After recording private albums, the band signed to Wind-up Records and released their first full-length album, Fallen, in 2003, which sold more than 15 million copies worldwide and helped the band win two Grammy Awards. A year later, they released their first live album, Anywhere But Home, which sold more than one million copies worldwide. In 2006, they then released their second studio album, The Open Door, which sold more than five million copies. They released their third and latest studio album, Evanescence in 2011.
The band currently consists of Amy Lee (lead vocals, piano, keyboards), Terry Balsamo (guitars), and Tim McCord (bass). Former members include David Hodges (piano, keyboards, backing vocals; left in 2002), Ben Moody (guitars; left in 2003), William Boyd (bass; left in 2006), John LeCompt (guitars, backing vocals; fired in 2007), and Rocky Gray (drums; left in 2007). Session members include Troy McLawhorn (guitars) and Will Hunt (drums), both are from Dark New Day, they were "borrowed" to replace LeCompt and Gray during 2007 tours.
Amy Lee and Ben Moody met in 1994 at a youth camp in Little Rock, where Moody heard Lee playing I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) by Meat Loaf on the piano. Their first songs were Solitude and Give Unto Me, written by Lee, and Understanding and My Immortal, written by Moody.
Two of Lee and Moody's songs found playtime on local radio stations, raising local awareness of the group and demand for a show. The band eventually appeared live, and became one of the most popular acts in the area. After experimenting with band names, such as Childish Intentions and Stricken, they decided on Evanescence, which means "disappearance" or "fading away" (from the word evanesce, which means "to disappear"). Lee has stated she loves the name because "it is mysterious and dark, and places a picture in the listeners' mind.".
Their first full-length demo CD, Origin (released in 2000), is relatively unknown. The band also released two EPs. First, the self-titled Evanescence EP (1998) of which about 100 copies were made, and second the Sound Asleep EP, also known as the Whisper EP (1999), limited to 50 copies. Origin and the EPs contain demo versions of some of the songs on their debut album, Fallen. For example, the recording of My Immortal found on Fallen can also be found on Origin, minus a handful of additional string accompaniments. Only 2,500 copies of this record were produced; in response, Lee and Moody encouraged fans to download the band's older songs from the Internet.
In several interviews Amy has said that 'Origin' was not an album, it was merely meant to be a demo. While appearing to be an official CD, it was never meant to be officially released. According to Amy Lee "Origin is not an album. Should I say that clearer? 'Origin' is not an album. We recorded its demos, we recorded it a long time ago, in Ben's apartment or in my parent's attic with an 8-track recorder that cost $300. It sounds like crap. Don't feel bad that you don't have it, just download it. It looks kind of like an album because we had an artist make us this cool album cover because we were shopping it to record labels. We put everything we had on there, and some songs that are on there are on 'Fallen', just done right". The video of this interview can be seen here.
The band sent 'Origin' to several record labels, and eventually Wind-Up Records signed them. The band then recorded a large collection of demos throughout 2001 and 2002. Afterwards, the band began work on their second full-length album. However, after the album had been finished, Hodges left the band in December of 2002.
The album, entitled 'Fallen', was then released in March 2003. It brought the band international fame, selling 14 millions of copies worldwide. 'Fallen' has since gone 6 times platinum in the United States and has sold more than 15 million copies altogether worldwide.
However, shortly after, Moody left the band on October 22 of 2003 due to internal struggles with the band members. He was then replaced by guitarist Terry Balsamo from the band Cold. Before Moody's departure, Gray, LeCompt, and Boyd had been session members, but afterwards they became full-time members.
At the 2004 Grammy Awards, Evanescence won Best New Artist and Best Hard Rock Performance for their single Bring Me to Life, known worldwide from the Daredevil soundtrack. That same year, the band released a live CD/DVD entitled 'Anywhere But Home', which also sold 1 million of copies worldwide and has since gone platinum in the United States.
