Fallen (Evanescence album)
Template:Good article Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox album Fallen is the debut studio album by American rock band Evanescence, released on March 4, 2003, by Wind-up Records. Co-founders singer and pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody began writing and recording songs as Evanescence in 1994, and after independently releasing two EPs and a demo CD, they signed to Wind-up in January 2001. Several of the songs from their earlier independent releases feature on Fallen. The album was recorded between August and December 2002 in several studios in California. It is Evanescence's only studio album to feature Moody, who left the band in October 2003.
The album yielded four singles: "Bring Me to Life", "Going Under", "My Immortal", and "Everybody's Fool". "Bring Me to Life" and "My Immortal" charted in the top 10 of over 10 countries, including the US, UK and Australia. Fallen is Evanescence's most commercially successful album to date, selling 10 million copies in the US and over 17 million copies worldwide, making it the sixth best-selling album of the 21st century. It debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 with 141,000 copies sold in its first week, peaking at number three in June 2003. The album topped the charts in more than 10 countries. It was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in November 2022.
Fallen received generally positive reviews from music critics. Evanescence received five nominations at the 46th Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song, Best Hard Rock Performance, and Best New Artist, winning the latter two.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the following year's ceremony, "My Immortal" was nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Evanescence embarked on their first headlining concert tour, the Fallen Tour, in 2003. A live album and concert DVD with behind the scenes footage was released in 2004, titled Anywhere but Home.
Background
Lee and Moody met as teenagers in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1994.Template:Refn She brought him a cassette tape of her playing guitar and singing a song she wrote, and they became musical collaborators, playing and working on music at Lee's home,<ref name="lands"/><ref name="Bream"/> and occasionally performing acoustic sets at book stores and coffee houses in the Little Rock area.<ref name="smh"/><ref name="blender705"/><ref name="fact-or-fiction"/> Lee had a 16-track recorder that she and him would use alongside Pro Tools, "fake strings and choirs" on her keyboard, and layer sounds and beats for their early material, which they mixed and produced. "We were basically just putting it down to remember what we wanted", Lee said.Template:Refn Lee's musical vision for Evanescence was "the idea of combinations that were unlikely".<ref name="Shutler"/> She aimed to combine her different musical tastes, "bringing something from the cinematic and classical symphonic world and marrying it to metal, hard rock and alternative music."<ref name="RS YT"/><ref name="Law"/> "There was all this music that was inspiring me. And Evanescence was the product of these two extremes combining".<ref name="Lach">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Spanos">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
They recorded two independent EPs as Evanescence, self-releasing them in the late 1990s.<ref name="lands">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="hitquarters.com" /><ref name="PP"/> Their early demos got them airplay on the local modern rock station in Little Rock, which helped them develop a local fanbase, allowing them to play a couple of bigger production shows a year and hire other musicians to perform other instruments live.<ref name="Harrington"/> Although they played with guest musicians, Evanescence remained a duo.<ref name="smh"/> "The idea of a full band playing these songs was something that only came along later", Lee said.<ref name="Law"/> Moody said that Lee and he were focused on writing music over playing live shows, and they did not want to have a band join their writing process; "we just wanted it to be the two of us and so we'd play once or twice a year."<ref name="PP"/> They packaged a demo CD, Origin (2000), to shop it to record labels,<ref name="deo">Template:Cite interview</ref> and signed with Wind-up Records in 2001.<ref name="lands"/><ref name="hitquarters.com">Template:Cite web</ref> Origin and their earlier EPs contain demo versions of some of the songs that would later appear on Fallen.<ref name="Maerz"/><ref name="Law"/>
