Ethereal Metal

Ryan Murray | Co-Owner | Chief Editor | Contributor | Photographer

r.m.music84@gmail.com

Fresh off the release of Sanctuary, Evanescence arrived at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, NJ alongside Spiritbox and Nova Twins for a night that delivered far more than crushing riffs, soaring vocals, and stunning production. There are concerts that entertain you, sure, but this was a stark reminder of why live music matters in the first place. The evening was a celebration of growth, resilience, healing, and the beginning of a bold new chapter for one of rock’s most enduring bands. From the explosive energy of Nova Twins and Spiritbox to an emotionally charged Evanescence performance packed with live debuts, surprises, and some of the most powerful moments I’ve witnessed at an Evanescence show, the evening proved that the band’s future may be even brighter than its already legendary past.

Nova Twins brought an electric set to the stage, immediately setting the tone for what would become one of the most memorable nights of the summer.

Amy Love on lead vocals/lead guitar and Georgia South on bass/backing vocals, along with Jake Woodward on drums as a touring drummer, wasted no time making an impression.

The chemistry on stage was palpable with not only Amy and Georgia completely locked in, trading killer vocal lines and tight harmonies, but Jake’s fills on the kit were incredibly tight throughout the set.

Blending hard rock, punk attitude, hip-hop influences, and electronic elements into something entirely their own, Nova Twins don’t simply open shows—they detonate them. Every song carried an infectious swagger, with Amy Love and Georgia South commanding the stage with the confidence of a band fully aware of exactly how good they are. Having never seen Nova Twins live before, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but they completely won me over within minutes. By the time they tore through “Glory,” the crowd had gone from curious spectators to fully invested participants.

Setlist

• Antagonist
• Cleopatra
• N.O.V.A
• Choose Your Fighter
• Monsters
• Glory

When Spiritbox took the stage, Courtney LaPlante’s vocals shook the entire theater. Opening with “Black Rainbow,” the crowd immediately locked in, matching their incredible energy within seconds.

Spiritbox has never been a band content to stay still, constantly evolving, constantly growing as musicians, and constantly pushing the envelope. Having never seen them live before, I knew to expect a killer set, but nothing prepared me for the intensity that they bring, both in dynamics and emotion.

LaPlante’s cleans live are absolutely stunning and her range is incredible. And her harsh vocals? Absolutely unbelievable control and enough to knock you down.

What makes Spiritbox so compelling live isn’t simply their technical ability—it’s their mastery of contrast. One moment LaPlante is delivering hauntingly beautiful melodies that leave the crowd hanging on every word. The next, she’s unleashing a vocal assault powerful enough to shake the room. The transitions feel effortless, and that constant push and pull between beauty and brutality keeps the audience completely locked in. I knew Spiritbox was a talented band going in, but seeing those dynamics unfold live gave me an entirely new appreciation for what they bring to modern metal.

Mike Stringer on guitar and backing vocals, Zev Rosenberg on drums, Josh Gilbert on bass/backing vocals, and the energy from everyone on stage was hard to contain, and the crowd reciprocated in kind.

The lighting was just as intense—constantly in time with the pulse of the music. Spiritbox’s music thrives on contrast, and the production amplified that perfectly, shifting from blinding intensity to haunting atmosphere in an instant.

Songs throughout the set hit with crushing force, but it was the emotional weight behind the performance that lingered long after the final note. By the end of their set, one thing was abundantly clear: Spiritbox is no longer simply one of metal’s fastest-rising bands. They have arrived.

When the lights dimmed for Evanescence, of course the crowd went nuts—that’s to be expected. What wasn’t expected was the overwhelming power of emotion that filled the air.

As the intro to “Sanctuary” began, Amy’s whispers could be heard, samples of other songs echoing in the background, and as the band emerged as one solitary unit it became deafening. And when Amy appeared on the ramp, drenched in white light with fog rolling in as she began, “This is for the ones who gather strength in silence…it isn’t over,” an eerie, yet calming hush swept through the venue, just in time for the chorus to kick in and for everyone to lose it again.

The live debut of “Sanctuary” felt less like the opening song of a concert and more like the opening chapter of an entirely new era.

With Sanctuary being the first album Tim McCord officially recorded guitars on and Emma Anzai officially recorded bass for, this lineup only continues to grow tighter, not just as musicians, but as a family. Having followed Evanescence since 2002, and having seen them many times over the years, I can safely say that not only is this their best lineup yet, but it’s also the closest the band has ever been.

That chemistry was impossible to miss throughout the night.

