Sweet Melodies of The Fallen

I begin with a disclaimer. I have been a fan of Evanescence since they were a bunch of kids out of Little Rock, Arkansas. The first song I remember hearing was Even in Death on Christian Industrial.com internet radio. Then I heard Bring Me to Life and My immortal on the Daredevil soundtrack. Fallen was the only album I have put on pre-order. So while this review is honest, it also is coming from a fanboy.

The Bitter Truth is the fourth studio album from Evanescence and the first in eleven years (the Night Beat had barely got of the ground. I started the blog in July of 2010). It is amazing to realize that I could say that I have been following the Band for my entire career as a blogger. Of course the Night Beat started as a radio show in 1984 when Amy Lee was in her terrible two's. 

The Bitter Truth gets off to a different kind of start with a two song intro. Artifact/The Turn and Broken Pieces Shine could be the best 1-2 punch to open an album ever. I would call Artifact/The turn an EDM song and it begins with a question "Where do we go now?" The answer is up to 11 on the volume. A simple countdown of three, two, one zero into the metal anthem broken pieces shine is the best transition since Tourniquet and Imaginary from Fallen. Survival Hurts, and I don't know if I will be alright, but I have to try is Amy's commentary on the death of her brother. As someone who has experienced the loss of a lived one I understand her completely.

There isn't a bad song on the album, but the album does sound different. Any lack of production can easily be forgiven by me in that this album was put together during a lockdown. I would say it sounds great despite the obstacles. Yeah, Right may be the only Pop Happy song that Amy ever records. That's not to say that her songs are depressing, but the pain that she channels in her songs work healing for the listener. In that way the song works.

Use My Voice is another different song, in that it came out in the middle of the Presidential campaign, that is different. Evanescence has pretty much stayed clear of any political statement. Conservatives like metal too. When the song originally came out I confess I took a hiatus from the band, not wanting to be disappointed. I decided to check it out and am pleasantly surprised. The song and video steer a good middle course and has a patriotic flair. My only wish is that Amy et al doesn't get petty and do cease and desist orders if Republicans use it in 2022. Both sides should be allowed to say you don't speak for me.

I'm a sucker for the epic ballad, see My Immortal or Lost In Paradise for proof. Far from Heaven is Amy at her spine chilling best. It is full of pain and prayer, and may be one of my favorite Ev Worship tunes. I can't see your light anymore, cause I've spent too long in the dark. I am not ashamed to say it's an emotional trainwreck of a song and will leave you in tears. Best song on the album.

You know where this is going.

The Bitter Truth is that this is a 5 Emerald perfect album. Is it multi-platinum like Fallen. It should be, it has that kind of impact, but since Fallen was a debut, I don't know if that lightning can strike twice. Still, it cements Evanescence status as legendary. That's the (not so) Bitter Truth. The revenge of the fallen. until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply. 

Hunted by the Huntress

Artemis: Daughter of Zeus and Sister of Apollo. The Greek Goddess of Hunting, Wild Nature, The Moon, and Chastity. Patron of Girls and Young Women and Protector of Women in Childbirth. Sounds like a really cool girl.

What's Greek Mythology got to do with a Christian Music blog? Glad you asked. We here at The Night Beat are always in search of what we call Pure Platinum Perfection. Suffice it to say it is the best music to be found. And while we are primarily are a Christian Music Blog, our search doesn't end there. We pull our nominees from "The Fringe", where Christian Artists go beyond "Jesus Jesus Wo Wo Wo" and produce music that truly takes the Cross Over into the mainstream. The Choir, The 77's, Switchfoot, and others. And then there is the GRAC (Generally Regarded as Christian). Groups. Like Creed, U2, and Evanescence belong here. And then there are bands that I call clean secular. They may not be Christian, but you won't sin by listening to them.

Which brings us back to the Goddess of The Hunt, aka Artemis. Lindsey Stirling is an American Rock Violinist with a bit of EDM flair. She is also a dancer. Combining the two has created a bit of a kerfuffle in the stodgy Classical Circles that Violinists usually are in. I first heard about Miss Sterling as she Toured with Evanescence in the Synthesis Tour. Needless to say I was quite impressed. More on Evanescence later.