In a 2004 MTV interview, Moody said that he and Lee rarely wrote together, it was "maybe two or three times in eight years did we actually sit down and write together in the same room."<ref name="split2" /> Lee said that she and Moody never sat down and wrote together, and instead would combine their respective parts in songs. From the start, Lee would only ever write music by herself, considering it a vulnerable process and feeling disrespected by Moody. The creation of Fallen largely consisted of her and Moody writing music separately and then adding to each other's work, due to tension and significant creative differences between them. Lee's creative disagreements with Moody included his strict approach to songwriting and focus on commerciality; he would "always be corralling" her ideas, and wanting to push them in a more commercial, pop direction.Template:Refn She indicated that with Moody there was a "pressure of wanting to rule the world".<ref name="sound"/><ref name="billinterview"/> "It was always a push and pull between us, for me", she said. "Fallen really is a lot of compromise. It definitely leaned toward what he wanted a lot of the time."<ref name="Steps"/> Creative restrictions included instrumentation decisions such as her wanting to play organ on the record and Moody not wanting that.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She stated that at one point, all her "pianoplaying rights were stripped away" from her because Moody felt she "was getting too much attention", so a keyboard player was hired.<ref name="jamclasic"/>
Moody said in a 2003 interview that he focused on making the album "as accessible as possible, to as many people as possible".<ref name="Paul">Template:Cite magazine</ref> He later conceded that they had different approaches, adding that Lee is "more creative" and "more educated musically", and he is "more commercial minded" and likes making "songs people can adhere to."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Lee expressed that the making of Fallen was stressful because "we had to remember [that] at least one big single had to be totally radio-friendly."<ref name="rap"/> In 2006, she said that Moody and the label "packed down and condensed" the original versions of the songs, and she thought that "in some respects, it felt like it was pulling some of the artistic integrity out".<ref name="ME 05"/> In the early 2020s, Lee recalled the process of making Fallen and the obstacles faced: Template:Blockquote Lee deemed the "fight for credibility" as a creator to be one of the biggest challenges she faced early on, explaining: "It was the mentality of labels to tell, especially newer artists, that they need to have writers. ... And the reason that they wanted [men] to do it was because that's where the money was. That's where the power was. Everybody else wanted to be able to say they did that when I did that".<ref name="reflect">Template:Cite web</ref> She also noted that, for being the frontwoman "people assume that it's not yours. And some of the people around me were more than happy to let them believe that."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In a 2023 retrospective for the album's 20th anniversary, Lee stated that there are musical elements "that exist in the way that I hear things in my head that aren't in the mix on the album", such as some string arrangements and electronics. Lee reconciled with the mix of Fallen after bringing more of those elements to the forefront with Evanescence's 2017 album Synthesis.<ref name="Rev 23"/>
Writing and musical style
The album's songs were written by Lee and Moody, with Lee the core writer.Template:Refn The two wrote some of the songs when they were 15 and 16.<ref name="Harrington"/> "Imaginary", "My Immortal", and "Whisper" were originally from the duo's independent recordings in the 1990s.<ref name="Paul"/><ref name="rank"/> Lee composed some of the songs at her house on her keyboard.<ref name="NME rock"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She wrote songs alone first on the piano or on acoustic guitar, and for Fallen she would write a song and work with Moody to "take it to the finish line."<ref name="smh"/><ref name="rap">Template:Cite news</ref> Lee wrote the album's lyrics except "My Immortal"'s, the melodies, much of the music, pianos, and all the choirs;Template:Refn she is credited with the choral arrangements.<ref name="credits"/> Lee also honed in on the string arrangements and electronic elements of the album, some of which are in the background.<ref name="Rev 23"/>
Most of Lee's writing on Fallen was driven by her mindset during a relationship she was in with an abusive man.<ref name="blender705"/><ref name="spinreview"/> Lee wrote "Going Under" about "coming out of a bad relationship". She described the feeling as, "when you're at the end of your rope, when you're at the point where you realize something has to change, that you can't go on living in the situation that you're in."<ref name="goingun"/> Lee later said that after completing the songs that came out of an abusive relationship, she was listening to her words on "Going Under" and felt that in the chorus she would have liked to have written instead the notion of "I'm leaving and I'm not going to put up with this anymore", thinking to herself "you know what you need to do and you're not doing it."<ref name="spinreview"/> She considered the song the most honest she'd been lyrically and a statement of standing up for herself, in contrast with "Bring Me to Life", which was more of a "cry for help".<ref name="K 23"/><ref name="Rev 23"/> Billboard said that the "stop/start cadence" of the guitar, "rippling piano and Lee's defiant wail pack a startling wallop".<ref name="billboard-tbt" />
