Evanescence - Synthesis

Evanescence
Synthesis
2017
Spotify

This album is kind of weird being mostly reworked versions of Evanescence's previous songs. Amy Lee has taken the reigns for this album, sort of finding a middle ground between the Nu-Metal and an Opera. The sound is big and bombastic, dripping with the longing in her vocals that Amy Lee is so famous for. I guess this is for the Evanescence fan who's aged out but still wants to hear her voice and still wants to find something close to the vibe they originally found, just...older. From the very beginning this record is so over the top; The album art is "edgy" but totally dated, her vocal runs feel forced and the music is so orchestral I'm not even sure why you would call this an Evanescence album. "Hi-Lo" has a full on violin solo like you are sitting in a damn concert hall. I get why she wants to work in this kind of music, because it does fit her voice, but it has nothing to do with Evanescence. The song that made the band a one hit wonder "Bring Me to Life" is here, but the male vocal is gone leaving this big ass hole where that was supposed to be. It gets even crazier in the later third of the song when it is supposed to be call and response but it's just totally absent. Even if she isn't working with her former band mates at least give us something right? It's almost like she wants to pretend those days never really existed and is hoping the listener agrees, we don't. It is such a big record but also so much of it is just loud for no reason, all subtlety is lost.

It's hard to write this because in reality the musicianship on this record is incredible, the production massive and Amy Lee's voice quite good but even with all those things it still feels totally forced. If you want to sing an opera, sing a fucking opera don't go at it in this roundabout way to entrap former Evanescence fans into this new project. You can't find how this music could be supported by a band; Is she going to tour with a full Orchestra? Just in case you thought this would be a quick outing this album extends over an hour. By the time you reach the end Her voice becomes so grading and so loud that you'll find yourself reaching for the volume down more than once on tracks like "Lost In Paradise". Synthesis is just a little too over the top, and honestly far too annoying to really breakthrough. I don't know who the audience is for this record nor a world where it would actually crossover. Anyway, here's the new Evanescence; It sucks.

3.1 out of 10