Artemis is a mostly instrumental work. Of the 12 songs on the album, only 3 have any vocals, unless you count sampled vocals such as "take my breath away" (from Artemis). Let's start with the vocal songs. The weakest is number 3, the Upside with Ellie King. It's a pretty good EDM number, but nothing special. Tied for Favorite is Foreverglow by Lindsey, and Love Goes On And On (ft Vocals by Amy Lee). Foreverglow is ostensibly about a Star, but listening to it got me thinking "Would You Know You're Made of Light If You Were Not Born Into The Dark". We are Born Again into a Dark World from Above and are exhorted to "Shine Among Them Like Stars In The Sky" (Philippians 2:15 NIV). 

Immediately following Lindsey's Heavenly vocals on this song we move straight to a duel. What more can be said about Amy Lee of Evanescence. Her vocals can melt your heart and send chills up your spine and all she is singing is "Oh". The duel is really can Lindsey hit a note high enough on her violin that Amy Can't reach on her voice. The answer is simple: NO.

It doesn't matter that the subject is Love after Death, the result is stunning: "There is darkness ever waiting, I can feel it in the air. So I call upon my angels, are you still there".

On to the instrumentals. I think I shall highlight the bookends. The Album opens with Underground, which begins very melancholy and then kicks it up into high gear. You really can't stop dancing to it until the other end 



It ends with Aurora again, the Northern Lights. Light in the Darkness is a theme. It is well received by this Christian. It is full of hope, and closes a Perfect album quite perfecly.

Atemis is a godsend (sorry, couldn't resist) to the EDM/Instrumental/Rock world. I have been listening on repeat to this since I discovered it. I really do have to get to other music. It is addictive though. Needless to say she helps close out #PVX with a 5 Emerald Rating. On to other music. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: I'll Never Be Ready

We are back with an all new edition of Music Video Monday. It's been quite a while since our last post, and it was due somewhat to a lack of videos, but we are back with a vengeance.

We start things going hunting. With Demon Hunter. From their album Peace, part of their War and Peace Release, this is More Than Bones.

From The Arena to the Dance Floor. LZ7 is the successor to the Dance/Hip Hop Legend WWMT (aka World Wide Message Tribe or simply The Tribe). Lindz West formed the band shortly after the Tribe Broke up, and they have proven a worthy heir. These are Better Days released this year and I Give My All is by far my favorite song. And the crashing nature video is pretty good too.
Finally it is time to get out your hankies once again. When Veridia came out with The Beast You Feed, I gave it a 5 Emerald rating for various reasons. The Biggest one was I'll Never Be Ready, a touching tribute to her late father, which had Deena accompanied by Amy Lee of Evanescence. It was a song worthy of Angels. Now we add a video done in the form of a home video of a dance between father and daughter. I won't spoil it further.

I told you to get your hankies before watching, didn't I? I wouldn't let you get ripped apart emotionally without warning you first. 

I will return, hopefully, next week with an all new edition of Music Video Monday. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The History of CCM: A Tale of Two Amy's

It was the Best of Times, It was The Worst of Times...Sorry, but with all due respect to Charles Dickens, it has become obvious to me that Contemporary Christian Music can be bookended by two women who defined their era. It is A Tale of Two Amy's.

The Modern Era of Christian Music began with the Jesus Music Era which some have pegged as a twenty year era from 1969-1989. I would take one entire decade off because if you're honest, 1979 marked a era change in Christian Music. That was the year that a Tennessee Gal by the name of Amy Grant sang about her fathers eyes. Before then Christian Music toiled in a sort of exclusive obscurity. Yes, we have our Nancy Honeytree, our Larry Norman,  and a host of others, but except for those who experienced them, most of us learned about them long after their era passed, and they became famous by reputation.

Amy Lee Grant (you can't get more political ambivalence in one name, trust me), who was born six years before I was (and is the same age as my brother) was a country girl from Georgia (dare I say a Georgia Peach) who moved to Nashville at a Child. That one song spawned a host of imitators. Suddenly everyone wanted to be Amy (at least the ladies. Guys wanted to Marry Amy and be Smitty). Thanks to Youtube, we have a live performance of My Father's Eyes from 1981.

