After leaving their fans waiting for five years after 2006’s mediocre release entitled The Open Door. American female fronted rock band Evanescence are back, and this time they are bigger, better and catchier than ever. Taking a more radio friendly rock approach to their typical gothic sound – Evanescence combine heavy fist pumping riffs, gleaming pop song sounding production and catchy chorus’s to form their greatest musical triumph to date, adding twelve great tracks to their already epic repertoire. Hold on because Evanescence’s new self titled album will have you singing along at the top of your voice, head banging crazily, and fancying the tits off extremely fit front woman Amy Lee!

There are so many radio friendly hit singles on this album which hook you from the moment the first killer riff kicks in. From the shadowy echoing intro of ‘What you Want’ to the epic distorted drone of ‘Made of Stone’ and ‘The Other Side’- Evanescence ensure that every track on this album can be as catchy and memorable as possible, whether it be the sing along lyrics or the heavy guitar hooks, it’s the fact these songs can be played anywhere to anyone which makes them all the more enjoyable, and believe me when I say this, you will be singing the songs on Evanescence for weeks after your first listen.

As you may have noticed; apart from lead singer Amy Lee, Evanescence have completely underdone a new line-up change, and to be quite frankly honest, this is the best line-up Evanescence have had! From Terry Balsamo and Troy McLawhorn on the shredding guitar lines to Tim McCord and Will Hunt in the driving rhythm section, Evanescence power through tracks like ‘Erase This’, ‘Sick’ and ‘End of the Dreams’ showing both aggression and emotion in each instrument to deliver interesting and unique melody lines.

Yes, Evanescence may be using the ‘Status Quo three to four chord’ approach to their music. But sometimes simple is the most effective; and that what Evanescence is best at. Straight up, powerful, sing along rock songs, with a dark and ambient feel to it. With this album we don’t have as many ballads as seen on The Open Door, but majorly focuses on the driving riffs present on Fallen. While Evanescence may have musically matured with this album, we can clearly see elements from both of Evanescence’s earlier releases which have been altered slightly too all in all get a nicer sounding tone to it.

This is guaranteed to be on a lot of peoples top list of 2011, and the fact that the mighty Evanescence have been keeping their fans waiting for five long years makes this musical experience all the more enjoyable. A great return to form from everybody’s favourite Goth rockers! [8/10]