Whether it was Tim’s commanding guitar work, Emma’s constant energy and incredible harmonies, Troy McLawhorn’s crushing rhythm work, Will Hunt’s thunderous drumming, or Amy Lee’s ability to command an arena-sized audience while making every lyric feel deeply personal, every member played an essential role in making this performance feel special.

We have to also talk about the production.

The stage production, lighting, elevating platforms, pyro, and visuals all displayed throughout the set were highly engaging. Every song seemed to have its own visual identity, adding another layer to an already immersive performance.

One of the most impressive aspects of the evening was just how confidently the band embraced the new material. Live debuts of “Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough,” “Rapture,” “Self Destruct,” “Calm Down,” “Beautiful Lie,” “Forever Without You,” “About Us,” and “Wide Open Heart” were met with the same enthusiasm as songs that have been staples for years. Rather than slowing the show’s momentum, the new material strengthened it.

Pigeon-shaped confetti fell during the band’s staple “Bring Me to Life,” a song that for years now has taken on a new live energy, with a restructured portion where Amy does the rap section and a killer live ending as well.

Before launching into the absolutely gut-wrenching “Forever Without You,” Lee said to the crowd:

“In my mind, before I sing this next song, I was gonna write the perfect speech to say..to set it up perfectly, kinda scripted. But uh, life is not scripted so I’m just gonna tell you this. This is my story about my life, and about my journey. But if something that I say in the song speaks to you in a way that you think ‘I’ve been there’ or ‘I am there’, or if you’re there in the future…I just wanna tell you this. As terrifying as it may be to take that first step out the door, it is infinitely better on the other side.”

What followed was one of the evening’s most powerful moments.

The amount of pain and healing that followed, especially in the choruses, absolutely broke me. You could hear the pain and healing as Lee belted the choruses. Emma Anzai sat just behind Amy on a stool with harmonies that sounded absolutely stunning, absolutely reminiscent of the harmonies that existed during the Origin era of the band.

Another deeply emotional moment arrived when Evanescence performed “Like You” live for the very first time in celebration of the upcoming 20th anniversary of The Open Door. Written about the loss of Amy Lee’s younger sister, the song has long stood as one of the most heartbreaking entries in the band’s catalog. Knowing the meaning behind the lyrics, I honestly don’t know how Lee made it through the performance. There was a visible weight to the moment—not just from the band, but from the audience as well. For a few minutes, the entire venue seemed to collectively hold its breath as one of Evanescence’s most personal songs finally received the live debut fans had waited nearly two decades to witness.

Later in the evening, Courtney LaPlante and Nova Twins joined Evanescence on stage for “Fight Like a Girl,” which sounded absolutely incredible with their contributions.

What could have easily felt like a one-off guest appearance instead became one of the evening’s most explosive moments. The chemistry between all three acts was undeniable, and the crowd responded with deafening approval.

But perhaps the greatest strength of this performance was that it never felt trapped by nostalgia.

Yes, classics like “Going Under,” “Lithium,” “Call Me When You’re Sober,” “Imaginary,” “Bring Me to Life,” and “My Immortal” were all celebrated by the audience. Yet the overwhelming feeling throughout the night was one of forward momentum. Evanescence wasn’t revisiting their past—they were building upon it.

Sanctuary’s message is clear—that even though the world is filled with hate, it’s also capable of absolutely breathtaking beauty.

That message carried through every moment of the evening.

As “Who Will You Follow” challenged listeners to think for themselves, as “About Us” delivered one of the loudest singalongs of the night, and as “Wide Open Heart” brought the evening to its emotional conclusion, the themes of resilience, hope, and humanity remained front and center.

As thousands of voices joined Amy Lee for the final moments of “Wide Open Heart,” it became impossible to ignore what Sanctuary is really about. Despite the anger, heartbreak, division, and darkness explored throughout the album, Evanescence chooses to end with hope.

As the final notes echoed through Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, it felt less like the end of a concert and more like the beginning of a new chapter.

If this performance is any indication of where Evanescence is headed next, the future has never looked brighter.

Setlist

• Intro / Sanctuary (Live debut)
• Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough (Live debut)
• Afterlife
• Rapture (Live debut)
• Going Under
• Lithium
• Like You (Live debut – celebrating 20 years of The Open Door)
• Self Destruct (Live debut)
• Calm Down (Live debut)
• Call Me When You’re Sober
• Beautiful Lie (Live debut)
• Wasted on You
• Forever Without You (Live debut)
• Bring Me to Life
• Imaginary
• Better Without You
• About Us (Live debut)
• Fight Like a Girl (with Courtney LaPlante & Nova Twins)
• Who Will You Follow
• My Immortal
• Wide Open Heart (Live debut)