EVANESCENCE Heading In Different Direction On New Album

According to The Pulse of Radio, EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee opens up about the band's upcoming album in a new interview with RollingStone.com, saying that it will incorporate influences from dance-rock and electronic acts like DEPECHE MODE, MASSIVE ATTACK, MGMT and PORTISHEAD. Lee explains, "A lot of bands I've always been inspired by are just coming into play a little more. There's a lot of stuff that doesn't sound like EVANESCENCE, but the heart of the band of still there. This is a really, really, rhythmically driven record. So there's tons of drum-programming fused with live drums."

Recording for the project began on Monday, February 22, in a New York City studio with famed U2 producer Steve Lillywhite.

Lee has been writing the record with an old friend named Will Hunt, a drummer and producer who coincidentally shares the same name as EVANESCENCE's touring drummer of the last few years. Lee says about the collaboration, "I went through a phase where I didn't know if it was solo time, or go write score music, or what. And then once we wrote together, I realized this is totally EVANESCENCE."

Lee told The Pulse of Radio a while back that she's always wanted the chance to expand the EVANESCENCE sound. "The thing about our music is, and about our live shows and our songs, is that so much goes into it besides just guitars, bass and drums and vocal," she said. "I always want to do these, like, ethereal background vocals, and then do, like, synth loops and drum loops and all this interesting stuff going on in a rock song, but it's kind of a big deal and a lot of work."

Hunt will also play drums on the record, although the other Will Hunt — the touring drummer — might return as well. Still with the band are guitarist Terry Balsamo and bassist Tim McCord, while touring guitarist Troy McLawhorn may come back if his schedule with SEETHER permits.

The new EVANESCENCE record is due out this fall and will follow up 2006's "The Open Door".

Three former original members of the band, Ben Moody, John LeCompt, and Rocky Gray, recently teamed with "American Idol" runner-up Carly Smithson in WE ARE THE FALLEN. Their debut is due out in May.