EVANESCENCE
Amy Lee - Vocals, Piano
John LeCompt - Guitar
Will Boyd - Bass
Terry Balsalmo - Guitar
Rocky Gray - Drums

The massive success that Evanescence has enjoyed so far is, in the words of co-founder and lead singer Amy Lee, "really bizarre when you think about it. Obviously I always thought we were good enough - I love our music and I love our band - but I never thought it would happen on this scale. I look at my face on the album cover sometimes and wonder if it's really me."

Indeed it is. Lee's passionate vocals, combined with the band's aggressive muscularity, have helped debut album Fallen sell over 12 million copies worldwide, spawning the hits Bring Me to Life (# 1 in several countries), Going Under and My Immortal. A slew of awards have followed, including two Grammys in 2003: Best New Artist and, for Bring Me to Life, Best Hard Rock Performance.

The inherent drama in Evanescence's musical approach - a kind of widescreen goth that can turn on a dime from piano-led introspection to hammering guitar riff-a-rama - obviously hit hard with audiences worldwide.

"We love what we do, and I think that comes through; we definitely try to put that into our music," Lee explains. "It's real, honest and genuine. We're not just trying to sell records, it comes from the heart. Of all of us."

The story becomes even more amazing when one considers the group's humble beginnings: Lee and co-founder Ben Moody started writing and recording together at each other's parents' houses, and only hired musicians to perform live a couple of times a year.

"It was weird going out on our first tour," she recalls. "No one had any expectations, and we were doing a couple of shows in skating rinks for, like, 10 people - it was pretty hilarious. But by the end of the week there would be a huge difference every time, and by the end of the month we were playing to hundreds of people - and by last summer we were playing in front of 50,000 people in Germany."

The inclusion of Bring Me to Life on the Daredevil soundtrack (along with My Immortal) helped get the ball rolling. As the airplay picture grew, the request lines starting lighting up. "That's how it spread around the country, and around the world," Lee enthuses. "That's my favorite part of the story - it happened not because we were being shoved down people's throats, but people were finding the band pretty much on their own. Who would we be without the fans? Nobody."

Evanescence has repaid that debt with an unrelenting touring schedule. "To see some of the stuff we've had the opportunity to see has been amazing...though sometimes you feel that 'so close and yet so far' thing," Lee laughs. "We were in New Zealand and thought we'd get to see the rainforest, but we had the show to do. Sometimes we've just seen a lot of really beautiful hotel rooms."

Now Lee and her bandmates are turning their attention to writing for Fallen's follow-up.

"We're taking it very slowly," she says. "Fallen was a good piece of art but we don't want to make the same record again - what's the point? We want it to be inventive and original, like the first one was. We write separately, and will come together soon and start to work together."

Joining Lee, bassist William Boyd, drummer Rocky Gray, and guitarist John LeCompt is new guitarist Terry Balsamo, formerly of alternative metal band Cold, who replaced co-founder Moody after the latter's exit in October 2003.

"Terry's a dream come true," Lee enthuses. "He's a cool, laid back guy that we've all been friends with. He's an incredible musician, a great writer, and an all-around five-star guy. I love him very much - there's no drama, it's more of a celebration than a struggle."

One constant in Evanescence's approach will remain Lee's background in classical music; having spent nine years studying classical piano, she's not about to turn her back on it now.

"What I bring to the band is the idea and vibe of the romantic/classical/orchestral thing - the strings, the choir, the ethereal background vocals, and the piano," she says. "The band brings the rock - the guitars and drums. Together we create something that's very original."

The combination of classical and metal isn't as odd as it would seem, she explains: "There are a lot of almost mystical links between classical and heavy metal. When I was in high school I listened to a lot of death metal bands which I loved - they're both intricate, complex types of music that are very dramatic, and I'm naturally drawn to that."

Evanescence's next step will reflect the fact that "I'm becoming more fearless as a writer - we all are. Fallen came from a very vulnerable place, which is not the way I am in real life - I purge that part of myself through my writing. There is no doubt that my songwriting is more reflective of my reaction to events rather than the events themselves."

As for when that next album might be available, she responds with a good-natured giggle. "It'll be done when it's our favorite album."