Afterwards, the band began work on their next release. Many things set the release back, including the health problems of Terry. He was unfortunately affected by a stroke, but is recovering successfully. Amy also fired their old manager which they had relations with during 'Fallen', and brought him to court. In 2006, they finished recording their second album, titled 'The Open Door', as well as shooting a video for the single Call Me When You're Sober. On July 13th, 2006, Lee announced through Evanescence's online message board that bassist Boyd has decided to leave the band in order to make time for his personal life and family. Tim McCord was announced as Will Boyd's replacement in August 2006.
'The Open Door' debuted at number 1 in Australia, United States, Greece, Germany, and Switzerland. It sold over 1 million copies worldwide within the first week of its release.
The second single of 'The Open Door' was Lithium. A video was shot for the single - directed by Paul Fedor (who has worked with Marilyn Manson, Seether, and Deftones). It took 2 days to film, October 31 and November 1, 2006.
The third single off 'The Open Door' was Sweet Sacrifice. The label, Wind-Up, had originally chosen All That I'm Living For to be the third single, but was met with opposition from the fans. The video was shot on March 9th and 10th, 2007. Directed by Paul Brown.
On May 4, 2007, John LeCompt announced that he had been fired from Evanescence, and also stated that drummer Rocky Gray had decided to quit as well. Both musicians posted on their personal MySpace pages to confirm the news report, however, neither elaborated about the circumstances surrounding their departures, and no official statement has yet been released by the band or label.
On his MySpace blog, LeCompt stated that Lee called his cellphone to fire him, and that no warning had previously been given nor were any negotiations made available. No replacements have been named as of yet, but Evanescence says they will continue touring and producing music.
Lee revealed during the taping of MuchMusic's January 9, 2007 episode of Live @ Much that she had become engaged the previous evening. She later confirmed on EvThreads.com that she was proposed to by Josh Hartzler, a 29-year-old therapist and long time friend. She noted in an interview that the songs Good Enough and Bring Me To Life were inspired by him. The couple were married on May 6, 2007, and honeymooned near The Bahamas. She has posted on EvThreads that she is "now officially Mrs. Amy Hartzler."
Recently Lee and Evanescence (with temporary members) headlined a one off show in Sao Paulo, Brazil for a music festival. A couple of weeks before, Lee posted on her Twitter that the band need to practice and was going to play a secret show in NYC's The Palace.
Lee confirmed that a third album was on the way and was set to release late 2010. A short video surfaced on one members Twitter account showing the band practicing and recording.
On 22 January, 2010, Amy posted on her Twitter that the b-side Together Again would be a gift to all who donate just the minimum amount to the Relief Effort over in Haiti.
In a MTV interview Amy Lee announced that the new album would be named 'Evanescence'. This was released October 11th, 2011. It is the first of their albums to have a deluxe version with 4 extra songs and an accompanying DVD.
Lost Whispers is a compilation album and was released on December 9, 2016, by The Bicycle Music Company. The album is a career-spanning collection of B-sides and two new recordings: "Lost Whispers", the intro from the band's 2009 tour and a new version of "Even in Death", originally on their 2000 demo album, Origin.
Their fourth Studio album, Synthesis, was released in November 2017. The album debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200, and has reached number 23 in the UK, 5 in Germany, and 6 in Australia.
Discography
1998: Evanescence EP
1999: Sound Asleep EP
2000: Origin
2003: Mystary EP and Fallen (first official studio album)
2004: Anywhere But Home
2006: The Open Door
2011: Evanescence
2016: Lost Whispers
2017: Synthesis
2021: The Bitter Truth
Official site: www.evanescence.com
The Game Is Over
Evanescence Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Had enough
Had enough of denial
I'm not alright, but I'm not gonna lie
I don't know that I ever was
All alone, I've waited
All alone
Held it in as I played by your rules
I've been biting my lip, but I'm losing my grip
I'm coming down, down, down
When all the hate burns off, I'm left here with the pain
Behind our vain devices are we all the same?