Written by Lee when she was 19,<ref name="free">Template:Cite magazine</ref> "Bring Me to Life" is stylistically a nu metal and rap rock song.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The label forced them to add the male rapping vocal, which Lee did not want,<ref name="Scuzz">Template:Cite interview</ref><ref name="fact-or-fiction">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="OH"/> after originally demanding they include a rap on eight of the songs on the album.<ref name="K 23"/> She wrote the song after her then-acquaintance and future husband, Josh Hartzler, asked her if she was happy. Lee was in an abusive relationship at the time, and she lied in response. The acquaintance seeing through her facade, as she felt she "was completely outwardly acting normal", inspired her to write the track.<ref name="facts">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="bp030912" /><ref name="blender2076" /> The song is about "open-mindedness" and "waking up to all the things you've been missing for so long", Lee said, realizing that "for months I'd been numb, just going through the motions of life."<ref name="evfallen"/><ref name="west">Template:Cite web</ref> "From the sparkling piano to the epic choruses, to Lee's siren call", Billboard considered "Bring Me to Life" FallenTemplate:'s "definitive track."<ref name="billboard-tbt" />
Lee wrote "Everybody's Fool" in 1999 about the lie of pop stardom life and unrealistic, over-sexualized images that warped the youth's expectations.<ref name="VH1cheesy"/><ref name="stories">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="rank"/> In a VH1 interview, Lee explained that the song came about when her little sister was being influenced by such images.<ref name="VH1cheesy" /> She said it is not about a specific person, but about a collective of the industry that promotes detrimental images and ideals of perfection while "nobody looks like that. It's all fake and it's really hurting a lot of girls' and women's self images."<ref name="age">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="fact-or-fiction"/> Songfacts stated that the song's concept "seems like it's always relevant".<ref name="facts"/> When asked about it in 2016, Lee said she wrote it as "an angsty teenager" about her "frustration with fakeness" that sprung at the time from all the "bubblegum pop acts" that were "put together like products" influencing young people, including her younger siblings.<ref name="stories"/> She said that she also acknowledged that "you never know what's going on inside anybody, no matter what they seem like", and it is a song she has "disconnected" from over the years,<ref name="facts"/><ref name="NME rock">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="K 23"/> adding: Template:Blockquote
"My Immortal" is a piano power ballad,<ref name="IGN">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="www.rollingstone.com"/> with fictional words written by Moody and the music written by Lee on piano when they were 15, after which Lee added the bridge.Template:Refn The version on the album was a demo from 2000 using a MIDI keyboard and Lee's vocals as a teen, which the label chose over Lee and Moody's re-recording for Fallen. During the production of Fallen, strings by Daredevil composer Graeme Revell were added to the demo recording. The re-recording Lee and Moody made for Fallen was used for the single, dubbed "band" version, featuring guitar, drums and bass after the bridge and a new string arrangement by David Campbell.Template:Refn
"Haunted"'s production emphasizes "feeling overwhelmed by someone’s obsession with you", according to Billboard, with Lee "fighting both being possessed and her desire to give in to it."<ref name="billboard-tbt" /> Lee wrote the song about fiction, thematically "from the eyes of a killer".<ref name="K 23"/> "Tourniquet" is a reworked cover of Soul Embraced's "My Tourniquet", co-written by Soul Embraced guitarist and Evanescence tour drummer Rocky Gray.<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref><ref name="rank">Template:Cite web</ref> Gray told Lee the song was "coming from a Christian standpoint, but it's about suicide. It's from the perspective of someone who has just committed suicide and it's about the controversy in Christianity that if you commit suicide, will you go to heaven or hell?"<ref name="evfallen"/> Lee wrote the cover's melody and added the second verse.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The line "I long to die" is from Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, a film Lee was "obsessed" with.<ref name="K 23"/>
"Imaginary" is a song from Lee and Moody's 1998 EP Evanescence.<ref name="Paul"/><ref name="rank"/> Lee wrote it about feeling the need to retreat to her safe haven as a young teen.<ref name="rank"/> Some of her lyrics were from poems she wrote as a seventh or eighth grader.<ref name="K 23"/> Lee thought it reflected the core sound of Evanescence at the time, and wanted it to be FallenTemplate:'s fourth single.<ref name="mtv1483876"/><ref name="K 23"/><ref name="Rev 23"/> Billboard described the combination of Lee's lyrics, the piano, "crashing drums" and the Millennial Choir as painting "a picture of the heavens shooting overhead".<ref name="billboard-tbt"/> The midtempo "Taking Over MeTemplate:"'s lyrics are about Lee being consumed by another person's obsession with her.<ref name="billboard-tbt">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Partly inspired by her then-acquaintance and future husband, Lee wrote the song as storytelling from the eyes of a stalker.<ref name="K 23"/>