Like I said, that launched Amy, and along with it, something called Contemporary Christian Music or CCM, and in so doing brought about the Death of The Jesus Music Era. And when you get a Dove Award for breathing (yes, Sarcasm, but when you win just about every year from 1983 on, one wonders about the integrity of the award process). Yes, I know there is Sandi Patti and Darlene Zschech out there for imitators, but it is extremely hard to do Opera. And the Zschechies? They're just creepy.

Either way CCM was in search of another savior before it disappeared into obscurity. And proof that there is a God and he has a sense of humor -- He gave the industry another Amy. This Amy didn't suit them. 

Amy Lynn Lee was a 22 year old girl from Little Rock, Arkansas with a penchant for white makeup, goth clothing, and a lyrical obsession with love and death. And, worst of all, she wasn't a perfect little Christian Girl. Still, the Debut Label Release entitled Fallen (2003), was pre - ordered by Christian Bookstores everywhere. And it did fairly well. And then came the Entertainment Weekly interview, and they (I think it was Amy, but I don't know) that dropped the F-bomb and said "they weren't a Christian Band" (a Statement made by innumerable Christian Artists before and since with no repercussions). The Christian Music Industry went apoplectic and not surprisingly, went on a witch hunt. I had fallen on order with a Christian Music Mail Order Company, and it was delayed an embarrassing long time until it was finally withdrawn. I got it from Target. It was withdrawn from Christian shelves everywhere.

Amy and Evanescence laughed all the way to the bank. Christian Music Fans stayed loyal, even if the industry didn't. The Album is multiple platinum, and they introduced an obscure Christian Band from Arkansas to Mainstream Superstardom. 

Christian Music has its savior, want her or not. If we are to believe Wikipedia one of her first side projects was a song on a Summit Church Worship Album. Plus she has mentored Deena Jakoub of Veridia. And Evanescence has inspired most of the Christian Rock industry today, Eowyn and LEAH immediately come to mind, but the "Evanescence Sound" of as I call it, Machine Gun Guitars, has come into bands like Demon Hunter and Red.

It really is that simple. Christian Music had its solution and missed it. But they way Christian Radio is organized, even if the industry had rallied around Amy Lee, the Radio industry is still stuck in the 80's, and that's a shame. Agree? Disagree? I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Perfect Imperfection

I am a sucker for strings. It is my humble opinion that the addition of strings and other orchestral instruments can greatly improve any genre of music (look what it has done for the Boston Symphony Orchestra). I mean the jury is still out on Orchestral Polka, but we're talking about something that is an abomination of nature, not music.

Orchestration adds power to Rock (Red and Skillet anyone). Not power in volume, that is accomplished by simply turning up the amp. No I'm talking scale. Orchestration makes things Majestic (all apologies to Kari Jobe). Not all bands can be majestic. Strings will make no improvement to Southern Gospel. And a Pop band with Strings and Orchestration will just be silly. You can't really dance to it.

Just Like the aforementioned Red and Skillet, EVANESCENCE was born for this type of remake. The songs (Lost In Paradise, My Heart is Broken, Lithium, Imaginary), are majestic on their own, Orchestras pump up the majesty one hundred fold. And Amy Lee. Even without strings her voice sends shivers up your spine. Deceptively delicate, when the music crescendos  so does her voice above it all, as if daring the music to try to drown her out.

Synthesis is technically a best-of album, but there are two new originals in the mix, so we have a studio and compilation in one. I have tried to stay away from Best of albums, since you can cherry pick the best, it is kind of unfair. I usually stick with the multiple-artist variety, since the different artists allow for varied talent and better judging. The Album begins with Overture, the only instrumental track, which lasts only a minute, but sets the tone, this is not your average Evanescence album, as if one exists.

Full disclosure: I have been a fan from before Fallen, when Christian Industrial Radio on the web played Even In Death. Evanescence is AMY LEE. Her voice is what makes it special. You know those "would you listen to this artist sing the phone book" Hypothetical Questions, she tops the list. Worst Songs: NONE Favorites: ALL. I will attempt a few highlights.

