First Evanescent Encounter

The year was 2003. A bubbly grade 5 student was walking her usual way from school, along the bustling suburban area near her home. As she passed by an electronics shop, the speakers resonated a symphony that made the fifth grader’s world stop. The scurrying people disappeared – only the electrifying vocals that sent currents throughout her body remained. It didn’t matter that she’s not a big rock fan for she’s a melodic soul.

Who cares if she got bumped repeatedly if she can savor the few minutes of musical bliss?

Reality woke her from the spur of the moment heavenly sensation. For days, she wondered who the owner of such powerful voice was, wanting to hear it once more. She would go on reminiscing for that moment of euphoria. Until one regular Saturday afternoon, while browsing through her HEKASI book, her ears pulsated sweetly. Immediately, she jumped off her seat and grabbed the radio from its place and savored the electric song once more. As the song finished, the DJ spoke the words the little fan girl longed to hear:

“And that was Bring Me to Life by Evanescence, the sound track from the movie Daredevil. Stay tuned for more music after the short commercial break.”

----

So I guess I’m born eMo…or maybe not.

I wasn’t exaggerating when I wrote that little memoir about my first evanescent encounter with Evanescence. I’ve never been so hooked with a band or singer before Evanescence though I love music so much. So hooked that I bought my first original CD which was the Daredevil: The Album because I though that the song Bring Me to Life was just a single. Eventually, I got my hands on Fallen – the first international album release of Evanescence. I love the album so much that in just three days after my purchase, I already know by heart the 13 song lyrics of the said album, from Going Under to Whisper.

I didn’t stop there.

Summer before sixth grade, I’m already adept to the use of the Internet. I’ve searched for news about Evanescence and their discography before they became an international hit. I really wanted one of that limited, 2500 copies-only demo album of the Evanescence -- Origin. It has the original arrangements of My Immortal, Bring Me to Life and Imaginary as well as other demo songs.

I really got crazy when I was able to buy the song Heart-Shaped Box off the ‘net for it was one of Evanescence’s first songs. Though it’s not as polished as the songs included in Fallen, the Evanescence identity is already there.

I really, really wanna see Amy Lee live on stage. News from Evanescence.com cheered me up though. They are releasing a DVD edition of the Anywhere but Home live album. I won’t see Amy and the band in the flesh, I get to see how they actually… jam. Unfortunately, third-world countries don’t enjoy all the entertainment resources that first-world countries have and because of that, I wasn’t able to get a copy of that Anywhere but Home DVD. But still, I regularly check record bars for that DVD. I still want it after all these years.

A lot happened within Evanescence when I became überly busy with high school. In late 2003, Ben Moody left the band after a falling out with Amy Lee. Bassist Will Boyd said his farewell to the band in 2006 and Tim McCord replaced him. John Lecrompt, the band’s guitarist, stated in 2007 that he was fired from the band while drummer Rocky Gray expressed his resignation in the same year. I maybe a self-professed Evanescence fan, I still wasn’t able to keep up with all the happenings within the band due to academic engagements I had to fulfill.

By the release of their second album, The Open Door, Evanescence’s line-up is composed of lead vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter Amy Lee-Hartzler, lead guitarist and co-songwriter Terry Balsamo, and bass guitarist, Tim McCord. Then again, I still don’t have this album with me and I’m dying to have one. Sigh. I need to have The Open Door. I’m not obsessed okay?

For five years and counting, I am still a proud Evanescence fan. Especially Amy Lee (I still can’t call her Amy Hartzler even though she’s already married.). I admire her not only as a singer and songwriter but also as a person. She says what she feels with no pretenses. She’s who she is. And that personality of hers really contributed a lot to the identity of Evanescence.

Until this day, whenever I hear Evanescence songs, I still feel as good as I have when I first had my evanescent encounter. Have you ever had yours?