Lee wrote "Hello" about her little sister who died of an illness when Lee was six years old.<ref name="blender705"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The song is about "a day from that time". Lee relived those feelings as a teenager and found it "healing" to write about her experience.<ref name="K 23"/> The song has a "chilled atmosphere", Billboard stated, and "relates, from a child’s perspective, the dawning agony of realizing someone is gone forever."<ref name="billboard-tbt" /> The lyrics of "My Last Breath" imply a struggle for emotional and physical survival.<ref name="billboard-tbt" /> The song was inspired by the loss from 9/11.<ref name="K 23"/> "Whisper" is originally from Lee and Moody's 1999 EP Sound Asleep.<ref name="Sound EP">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> Driven by guitar and Lee's "commanding voice", it features the "booming" Millennium Choir singing in Latin, ending the album "on a foreboding note", Billboard wrote.<ref name="billboard-tbt" />
Fallen was regarded as nu metal,<ref name="ref1"/><ref name="www.ew.com"/><ref name="www.rollingstone.com"/><ref name="spinreview"/> gothic rock,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> gothic metal,<ref name="VV"/> and alternative metal.<ref name=austin /> Loudersound described it as a bridge between "nu metal and both the rising symphonic metal and emo scenes".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lee and Moody said they did not consider their music to be "goth", with Moody adding that he thinks the "goth" label came because the songs sound sad and people think that "sad equals dark equals Goth. It's real easy for them to throw us in that box". Moody also disliked the nu metal label, stating: "I think the only nu-metal thing about us is the fact that on one song we have rap and singing".<ref name="PP"/><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lee also disagreed with the nu metal tag, attributing it to the rap rock of "Bring Me to Life".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Recording
Fallen was recorded in California at Track Record Studios, NRG Recording Studios, Ocean Studios, and Conway Recording Studios, beginning at Ocean Studios in Burbank.<ref name="credits"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Recorded and mixed from late August to early December 2002,<ref name="mix" /> the album was "built on overdubs" to supplement "the depth of production" that the music involves; "this type of record should be done to where it sounds larger than life", producer Dave Fortman said.<ref name="mix" /> Moody said he didn't want the album to "sound too fabricated". "I love electronics and I love digital manipulation, but I wanted to first establish us as a real rock band. We're actually playing all of those parts: The strings are real, the choirs are real, the piano is real."<ref name="mix"/>
Songs were recorded as demos before the recording sessions. Prior to making Fallen, they had recorded a demo of "My Immortal" at the radio station where Lee's father worked after it was empty late at night; this recording, with Lee's teen demo vocals and a MIDI keyboard, is the version used on Fallen per the label's demand, to Lee's displeasure.<ref name="Law"/> She stated: Template:Blockquote Lee later said she also dislikes it because she "sounds like a little kid" and the album version of the song does not use David Campbell's orchestration.<ref name="feeds"/> When "My Immortal" became a single, Lee and Moody chose the recording they originally made for Fallen.<ref name="clues"/><ref name="feeds"/><ref name="Law"/>
Jay Baumgardner lent Moody his guitar gear, including Gibson Les Paul and Gibson SG guitars, Marshall and Mesa Boogie amp heads with an old Mesa Boogie cabinet. Moody said, "It was an old cabinet that was tried-and-true on rock records. It was a no-brainer to use it. I know it was used on Papa Roach and, I think, Staind."<ref name="mix" /> The guitars on the album were recorded at Mad Dog Studios in Burbank. Fortman recorded the guitars through two different amps: Marshall on one side and Mesa/Boogie on the other. "The differences tonally and with the different frequencies in the two different amps really do create a larger stereo feel", he said.<ref name="mix" /> He used two Shure 57 mics and ran them through Neve 1081 preamps directly to Pro Tools.<ref name="mix" />
