not understand the major differences between the work of one Era and the other. If you call yourself a fan, be one. Seek information.
8. There's a big controversy regarding the track "Push the Button". Once again, whoever followed this work up close, knows this track was constructed only by Amy herself to fill in a void in the movie where there was a sex scene. Once again, Amy stood up to the challenge and constructed a work that did not only fit in the scene, but composed a song that was elegantly layered without being cheap, sordid or dirty.
9. This album took about a year to finish: they're artists who dedicate their hearts and souls to their job, they're independent and don't do it for the money. Let alone Amy herself, she left the world stages to build a soundtrack to an Indie movie that didn't even reach the big theatre rooms. It wasn't for the money, it was, yes, for fun, challenge and commitment.
10. You may not like this work, because not everything pleases everyone and it was a big difference from the Amy Lee we were used to know, with a lightly adultered image imposed by Wind-Up, but this is the real Amy, in constante change and musical, professional and spiritual growth. Respect her work. If you wanna listen to her album, do, but buy it, because now Amy is also an independent artist and deserves all the support she can get, just like everyone else.