Evanescence is a band that I don’t often see a lot of mid-ground on. In my perspective, they seem to be an all-in or all-out band, apart from their greatest hit, Bring Me to Life. Admittedly, I was one of the many Australian Metallica fans left baffled when it was announced that Evanescence would be joining the long-awaited return of the thrash metal legends to the Land Down Under. But I must say that I ate my words pretty quickly once they started their set at Optus Stadium in Perth on November 1st. In moments, they made me realise that I had missed a lot of great music by ignoring the band.
Sanctuary is the first album that they’ve released in my time of being a casual fan. My knowledge of the band going in is honestly superficial. I know the songs they’ve played live for me, and I know that I’m looking forward to grabbing a ticket to their next show in Perth next March. However, all I can really tell you about the new album before diving into the songs is that this is Evanescence’s sixth studio album and the first to feature their Aussie bassist, Emma Anzai. The first single from the album was Afterlife, which was released as part of the soundtrack for Netflix’s Devil May Cry series last year.
So, with that point of reference out of the way, let’s dive in!
Sanctuary opens with the song Beautiful Lie, which starts feeling more like a typical pop ballad in its intro, but shortly after Amy Lee’s unmistakable vocals deliver their first lines, it is then intercut with heavy guitar riffing. This song is an absolute builder, which I love in an intro song. The lyrics here tell of a relationship that is absolutely toxic. Lines like “Sick of the feeling I’m lying here bleeding while you slither over what’s mine” and “Don’t be afraid of the monster you made when what goes around comes around” are powerful lyrics, and we all know that a powerful lyric in her voice can only be even stronger!
Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough comes out of the gates swinging with Evanescence’s heavier edge. This is the typical “I am strong” song you find on most modern metal albums like this, but what a banger this one is. This does slightly reframe the usual “I” narrative and frame it as someone observing someone going through this and asking, “Where’s the line, when is it enough?” Beneath it all, though, the band keeps firing on all cylinders.
The other side of Evanescence is the piano-driven ballad, best personified in songs like My Immortal, and the intro to Who Will You Follow made me think I was about to get into that feeling a little early. Alas, here’s another heavy track with a bit more piano thrown in for good measure. My reading of this song has this one pointing fingers at social media, evidenced by lines like “Break through the lies like an axe through the screen.” It’s a song that is begging for us to start living a little healthier beyond our screens, and absolutely slaps while doing so.
To me, Rapture feels like a continuation of Beautiful Lie, speaking to the realisation of the deception and finally stepping out of that darkness. This is a little more of a cinematic-feeling song, with vocals and synth layers taking centre stage for a lot of it. The breakdown here is perhaps a little too EDM for my taste, but the lead guitar outro is really cool.
Afterlife was the first song that I saw Evanescence perform on that spring day in 2025, and it still captures my attention perfectly here. I have heard that this song is very directly based on the story of Devil May Cry, which I have not yet seen, so I won’t make a comment on the lyrics, but I will say I absolutely love this song. This is such a great blanket song if you want a taste of what Sanctuary sounds like but you’ve only got four minutes to spare. Amy Lee is on fire through the whole thing.
I’ll be very surprised if Evanescence don’t open their Sanctuary tour with the title track. Opening with a spoken narrative that serves as the direct explanation of the album’s cover, the cinematic aspect of this song is too rich not to capitalise on for a live show. Those synth layers lead into the heavy choruses. The breakdown on this song is such a mosh pit moment too, so I can see it being leaned into heavily for live shows. I cannot wait to witness it for myself!
How Do I Heal is every bit the ballad that I thought Who Will You Follow was going to be. This is the Amy Lee soaring, heartfelt moment that I think of when I think of her voice. In a Kerrang! cover story back in April, Amy dived further into the meaning of this song, stating that it was all about leaving New York City and missing everything lost in that move: the time spent there, the life lived there, and the people she worried she wouldn’t see again. Apparently, this song almost didn’t make the album because there is another ballad later in the piece, but I’m glad that the producers were able to convince her to keep it, as this is a highlight.
About Us opens with a great bass riff that kinda evokes Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy to me. It has been openly stated that this song was written about Amy Lee’s bewilderment that Donald Trump was re-elected as president of the United States, and honestly, you can feel she’s absolutely seething in a lot of these lyrics. Truthfully, given the things that have happened since 2024 when the song was penned, this song is apt, and that is really the saddest thing I can say about it. Meanwhile, this song is hitting all the buttons for me. Love it!
Calm Down is one that I’m a little on the fence about. There just isn’t that much to say about it for me. I don’t feel any negativity towards the song, but I also don’t feel like there’s anything keeping my attention either. That is, until the three-minute mark when the breakdown kicks in, providing one really good moment here. So, if this is the one that feels like filler for me, yet still provides a strong moment, that should really speak to the strength of the album overall.
Self Destruct then steps forward as a good bit of chaos to get it all back on track. Not that I personally want to out my own political views, but it really isn’t hard to see this as a second part to the About Us narrative, especially when it comes to the dystopian lyrics that serve as a real eye-opener. The orchestral sound is really prominent here, and I really like it! I think this may be my favourite song lyrically, and possibly my favourite all up.
Forever Without You is the ballad that almost took How Do I Heal out of the running. This is another song that I’d like to turn to the interviews for. Amy Lee has said that this was deeply influenced by revisiting the material from the debut album, Fallen. To quote: “It’s about being able to see the full picture, good and bad, balm and wound, it’s just raw. I can’t put it into any better words than I did in the song, so you’ll just have to listen to Forever Without You.” There’s a whole section in the third verse that really paints the picture of when Ben Moody left the band two days before a show, and it further reflects his sentiment that it was the right thing to do because the band had become so successful. Amy really pours her heart out here, and it’s a real gut-wrenching moment. This is also only the second song that comes to mind that’s ever had her drop an F-bomb, as a little bit of trivia.
The album comes to a head with Wide Open Heart, still very much rooted in the narrative from About Us (and if I’m right, Self Destruct), but believing that the fate of humanity isn’t going to come down to the fight that’s ahead of us, but instead being about our inner strength and the ability to face it with love and compassion when the world meets us with only hate. This is a strong closer to the album, but it’s also the only song I wish was a little longer. I feel this one’s missing a bit of a breakdown that the others have served up.
Sanctuary is a strong album for me. While it’s a little samey in places, I honestly enjoy what’s on offer enough to keep going for the whole ride. Twelve songs, lasting just under fifty minutes in total, and a rather strong one at that. I’d give this a solid eight. Go check it out!
TRACKLIST
- Beautiful Lie
- Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough
- Who Will You Follow
- Rapture
- Afterlife
- Sanctuary
- How Do I Heal
- About Us
- Calm Down
- Self Destruct
- Forever Without You
- Wide Open Heart
Band Members:
Amy Lee – Lead Vocals, Piano, Keyboards, and Programming
Troy McLawhorn – Guitar and Backing Vocals
Tim McCord – Guitar
Emma Anzai – Bass and Backing Vocals
Will Hunt – Drums