• Secret Door (Lost Whispers) - Don't let the 2016 Release Date fool you. This is an album of Forgotten Tunes, B-Sides That weren't good enough for Fallen (You know, that 7x+ Platinum Album). The executive who thought that shouldn't be allowed near another artist in his or her life. Simply Haunting. It has only gotten better.
• Imaginary (Fallen) - One of My Two biggest Faves from the "debut" (the other being Tourniquet (which precedes it and makes a two-song rock opera megasong). The techno addition make it great for the dance floor, which can't be said of many Evanescence songs. The orchestra makes this one soar.
• Lacrymosa (The Open Door) - I Can't Change Who I Am. This is probably the most soaring song on the album. It builds to a blow you away end.
• Lost In Paradise (Evanescence) - Song of The Year anyone? I never thought that this song could get more majestic than it already was. The Original was 2012's Song Of The Year. The strings lift Amy as she sings "Run Away, Run Away. One Day We We Won't Feel This Pain Anymore." The bridge reaches a crescendo only to have a delicate crash lead into Your Star.
• Imperfection (Synthesis) - The song that caused this album to have an EXPLICIT label, because of 1 use of the F-Bomb (highly appropriate in context of the song). "Don't you dare surrender, don't leave me here without you, cause I could never replace your perfect imperfection." FYI surrender=suicide. Who needs a psychiatrist when you've got Amy Lee.

The World does not contain the amount of Emeralds that this album deserve. Fortunately for us I can only give 5 Emeralds.  While it is unlike the others, in one way it is alike. You cannot improve perfection. Get Synthesis. You will not be disappointed. Until Next time, I am  Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: Speak To Me

Welcome Back to Music Video Monday. We have been on an irregular schedule these days, but we are slowly getting regular. The best way to do these things is one day at a time.

We begin with a Lyric Video from Ashes Remain. They will be kicking off #PlatVnyl9 with the release of Let The Night In on October 27. This is RISE.
You RISE in the Morning, when there is Lights. Val is back with Skin and Earth, and she  took the Kevin Max route by combining a Graphic Novel with an Album in a concept album. I have been posting the videos as I find them. This is New Fears. Skin and Earth dropped last Friday. Go get it.
And finally, our favorite goth girl is back.  Amy Lee (aka Evanescence) is coming out of retirement once again. While the band will be back for a best of String sessions entitled Synthesis this November, Amy has been busy on her own. The video is Speak To Me, and it is the end title sequence song for the movie Voice From The Stone. Now the Movie was back in April, and it was the end of the movie, but if anyone left the theater while Amy was singing, I just don't want to know you. You just have no music appreciation. Check it out.
That's the end of this edition of Music Video Monday. One step at a time. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Like A Flyleaf To Honey

When Life Hands You Lemons...Life Screams . Who cares about Lemonade?

We at Night Beat HQ are overjoyed when an artist makes a comeback. Usually. If the change is too abrupt in musical styles, sometimes you wish they stayed retired. No problem this time.

Musically speaking, I fell in love with Lacey Sturm (then Lacey Moseley) along with most guys, when she was lead singer of Flyleaf. That such a powerful voice could exist in such a small package was amazing in itself. And to see Flyleaf live was something entirely. (I never saw them Live, Live, but I did catch them via the Internet at one of the Rock The River concerts done by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association). When you get to hear her testimony and see how it compares with the woman before you who is so full of Love and Joy, you really know that Jesus is real. When Lacey left Flyleaf in 2012 a lot of us felt the band was over. While we were wrong and Kristen May has done an admirable job at lead (though she is no Lacey), it feels different.

Flyleaf fans rejoice, Lacey is back, and I mean BACK. I love everything about Life Screams , even the cover, with Lacey emerging from the Raven. (Is she saying "Nevermore" to a Flyleaf reunion?). Only thing is the Platinum look is going to take a while for me. I wish the brunettes would stay that way.