Lee's vocals, recorded on a Neumann U47 tube mic, pianos and the background vocals by the Millennium Choir were recorded at NRG Recording Studios.<ref name="mix" /> The string arrangements were done by David Campbell and David Hodges except for "My Immortal", which had strings added by composer Graeme Revell for the song's inclusion in the Daredevil soundtrack.<ref name="credits"/><ref name="feeds"/> Campbell contributed orchestral strings, which was an "expense" Lee fought for as did not want synthesized strings.<ref name="dazed">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Rev 23">Template:Cite web</ref> A 22-piece string section was recorded in Seattle, and later mixed at the Newman Scoring Stage and Bolero Studios in Los Angeles.<ref name="mix" /> To record the 12-member Millennium Choir's voices, Fortman ran a stereo pair of U67s and their voices were then doubled or tripled for a larger sound. In the bridge of "Imaginary", Fortman said "there are probably 70-plus people performing at that moment", including "the choir that's been doubled, a string orchestra with 22 players doubled, then you add all of the bandmembers, and it's huge."<ref name="mix" />
Drum tracks were recorded at Ocean Studios, with Josh Freese playing on selected songs to a click track, stereo guitars and vocals.<ref name="mix" /> Fortman recorded Freese's drums with C12As for overheads, Audio-Technica ATM25s on the toms, a D112 on the inside of the kick drum, a U47 on the outside, and an NS-10 speaker as an outside mic. He also used 414 microphones on the ride and hi-hat cymbals. He recorded the drums on two-inch tape on a Studer recorder, and bounced the tracks in Pro Tools.<ref name="mix" />
Fallen was mixed over a two-week period at Conway Recording Studios in North Hollywood, and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in New York City.<ref name="mix" />
Regarding Hodges' involvement in Fallen and his exit from Evanescence thereafter, Moody stated: Template:Blockquote In another interview, he said that Hodges mostly contributed string arrangements on the album.<ref name="Paul"/>
Release and tour
"Bring Me to Life" and "My Immortal" first appeared in the film Daredevil and were included on the film's soundtrack, released in February 2003. Fallen was released on March 4, 2003.<ref name="RIAA"/>
Fallen was initially promoted by the label in the Christian market. Lee and Moody publicly made it clear in an April 2003 interview that they were not a Christian band and did not want to be associated with Christian rock.<ref name="YM"/> Moody's comments against being in the Christian market immediately prompted Wind-up Records chairman Alan Meltzer to send a letter to Christian radio and retail outlets explaining that despite the "spiritual underpinning that ignited interest and excitement in the Christian religious community", Evanescence were "a secular band, and as such view their music as entertainment" and the label then "strongly feels that they no longer belong in Christian retail outlets."<ref name="14713mtv"/><ref name="RollingStone1"/> Wind-up formally requested the recall of Fallen from Christian retailers and radio stations. After receiving the letter, many Christian radio stations pulled Fallen songs from their playlists.<ref name="14713mtv"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="RollingStone1"/>
Rolling Stone stated in April 2003 that while Wind-up had no official Christian affiliation, they had been marketing their bands "to both the Christian and mainstream music market." Wind-Up "began courting the Christian music market more than a year ago, making its first foray with 12 Stones' self-titled 2002 debut. Hooking up with powerhouse Christian music distributor Provident ... Wind-Up attempted to tap into a segment that generated sales of more than 50 million albums in 2002".<ref name="RollingStone1"/> Terry Hemmings, CEO of Provident, said that the decision to recall Evanescence's album likely would not hurt Wind-up's image in the Christian market, and that he was puzzled by the band's about-face, saying: "They clearly understood the album would be sold in these Template:Interp channels."<ref name="RollingStone1"/> Meltzer claimed their decision to promote Evanescence in the Christian market was made with the band's consent.<ref name="14713mtv"/><ref name="RollingStone1"/> Lee said that she had always opposed the promotion in the Christian market and the "Christian band" identification from the beginning, while Moody had supported it. Moody had misrepresented Evanescence in the past, talking about his religious beliefs as Evanescence's.Template:Refn The label had wanted to use the Christian market promotion as a marketing tool for the band, which she had opposed, stating that "it was an important fight to me because it felt false. That wasn't really what our music was. And I felt like they were selling somebody something that wasn't true."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She noted that Evanescence "has never been a Christian band" and lyrically never had a religious affiliation.Template:Refn
