Sanctuary

After 2021s resurgent hit The Bitter Truth, Amy Lee and Evanescence upped the ante with another invigorated late-era highlight, Sanctuary. While the bands basic approach hasnt shifted much, the biggest surprise is how focused and urgent they sound at this stage, which should be a cause for celebration: Sanctuary is a fantastic Evanescence album that is exactly what any longtime fan could hope for, especially a quarter of a century into the bands existence. Lees voice remains the core draw, a soaring instrument that continues to hit the angelic, shiver-inducing highs, while still seething with frustration and rage. The band is in fine form as well, with new bassist Emma Anzai, drummer Will Hunt, and guitarists Troy McLawhorn and Tim McCord locking in to provide a muscular, hard rock onslaught thats polished by producers Jordan Fish, Nick Raskulinecz, and Zakk Cervini. Armed with that metallic edge and the bands cinematic flair for orchestral drama, Sanctuary is a bounty of could-be singles that pushes emotions to dizzying heights. Much of what made early Evanescence such a big draw is present here, most notably some of the best choruses theyve ever written: "Who Will You Follow," "Afterlife," and "Sanctuary" are as potent as any standout on Fallen or The Open Door, which are apt sonic touchstones for any old fans wondering whether Lee and company have still got it. Peppered with biting lyrics that touch upon the state of the U.S. and the world in the mid-2020s, theres a current of frustration and angst coursing through Sanctuary thats palpable, coming to life, for example, through the electric dubstep break on the aptly titled "Rapture" and on the towering "About Us," that grooves like PJ Harvey and Billie Eilish before exploding on an apocalyptic, stadium-sized rager of a chorus. Elsewhere, in the face of ever-present anxiety and fear, Lee pushes resistance and hope through music and unity on moments like the albums title track climax and "Wide Open Heart." Among the wealth of towering epics, the Tori Amos-influenced Lee and her piano take the spotlight on Sanctuarys "My Immortal" moments "How Do I Heal" -- which is backed by gorgeous, spare strings and a cathartic slow-build designed for maximum water works -- and the tender vulnerability of the broken ballad "Forever Without You." Altogether, Sanctuary raises the bar that was set by The Bitter Truth, riding its predecessors momentum and turning out one of the bands most immediate, moving, and addictive offerings to date. ~ Neil Z. Yeung