On to the music. Lacey has gone solo with a sound sure to please her old Flyleaf Sounds. No Addie Camp misfire here (Now A Benjamin Gate Reunion, that would be great). And to those who are disappointed with her ballad heavy lineup, all I can say is GET OVER IT. The girl has a voice for ballads, like my favorite Amy Lee. Both ladies can chill the spine and make you feel the hurt and pain of the lyrics. Who needs a psychologist when you've got these too. The Night Beat Prescribes the following, in order vanity, rot, you're not alone, feels like forever, and Life Screams .

There is one major surprise on the album, and it happens to be a live cover, that is so good you might want to call the Police. Not the cops but the 70's English Rock Band The Police with Sting. The Song is Roxanne, and I checked out both Lacey and Sting and I've got to go with Lacey. It comes out a Rescue Song which should be snapped up by Teen Challenge or another Christian Youth Ministry. It is simply oozing with Pain, and that is a compliment. I Let You Make the Comparison. First we go with The Police, and Sting's High Voice.
And now the Life Screams version with Lacey, complete with Thrash Growls, which Sting did not do at the time.

I think you know which one is better. I am giving Life Screams a Perfect 5 Emerald Rating only because that is as high as I go. You have got to get this album. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

A Tale of Two Amy's or When Grant Met Lee

I am convinced that God has a sense of humor, the great majority of Christendom however otherwise convinced. For proof one need look no further than the Christian Music Industry. Fortunately for me, that is where I spend my career.

During the Jesus Music Era (the 1970's to the rest of humanity) a star arose on the landscape. While this teenage girl barely merited notice at seventeen when she debuted, two years later EVERYONE knew about Her Fathers eyes. Amy Grant was suddenly into Christian Music Deity (one thing Christians have down pat is Idolatry). She Was "OUR AMY", and pretty much was if you said Amy, your mind filled in Grant. Not that she didn't deserve some of that Idol Worship, 

Christian Music proceeded to settle into the Amy and Smitty Rut, where any release by Amy Grant or Michael W. Smith was deemed Award Worthy based on name recognition alone. While the 80's may have been the golden age for releases, in the award venues we were pretty much tin.

When God got tired of Amy this and Amy that, he decided that Christian Music needed a little rebellion, and He introduced the Christian Music World to an Arkansas girl by the name of AMY LEE. No Baby Baby for this girl. She looked like a Vampire and sang of death. Even In Death our love goes on were lyrics that got short lived Christian Magazine 7 Ball to say "somebody sign these guys". When Wind Up Records did release Fallen in 2003 by a band fronted by miss Lee, a revelation that these goth rockers were less than totally sanctified forced an instant purge from Christian Bookstores, and a guaranteed ride to 7x Platinum in the United States and 17 Million Sales Worldwide. Heart in Motion was waving a surrender flag. 

Things settled down for a while and then another Christian Singer Songwriter by the name of (no, not Amy, look at the title) Joy Williams, with 11 Dove Nominations under her belt, decided to form a Folk Band she called The Civil Wars. Barton Hollow received Christian Music Promotion, but with the Sophomore self titled effort, Crickets are all that was heard from the CCM industry at large. I guess they weren't Spiritual enough.

Amy Grant, Amy Lee, The Civil Wars. You can't make this stuff up. It's better than six degrees of Larry Norman. I guess this Christian Civil War wont be settled until the Rapture. Time for one more joke from The Almighty. The Rapture. A Sudden Vanishing Away of The Church. There's a word for that, it's called EVANESCENCE.

I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Night Beat Christmas Parade: Sally's Song

For those of you looking for Music Video Monday, it has gone away, sort of. Until the New Year, Mayan Calendar notwithstanding, the Night Beat will be in Holiday Music Mode, with the exception of Flashback Friday and Rewind.

We are going a little nontraditional this day, with something out of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is Sally's Song, as done by Amy Lee of Evanescence, one of the most beautiful voices (and women) ever to grace Rock and Roll and Christian Music. (Amy and Company are one of the K.O.O.K. founding members [That stands for Kicked Out Of (the) Kingdom]. Enjoy, everybody.

The Christmas Parade Continues. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.