“Sanctuary” marks the arrival of Evanescence’s sixth studio album (or really the fifth of all original material, considering “Synthesis” consisted largely of reimagined tracks, with only two originals). Not that the band had the most active album release cycle either, but that seems to have caused them no harm in the long run. Evanescence truly benefited from a meteoric debut launched by a cinematic single tie-in; a breakthrough that allowed them to coast on a handful of massive hits for over two decades despite a sparse discography.
With “Sanctuary”, there is a conscious effort to capture the nostalgic magic that initially propelled them to stardom while modernizing their sound. To achieve this, Amy Lee’s core vision is divided between two production teams. Veteran producer Nick Raskulinecz helms the larger, classic-sounding arrangements, while a second team handles contemporary, metalcore-infused tracks. Both production choices wisely keep the spotlight on Lee’s powerhouse vocals, but the ultimate success of each track hinges entirely on the strength of its hooks.
The album opener “Beautiful Lie” swells with cinematic grandeur and meticulous orchestration. It serves as an instant throwback to the band’s “Fallen” era and stands out as a sure-fire commercial hit.
“Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough” leans into a modern aesthetic with more aggressive vocal deliveries and driving, riff-heavy instrumentation—a highly welcome stylistic shift.
“Who Will You Follow” navigates through a progression of melancholy piano chords, before receiving bursts of high-energy modern guitar jolts including a pretty crushing breakdown.
“Rapture” fails to entirely live up to its name, other than being a but restless, because otherwise this mid-tempo track tends to plod. Despite its contemporary production accents, it lacks the momentum of the opening trifecta.
“Afterlife” is a slight improvement over the previous track, but suffers from a repetitive, mid-tempo pacing. Without a driving guitar riff to anchor it, the song relies solely on its chorus melody to remain memorable.
Even the title track, “Sanctuary”, cannot escape these pacing issues, despite featuring a decent, oft-recurring guitar riff. The over-dramatic chorus edges close to overstaying its welcome within a structure that feels entirely by-the-numbers.
“How Do I Heal” is a fragile piano ballad that follows standard genre tropes, though it lacks the emotional gravity and lasting impact of the band’s legacy ballads.
“About Us” is a vocal-centric performance that features a low, simmering undertow. While it explodes exactly when expected, it fails to deliver true sonic fireworks—presenting a great theoretical concept with a merely decent execution.
“Calm Down” is marred by underdeveloped ideas arranged in a familiar formula, the track suffers from an overlong build-up that the band ultimately fails to pay off at the end and only sporadically resolves throughout the track.
“Self-Destruct” boasts sweeping sonic landscapes and dramatic vocal work, but ends pretty abruptly, leaving the composition feeling unfocused overall.
“Forever Without You” is another ballad, but it feels a little unimaginative and paint-by-numbers. It lacks real soul, and during its climax, it plays out more like a vocal competition to hold a prolonged note rather than a genuinely heartfelt moment.
The closing track, “Wide Open Heart”, smartly embraces the pop sensibilities crucial for a massive commercial gothic-pop/alternative rock act, once more reseeding into safe, familiar territory, never quite scaling up to the heights of the album’s opening tracks.
On “Sanctuary”, Evanescence executes their signature formula well enough. They add just enough high-quality tracks to their catalogue to justify another stadium tour as another calendar year passes. It is a decent effort for what it is, even if it occasionally favors predictability over innovation.
