Back again with their follow up album The Open Door are emo ballard rock band Evanescene. With an honestly slightly dubious opening single Call Me When You’re Sober we are left not quite knowing what to expect. Is it all the same stuff only with louder vocals? If so does it work this time round, or have those who tagged them “too commercial” won this battle?

Have they hell as! This album certainly lives up to the hype they created with the first. The passionate, emotional voice (Amy Lee) and heavy, heavy guitar are back and are just as good as ever. This entire album is like a dive straight into Halloween town on a supernatural bus (listen and you’ll see what I mean). Ok the first single was a little lacking on the catchy side but remember that's only one out of the (lucky) 13 tracks.

As a whole the album really works, each song complements the next and keeps a strong throughout. Be it within songs or between them. Sadly though when playing tracks to your mates to show the album off, each track does sound very samey to the other and the only real difference between a lot of the songs is in the chorus, so not exactly entirely single sale material.

Don’t hold that against it though! As with any album, many tracks will stand out far above the others. For example the puzzling, yes puzzling, track Lithium leaves you wondering what she actually is singing about if you listen to the words but still none the less captures you in the way only Evanescence know how with their hooking, overly dramatic vocals and rifts. Another favourite of mine has got to be the track Your Star. With its very well sung opening lines it almost tricks you into thinking it is to be a similar style to that of My Immortal from the first album, (for those of you who have done your research!). However it soon breaks open into a slightly psychopathic thought pattern as the words are repeated over and over seemingly in some-ones head placed over slightly less aggressive guitar pieces than usual.

As with any album there are tracks which just seem like fillers and its got to be said the track All That I'm Living For does sound like it was done because it was 1) there, 2) it fitted their style and 3) that they wanted to have 13 tracks since it looks more creepy. As if they needed help in that area.

It’s hard to wonder how to feel about Evanescence’s style of Goth Rock as it has a strange appeal to not only the usual gothic fan-base but also chart listeners as an alternative to the mass produced pop currently available. Some may find it to be very raw, supernaturally spooky and close to that you may hear should you ever walk though Silent Hill. Others may see it as a church service gone bad. Very bad.

The best way to make up your mind is to ask: did you like the first album? Yes – then yes this will take you away! No – it's very much the same style but just different songs, not much has changed and its likely you’ll just see it as an extended Fallen.

If you’re new to Evanescence then my advice is to give them a try, my guess is you might just be surprised.

Score: 7/10, very good style, sadly (for some) not much has changed.

If you like Evanescence; take my advice and try Within Temptation’s album – Silent Force.