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What’s the Story?

Reviewed by Kathi Kamen Goldmark

THE OPEN DOOR tackles themes of devastation, despair, but also the ultimate hope and redemption inherent in any great personal loss. Fans of Evanescence will know that guitarist Ben Moody left the band mid-tour in 2003 after his breakup with lead singer Amy Lee, and the songs -- darkly poetic and beautifully performed -- are all about the end of this troubled romance. Lyrics contain a couple of mild references to drugs and drinking. For example, "Just didn't drink enough to say you love me…Lithium -- don't want to forget how it feels without lithium/I want to stay in love with my sorrow" ("Lithium"). There are also many poetically depressing moments ("We're all grieving/lost and bleeding" on "The Only One" is an example).

Is It Any Good?

4

Filled with anxious, brooding messages of self-obsession, The Open Door will be most appealing to dramatic teenagers suffering through their own losses and heartbreaks. If they come away with a view of the bigger picture -- that creative expression is better than self-destruction as a tactic for dealing with life's hard stuff -- it's well worth the price of admission into Amy Lee's house of pain. One might think that this collection would grow tedious, but Amy is such a passionate and skilled singer that she pulls off this self-indulgence with perfect emotional pitch.

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