How AMY LEE's 'Crazy, Harebrained Idea' Turned Into Next EVANESCENCE Album

In a recent "Build Series" interview, Amy Lee once again confirmed that EVANESCENCE — which has not released a new album in six years — is working on a unique new project. She said during the chat (see video below). "We're working on something, and it's not quite the right time to tell you exactly what it is. It's not just a straightforward 'next EVANESCENCE album,' it's something else. So just manage and prepare yourself for what you're waiting for to be something different."

When pressed about what to expect, Lee remained tight-lipped, only saying: "I had this crazy, harebrained idea, like, two years ago, and finally have all the people around me that are, like, 'Let's make that happen.' So I'm just doing something… You're gonna like it."

Lee said that the project will be released this year and that the band is spending time in the studio between tours in South America and Europe.

The singer also talked about the current EVANESCENCE lineup, which includes Jen Majura, the German guitarist who joined the group in August 2015 as the replacement for Terry Balsamo.

"I'm very excited about the current lineup," Amy said. "I think the reason that we're booking more shows, the reason that we're in the studio, the reason that we're working towards the future for the band is because… mostly because… I almost wanna say 'completely,' but mostly because we are really just enjoying each other and enjoying what EVANESCENCE is together so well. We just went on a U.S. tour in October and November, and to step on stage every night and feel like everybody is in sync with each other, more than ever before, more interaction just for fun, enjoying the old songs, even the ones that I wrote when I was a completely different… not a completely different person, but when you're in a completely different place in your life as a teenager, even enjoying that and loving that, and the fans and just the whole thing… I think the older I get and the more I go through, the more I appreciate what this really is in my life, and I'm really, really proud… I'm really, really proud of the band and everything, that it survived, because so many times it would have been so much easier to walk away. And I'm very proud of what it is. I think we're playing live better than we ever have. I love Jen. We have a female in the band, besides me, for the first time ever, and that's changed the dynamic a little bit for me. I've got a girlfriend in the band, and now we can have live background vocals too — we never had that. Just a lot of cool new energy happening."

While the current project remains a mystery, EVANESCENCE did debut a previously unheard song called "Take Cover" during its North American tour last fall.

Lee also released a solo single called "Love Exists" in February, while a second solo song, "Speak To Me", will appear on the soundtrack for the forthcoming supernatural thriller "Voice From The Stone", due out April 28.