Evanescence - Sanctuary [2LP]

Sanctuary is Evanescence's sixth studio album, a heavy, cinematic return from Amy Lee and company, spread here across two LPs.

It is the first Evanescence album to feature bassist Emma Anzai, alongside guitarists Troy McLawhorn and Tim McCord and drummer Will Hunt. Lee set out to write more openly and honestly this time, and much of the record wrestles with anxiety, division and the need for somewhere safe to land, which gives the title its weight.

Production comes from Jordan Fish, Nick Raskulinecz and Zakk Cervini, a combination that blends modern, synth-laced heaviness with the gothic grandeur the band built its name on. The two approaches sit together more comfortably than you might expect, and Lee's voice, as commanding as ever, ties everything together.

Who Will You Follow pairs churning riffs with that unmistakable soaring vocal, while Afterlife, first heard on the Devil May Cry soundtrack, brings a sleek electronic edge. Tell Me When You've Had Enough carries real urgency, and Wide Open Heart closes the album on a more vulnerable, reflective note.

For anyone who grew up with Fallen on repeat, it's a reminder of why that voice still cuts through everything around it, and proof that the band's dramatic instincts are as sharp as ever.