On January 13, 2003,<ref name="GfA 1486"/> "Bring Me to Life" was released as the album's first single.<ref name="dazed"/> Wind-up Records president Ed Vetri revealed that when the label introduced the song to radio, radio programmers rejected it, saying, "A chick and a piano? Are you kidding? On rock radio?"<ref name="billboard-tbt"/> Some program directors would hear the female voice and piano at the start of the song and turn it off without listening to the rest of the song.<ref name="Paul"/> A female voice on rock radio was a rarity, and the song was considered for airplay only after there was a male vocal on it.<ref name="Los Angeles Times">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Harrington">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="CoS">Template:Cite web</ref> After the song was released on the Daredevil soundtrack, a grassroots fanbase grew and listeners began requesting air play for it, compelling radio stations to reconsider the band.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Los Angeles Times"/> On the worldwide success of the song, Lee said: Template:Blockquote
After the album's completion, Evanescence's touring lineup was hired, including guitarist John LeCompt, drummer Rocky Gray, and bassist Will Boyd.<ref name="Cara">Template:Cite podcast</ref><ref name="AM bio">Template:Cite web</ref> Evanescence performed on radio shows and on the festival circuit for weeks in early 2003.<ref name="EvRef-mp3"/><ref name="fusion">Template:Cite web</ref> They embarked on their first headlining tour from April to May in the US.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In June, they had to cancel shows in Germany due to Moody reportedly falling ill.<ref name="fusion"/> That month, they accepted an offer from the video game company Nintendo to perform on the Nintendo Fusion Tour, which they headlined beginning on August 4, 2003.<ref name="fusion"/><ref name="RS YT"/> In an August 2003 interview, Moody said that Evanescence is "just Amy and I, and I want to keep it that way", adding that their process together is what works.<ref name="PP"/>
Moody left the band mid-tour in October 2003.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="blender705"/> Guitarist Terry Balsamo replaced him on tour and as Evanescence's lead guitarist.<ref name="billinterview"/><ref name="Paul"/> The band played some shows with Korn in Europe, with Evanescence originally set to headline however Lee wanted Korn to headline instead.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Evanescence filmed a Paris concert of the Fallen tour for their first live album and concert DVD, Anywhere but Home (2004).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Critical reception
Template:Music ratings Fallen received generally positive reviews from music critics. Johnny Loftus of AllMusic wrote that the album “does include flashes of the single's PG-rated nu-metal ('Everybody's Fool,' 'Going Under'). But it's the symphonic goth rock of groups like Type O Negative that influences most of Fallen."<ref name="ref1" /> Entertainment Weekly, graded the album B-minus: "The genre now too old to be called nü-metal isn't exactly overflowing with spine-tinglingly great vocalists – let alone female ones. Amy Lee, lead singer of gloomy Arkansas rockers Evanescence, is an exception."<ref name="www.ew.com" /> Kirk Miller of Rolling Stone said that "when vocalist Amy Lee croons about lying 'in my field of paper flowers' or 'pouring crimson regret,' she gives Fallen a creepy spiritual tinge that the new-metal boys lack."<ref name="www.rollingstone.com" />
BillboardTemplate:'s Christa Titus called the album a "highly polished, hook-filled affair."<ref name="landscape" /> Melissa Maerz of Spin gave it four out of five stars: "Nu metal gets a powdering of Andrew Lloyd Webber theatrics as Lee aces her piano A-levels, adds a string section, and tackles capital letter issues – God ('Tourniquet'), Love ('Going Under'), and Death ('Bring Me To Life') – with the grandeur they deserve."<ref name="spinreview" /> Adrien Begrand of PopMatters opined that the album "has a small handful of transcendent moments, but a complete lack of musical adventurousness has the band mucking around either in stultifying nu-metal riffage, pretentious high school journal caterwauling, or even worse, both." Begrand praised Lee's "soaring, enchanting, angelic" voice, writing that "Evanescence would be nothing" without her.<ref name="popmatters" /> Christopher Gray of the Austin Chronicle found the album to be "a little too by the numbers to fully capitalize on Lee's obvious talents."<ref name=austin>Template:Cite web</ref> According to Village Voice critic Robert Christgau, "Their faith, as embodied in Amy Lee's clarion sopralto Template:Sic, lends their goth-metal a palpable sweetness". He jokingly concluded, "Now if only it wasn't goth-metal at all."<ref name="VV"/> In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked Fallen number 99 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time", calling it an "unlikely classic" with "a horror-movie-level ambience that was as chilling as it was campy".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Commercial performance
