EVANESCENCE's AMY LEE On Working With Orchestra: 'It's Not Cheap' But 'It's Worth It'

Philadelphia's 93.3 WMMR radio station recently spoke to singer Amy Lee about EVANESCENCE's forthcoming album, "Synthesis", which will reimagine some of the band's past catalog with full orchestration and electronic backing. You can listen to the full chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether EVANESCENCE had to rehearse more to become comfortable playing with an orchestra:

Amy: "Most definitely. That's actually the next part. I'm still in the studio at the moment recording the vocals to the last couple of things. This has been such a journey. It's such a massive project, this album, it's really beautiful. I mean, it's made up of so many tiny details. I've been working on it for over a year now, honestly, just a little bit here, a little bit there, then we'll go on tour and something else will be happening. Just the orchestration, this beautiful orchestration that David Campbell brought to the table. I've never had electronic stuff that's going on. Being able to revisit so many of these songs in a new perspective, in a new light, and from a new point in my life and also be able to put ourselves in there now and make new music that fits within this realm of this giant EVANESCENCE soundtrack. It's a big deal; it's really beautiful, I'm really excited about it. I'm really tired. [Laughs]"

On her involvement in arranging the orchestral pieces:

Amy: "I definitely had a hand, but, no the arrangements are done by David Campbell. David Campbell has done the string arrangements on all of our albums and we teamed back up to do this, only he's bringing a full orchestra to the table. We're talking a full brass section, clarinets, harps and mallets and the whole deal, mixed into a cool, modern synthetic role as well. It's kinda crazy. I'm very much in it, but I didn't sit there and score the music with my hands. I'm not able to do that."

On whether she had to make sure not to "over-orchestrate" the arrangements:

Amy: "Yeah. This whole thing hasn't just been about adding, it's actually just as much about subtracting, like pulling away certain things so that you can focus on the one thing that maybe you never heard before. Letting the vocals shine in the moment where they were always just flooded with a wall of guitars. Like, there's just all these little pieces where we can take a moment to appreciate music in sort of, I don't know, a cleaner way sometimes, like a purer way, and focus on the crazy contrasts on the next thing."

On whether bringing in an orchestra affects the band's bottom line:

Amy: "Yes sir. [Laughs] This is why I keep saying this is a passion project — this is something I really, really want to do. This is something that is coming from a place of love and creativity and I think that if there's one place, after any money that I've made, if there's one place that I believe I owe pouring it into, it's back into the band. If it's about making music and about making something I really believe in, which this totally is. It's worth it, but it's not cheap."

Due November 10, "Synthesis" will feature two new EVANESCENCE songs in addition to fan favorites re-recorded with a live orchestra and electronica.

The "Synthesis Live" tour will launch this fall beginning October 14 on the West Coast. Like the album, "Synthesis Live" will feature a reimagining of some of EVANESCENCE's best-loved songs with the spotlight on full orchestra, electronics combined with the band and Lee's virtuoso piano and voice.

Interview (audio):