Ooh-ooh, ah-ah
Change me into something I believe in
Change me so I don't have to pretend
Take a breath and try to play along
But I'm a terrible liar
I feel the world like a brick on my chest
And the party's just begun
Throw the rope, I'm wading
Through the mud
From your mouth flow a thousand truths
But you know, there's only one
When all the hate burns off, I'm left here with the pain
Ooh-ooh, ah-ah
Change me into something I believe in
Change me so I don't have to pretend
Sweet words, they mean nothing, they're not true
'Cause the game is over
I want it all or I want nothing at all
Maybe I can
Change me into something I believe in
Change me so I don't have to pretend
Your sweet words they mean nothing, save your breath
The game is over
In "The Game Is Over," Evanescence expresses feelings of fatigue and disappointment. The main character questions their current state of being, implying that they were never really okay in the first place. They've been following someone else's rules and expectations, and although they've been keeping their emotions inside, they're losing their grip. The singer is tired of all the lies and insincerity that has been going on around them. They've been putting on a facade, pretending to feel things that they didn't. However, they can't do that anymore.
The verse "When all the hate burns off, I'm left here with the pain. Behind our vain devices, are we all the same?" highlights the idea that the singer is not alone in their struggles. Everyone hides their true nature behind social media and other means of projecting a certain image, but the hate and pain remain underneath. The singer pleads with the person they were trying to please, saying, "Take a breath and try to play along, but I'm a terrible liar." They realize that they can't continue on this path and are ready for a change. They want to believe in something authentic and be true to themselves instead of putting on a facade.
Line by Line Meaning
Had enough, I've really
I have had enough of everything
Had enough of denial
I am done pretending everything is alright
I'm not alright, but I'm not gonna lie
I might not be in a good place but I won't fake it
I don't know that I ever was
I'm not even sure if I was ever okay with myself
All alone, I've waited
I have waited for someone to understand but there is no one here
Held it in as I played by your rules
I tried to be what others wanted me to be but I'm done with that now
I've been biting my lip, but I'm losing my grip
I have been holding back but not anymore
I'm coming down, down, down
I am slowly losing control
When all the hate burns off, I'm left here with the pain
When everything else fades away, I am left alone with my pain
Behind our vain devices are we all the same?
Are we all just pretending behind our screens and devices?
Ooh-ooh, ah-ah
Vocals
Change me into something I believe in
Make me into someone I am proud to be
Change me so I don't have to pretend
Help me be true to myself
Take a breath and try to play along
I am trying to fit in but it is hard
But I'm a terrible liar
I am not good at pretending
I feel the world like a brick on my chest
The weight of the world is heavy on my chest
And the party's just begun
Everyone is just getting started and I can't keep up
Throw the rope, I'm wading
I am struggling and need help
Through the mud
Through the difficulties
From your mouth flow a thousand truths
I've heard it all before
But you know, there's only one
But what really matters is the truth
Sweet words, they mean nothing, they're not true
Words are meaningless when they are not backed up by actions
'Cause the game is over
The pretending is done
I want it all or I want nothing at all
I either want everything or nothing at all
Maybe I can
Perhaps I can make it through
Change me into something I believe in
Make me into someone I am proud to be
Change me so I don't have to pretend
Help me be true to myself
Your sweet words they mean nothing, save your breath
Don't bother saying nice things if you don't mean it
The game is over
The pretending is done
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Amy Lee, Tim McCord, Troy McLawhorn, Will Hunt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marie McLellan-Hasty
on My Immortal
These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real. There's too much that time cannot erase...But you still have all of me
Marie McLellan-Hasty
on Bring Me to Life
Frozen inside without your touch, Without your love...All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see..you were there in front of me. Bring me to life, I've been living a lie, there's nothing left inside...Save me from the nothing I've become.