Evanescence is the American gothic-metal band led by singer, keyboardist and songwriter Amy Lee. Formed in Little Rock, Arkansas, the band broke through worldwide with Fallen, won two Grammy Awards, and returned in 2026 with Sanctuary, a new album and a world tour that have put the band back at the centre of rock conversation.
Early Life & Formation
Evanescence was founded in 1994 in Little Rock, Arkansas, by Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. Lee, then 13, and Moody, then 14, met at a Christian youth camp, where they discovered a shared interest in songwriting and performance.
The pair began recording and releasing music independently, issuing early EPs and building a local following. Their demo collection Origin followed in 2000, and in 2001 the band signed to Wind-up Records, setting up the major-label debut that would follow.
Career: Fallen and the Breakthrough
“Bring Me to Life” and “My Immortal” first appeared on the soundtrack to the film Daredevil in February 2003, introducing the band to a much wider audience before their debut album arrived.
“Bring Me to Life” features Paul McCoy of 12 Stones; his rap verse was added at the record label’s request. Read the Bring Me to Life lyrics to follow the song line by line.
The debut album Fallen was released on March 4, 2003, through Wind-up Records. By January 2004, Fallen had sold more than 4 million copies in the US.
At the 2004 Grammy Awards, Evanescence won 2 Grammy Awards from 6 nominations: Best New Artist and Best Hard Rock Performance for “Bring Me to Life”.
Later Albums
The Open Door followed in 2006. The album was Grammy-nominated and has sold more than 6 million copies worldwide.
The self-titled Evanescence arrived in 2011 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Synthesis followed in 2017, presenting orchestral and electronica reworkings of the band’s songs, and The Bitter Truth was released in 2021.
Sanctuary and the 2026 Comeback
The sixth album, Sanctuary, was released on June 5, 2026, through BMG. The 12-track album was produced by Jordan Fish, Zakk Cervini, Nick Raskulinecz, Alex Seaver and Tyler Demorest, and it is the first Evanescence album to feature bassist Emma Anzai, who joined the band in 2022.
“Afterlife” was released on March 28, 2025, written for the Netflix anime Devil May Cry. It became the band’s first No. 1 on Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay and has passed 160 million streams globally.
“Who Will You Follow”, the lead single, was released on April 10, 2026. With the song, Evanescence score first-ever Billboard Hot Hard Rock Songs No. 1, also reaching No. 1 on Rock & Alternative Airplay and Mainstream Rock Airplay.
“Bring Me to Life” is charting again in 2026, reaching No. 49 on Spotify’s Global daily chart, and its lyrics post went live on this site today.
The follow-up single, “Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough”, came with a video directed by Eric Richter and filmed during the 2026 North American tour leg.
In other 2025 work, Amy Lee teamed with Halsey on “Hand That Feeds” for the Ballerina soundtrack, and the band released “Fight Like a Girl”, featuring K.Flay, for Ballerina, where it plays over the end credits.
The world tour in support of Sanctuary began on June 11, 2026, in West Palm Beach, Florida. It is a two-year tour, with Spiritbox, Poppy, Nova Twins and K.Flay supporting on select dates.
Members
The current members of Evanescence are Amy Lee, Tim McCord on bass since 2006, Troy McLawhorn on guitar since 2007, Will Hunt on drums since 2007, and Emma Anzai on bass since 2022.
Past members include co-founder Ben Moody, who left in 2003, along with David Hodges, Terry Balsamo and Jen Majura.
Across their career, Evanescence have sold 31.9 million albums. Their honours include 2 Grammy Awards, 3 Loudwire Music Awards, a Kerrang! Award and a Revolver Golden Gods Award, along with a Brit Award nomination, 3 American Music Award nominations and 5 MTV Video Music Award nominations.
Personal Life
Amy Lee, whose full name is Amy Lynn Lee, was born on December 13, 1981, in Riverside, California. A classically trained pianist, she is the band’s lead vocalist, keyboardist and lead songwriter, and she has also worked on film scores.
More artist profiles on LatestLyrics include the Linkin Park biography, The Strokes biography and Deep Purple biography.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Evanescence formed?
Evanescence was formed in 1994 in Little Rock, Arkansas, by Amy Lee and Ben Moody.
Who is Amy Lee?
Amy Lee is the lead vocalist, keyboardist and lead songwriter of Evanescence, and a classically trained pianist.
What is their biggest song?
“Bring Me to Life”, from the debut album Fallen, is their biggest song, winning Best Hard Rock Performance at the 2004 Grammy Awards and charting again in 2026.
What is the Sanctuary album and tour?
Sanctuary is Evanescence’s sixth album, released on June 5, 2026. The world tour in support of the album began on June 11, 2026, in West Palm Beach, Florida, and is scheduled as a two-year tour.
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