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The Open Door

by Evanescence

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There's nothing like a breakup to focus your muse. This follow-up to the stunning, multi-platinum Fallen was penned as singer Amy Lee's troubled romance with bandmate Ben Moody was spiraling out of control, impelling her to craft an anxious record full of recriminations, revelation, and self-flagellation, as she questioned everything that kept her whole. It's a fascinating journey for the listener as she ventures into her own personal heart of darkness, her stricken, perfect voice suspended on an unsteady precipice between breakdown and breakthrough. Despite the loss of two members, including guitarist Moody who left mid-tour in 2003, the album has a maturity, sophistication, and a singular vision that wasn't found in their earlier work. Stately and as exotic as Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti, with its intricate instrumentation, disturbing imagery, and disembodied chorus, The Open Door shows exactly what this band is capable of. "Snow White Queen" is a goth-y alternative to Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together," equally anthemic, but with much more grit and pain. --Jaan Uhelszki