EVANESCENCE Bassist Quits

EVANESCENCE frontwoman Amy Lee has posted the following message on the EVBoard.com message board:

"Hey everybody. We just had a killer couple of weeks filled with press, photos, and an incredible video shoot that I know youre gonna love. Things are going great and I'm really getting excited for the new album. Unfortunately, I have some sad news. A few weeks ago, Will [bassist William Boyd] decided to leave the band. He said that he just can't go through with another huge tour right now, and wants to stay a little closer to his family instead. Tour is hard — you kind of have to sacrifice your life for it, so we can all understand. We love Will very much and wish him nothing but happiness in everything he does. We've been playing music together since I was in junior high. I miss him already! I love you guys, don't worry about the band — nothing has changed in the schedule and were all excited to get out there and play again. See you soon!"

EVANESCENCE's new album, "The Open Door", is due on October 3 via Wind-Up. The band's second major label offering, "The Open Door" will follow up 2003's six-million-selling "Fallen". When asked to describe the sound of the new disc, singer Amy Lee told Launch it was hard to explain. "It's different than the last album, but it's still EVANESCENCE," she said. "I think the fans are really gonna love it. I'm a fan, I love this band, I wouldn't be doing it if I wouldn't love it, and I love it, so I guess that's sort of my gauge for everything. But it's different, it's kind of fun and sexy, but it's still, like, dark and, like, really epic at times."

"I think if people expect this album is going to be softer and more feminine and more wimpy, they're going to be surprised," Lee told JAM! Music. "It's not an album full of 'My Immortal'-like songs. Every song is completely different and I feel like at times it definitely goes heavier than we had the capacity to do before. But in a way that's still new and fun and unique and not trying to be like anything else that's out there."

It was also nice to collaborate with a different musician, Lee said, enthusing about founding member Ben Moody's replacement, former COLD guitarist Terry Balsamo.

"I've never really written with someone before," she told JAM! Music. "I don't know if Ben and I ever wrote a song together. It was always, I would write and he would write and then we would bring our ideas together."

"But the writing process with Terry was really, really great and different. We would just sit in a room and make demos. We'd work together and talk to each other and encourage one another. This whole writing together thing is good for me. I needed Terry to make it happen the way it did. I trust him and we trust each other to just try whatever."

EVANESCENCE has officially picked "Call Me When You're Sober" as the first single from "The Open Door". The song will arrive at radio stations around August 7.

EVANESCENCE guitarist Terry Balsamo suffered a stroke last November during the making of the record, but Lee says he has made a "miraculous" recovery.

EVANESCENCE also sued its former manager on grounds of professional negligence and sexual assault, among other claims.

Touring plans for "The Open Door" are yet to be announced.

(Thanks: RockSirens.com)