Synthesis

*Synthesis*
Released	November 8, 2017 (Japan); November 10, 2017 (US)
Length	1:02:18
Producers	Amy Lee, Will "Science" Hunt
Label	BMG
Discography
Singles from Synthesis
	"Bring Me to Life" (Synthesis); Released: August 18, 2017; "Imperfection"; Released: September 15, 2017; "Lacrymosa"; Released: October 27, 2017; "Hi-Lo"; Released: June 8, 2018;

Synthesis is the fourth studio album^[1] by American rock band Evanescence. It was released on November 10, 2017 by BMG. This is the band's first independent release after parting ways with Wind-up Records in 2014.

Background[]

The existence of a new project was first confirmed on March 20, 2017, during an interview with frontwoman Amy Lee by AOL Build. The album was next spoken of during an interview with Teamrock.com, in which Lee said:

"We’re working on something new – and the info about it is on lockdown just for a little bit longer. In a short amount of time I’ll explain exactly what it is. But we are in the studio, we are working on a new project, and it’s something different – it’s not just a straightforward next Evanescence album."^[2]

On May 10, 2017, the band officially announced the project, a new album entitled Synthesis, via their Facebook. According to the post, the album would be a hybrid of the orchestral and synthetic genres, stripping all of the guitars and drums used from Evanescence's previous hard rock image. It would feature various selected songs from the band's past releases remade "from the ground up" with "different tempos, different parts, intros and outros, segways and new pieces, and putting this all together like one big piece of music", in addition to two brand-new original compositions. It was also revealed that a complete orchestra would be joining them for the production of the album as well as a fall tour.^[3] The orchestra was rearranged by David Campbell, who arranged the previous three albums.

The idea of Synthesis came from Amy's wish to have a different version of Evanescence's albums for herself that was just "programming, vocals and the strings."^[4]^[5] She said the album is not a remix.^[6]

On the album's title, she said:

"That word kept coming into my mind as I defined the theme of this album and its process, it's all about separate people, contrasting sounds, different moments in time, all coming together to make a new thing."^[7]

Recording of the album started in February 2017 and was finished in August that same year.^[8] The orchestra was recorded first at Ocean Way Recording Studios, in Nashville, TN,^[9]^[5] and the band recorded their part at Will B. Hunt's studio, Spaceway Studios, in Forth Worth, TX.