Fallen has sold more than 17 million units worldwide, with 10 million in the US, since its 2003 release.<ref name="sales">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="RIAA"/> The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200, with more than 141,000 copies sold in its first week,<ref name="mtv1470492" /> Fallen was the eighth-bestselling album of 2004<ref name="E8in04" /> and the nineteenth-bestselling album of the 2000s.<ref name="bbbestof2000s" /> By October 2011 the album had spent 106 weeks on the Billboard 200,<ref name="billtop" /> with 58 of those weeks in the top 20. Peaking at number three on June 14, 2003,<ref name="BB200"/> it re-entered the chart at number 192 on March 13, 2010.<ref name="bb-reenter"/> Fallen spent 223 weeks on the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart after it fell off the Billboard 200.<ref name="toppop" /> The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album platinum in April 2003 and 4× platinum in January 2004; in November 2022, it was certified diamond for 10 million units sold in the US.<ref name="RIAA"/>
On the UK Albums Chart, Fallen debuted at number 18 with sales of 15,589 copies.<ref name="ukdebut" /> The album reached number one (with 38,570 copies sold) seven weeks later, after "Bring Me to Life" topped the UK Singles Chart.<ref name="ukdebut" /> It sold 56,193 copies in December 2003, its highest week of sales (although it was number 28 on the chart that week).<ref name="ukdebut" /> Fallen spent 33 weeks in the top 20 and 60 weeks in the top 75. It re-entered the UK chart at number 35 the week after the release of Evanescence's second studio album, The Open Door.<ref name="officialchartswk42" /><ref name="officialchartswk43" /> Fallen also topped the charts in more than ten other countries and reached the top ten in over 20 countries. According to Nielsen SoundScan figures, after more than three months in the top 10 of the Canadian Albums Chart Fallen peaked at number one on August 13, 2003 with sales of 8,900 copies.<ref name="canada" />
Track listing
Template:Track listing Template:Track listing
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Fallen.<ref name="credits">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>
Evanescence
Additional musicians
- David Hodges – piano, keyboards, additional programming; string arrangements Template:Small
- Francesco DiCosmo – bass
- Josh Freese – drums
- David Campbell – string arrangements Template:Small
- Graeme Revell – string arrangements Template:Small
- Zac Baird – additional programming
- Chris Johnson – additional programming
- Millenium choir – background choir: Beverly Allen, Geri Allen, Eric Castro, Melanie Jackson, Karen Matranga, Joanne Paratore, Lesley Paton, Dwight Stone, Rick Stubbs, Talaya Trigueros, Susan Youngblood Template:Small
- Paul McCoy – guest vocals Template:Small
Technical Template:Div col
- Dave Fortman – production Template:Small; mixing Template:Small
- Jay Baumgardner – mixing Template:Small
- Ben Moody – production Template:Small; additional Pro Tools engineering
- Jeremy Parker – engineering
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- Jason Cupp – engineering assistance
- Dean Nelson – engineering assistance
- Ai Fujisaki – engineering assistance
- Sergio Chavez – engineering assistance
- Sam Storey – engineering assistance
- Mark Curry – strings recording, strings mixing
- John Rodd – strings recording
- Bill Talbott – strings engineering
Artwork
- Ed Sherman – art direction
- Frank Veronsky – photography
Charts
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
Weekly charts
| Chart (2003–2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Argentine Albums (CAPIF)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 3 |
| Australian Heavy Rock & Metal Albums (ARIA)<ref>Template:Cite journalTemplate:Cbignore</ref> | 1 |
| Croatian International Albums (HDU)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 14 |
| Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 7 |
| European Albums (Music & Media)<ref name="eurochart" /> | 1 |
| Greek Albums (IFPI)<ref name="GRE"/> | 2 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 7 |
| Singaporean Albums (RIAS)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 2 |
| South African Albums (RISA)<ref name="SA"/> | 3 |
| Spanish Albums (AFYVE)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 6 |
Monthly charts
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Russian Albums (NFPF)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 3 |
Decade-end charts
| Chart (2000–2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 15 |
| UK Albums (OCC)<ref name="UK-decadeend" /> | 87 |
| US Billboard 200<ref name="US-decadeend" /> | 19 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2003) | Position |
|---|---|
| Argentine Albums (CAPIF)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 13 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref name="AUS-yearend-2003" /> | 15 |
| Australian Heavy Rock & Metal Albums (ARIA)<ref name="AUS-rock-yearend-2003" /> | 2 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref name="AUT-yearend-2003" /> | 17 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref name="FL-yearend-2003" /> | 38 |
| Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 18 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref name="WA-yearend-2003" /> | 17 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten)<ref name="DEN-yearend-2003" /> | 25 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref name="NL-yearend-2003" /> | 23 |
| European Albums (Billboard)<ref name="EU-yearend-2003" /> | 3 |
| Finnish Albums (Musiikkituottajat)Template:R | 2 |
| French Albums (SNEP)<ref name="FRA-yearend-2003" /> | 10 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 9 |
| Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)<ref name="HUN-yearend-2003" /> | 84 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 13 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 54 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref name="NZ-yearend-2003" /> | 6 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 15 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)<ref name="SWE-yearend-2003" /> | 5 |
| Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 9 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref name="SWI-yearend-2003" /> | 3 |
| UK Albums (OCC)<ref name="UK-yearend-2003" /> | 15 |
| US Billboard 200<ref name="US-yearend-2003" /> | 8 |
| Worldwide Albums (IFPI)<ref name="WW-yearend-2003" /> | 7 |
| Chart (2004) | Position |
|---|---|
| Argentine Albums (CAPIF)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 11 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref name="AUS-yearend-2004" /> | 7 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref name="AUT-yearend-2004" /> | 15 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref name="FL-yearend-2004" /> | 12 |
| Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 5 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref name="WA-yearend-2004" /> | 16 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten)<ref name="DEN-yearend-2004" /> | 52 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref name="NL-yearend-2004" /> | 10 |
| European Albums (Billboard)<ref name="EU-yearend-2004" /> | 5 |
| Finnish Albums (Musiikkituottajat)Template:R | 16 |
| French Albums (SNEP)<ref name="FRA-yearend-2004" /> | 20 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 10 |
| Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)<ref name="HUN-yearend-2004" /> | 87 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 41 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref name="NZ-yearend-2004" /> | 14 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 5 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)<ref name="SWE-yearend-2004" /> | 39 |
| Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 50 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref name="SWI-yearend-2004" /> | 15 |
| UK Albums (OCC)<ref name="UK-yearend-2004" /> | 59 |
| US Billboard 200<ref name="US-yearend-2004" /> | 6 |
| Worldwide Albums (IFPI)<ref name="WW-yearend-2004" /> | 43 |
| Chart (2006) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Midprice Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 32 |
| Belgian Midprice Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 24 |
| UK Albums (OCC)<ref name="UK-yearend-2006" /> | 191 |
| US Catalog Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 45 |
| Chart (2007) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Catalog Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 22 |
| Chart (2008) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Catalog Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 36 |
Certifications and sales
Template:Certification Table Top Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Summary Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Bottom
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States<ref name="Release - US" /> | March 4, 2003 | Template:Hlist | Wind-up | 60150-13063-2 |
| Canada<ref name="Release - CAN" /> | April 1, 2003 | Template:Hlist | EK 91746 | |
| Austria<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | April 28, 2003 | WIN 510879 2 | ||
| Germany<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | ||||
| United Kingdom<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | WIN 687043 2 | |||
| Australia<ref name="Release - AUS" /> | May 19, 2003 | 510879200 | ||
| France<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | May 20, 2003 | WIN 510879 2 | ||
| Japan<ref name="Release - JP" /> | July 7, 2003 | Sony | EICP-253 | |
| September 9, 2003 | Limited edition CD+DVD | EICP-242 | ||
| Austria<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | January 26, 2004 | CD reissue | Template:Hlist | WIN 510879 9 |
| Germany<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | ||||
| France<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | February 4, 2004 | |||
| United Kingdom<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | February 23, 2004 | |||
| Austria<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | September 25, 2009 | Template:Hlist | WIN 687043 2 | |
| Germany<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | ||||
| United Kingdom<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | September 28, 2009 | |||
| France<ref name="Release - EUR" /> | October 5, 2009 | |||
| Japan<ref name="Release - JP" /> | October 12, 2011 | Limited edition CD reissue | EMI | TOCP-54276 |
| United States<ref name="Release - US" /> | May 21, 2013 | Remastered LP (black and purple) | Wind-up | 60150-13359-1 |