Let’s be honest: the early 2000s were chaos.
If a band had distortion, angst, and someone looking mildly haunted in a music video, they were getting slapped with the “metal” label whether they deserved it or not. And right in the middle of that beautiful mess? Evanescence.
In this episode of Influencers of Metal Podcast, Collin and Tom put Evanescence on trial—focusing strictly on Fallen and The Open Door—to answer one deceptively simple question:
Are they rock… or metal?
What starts as a casual discussion quickly spirals (as it always does) into a full-blown genre autopsy. From the undeniable impact of “Bring Me to Life” to deeper cuts like “Haunted” and “Cloud Nine,” the guys dissect the band’s balance of crushing riffs, orchestral drama, and Amy Lee’s haunting vocal dominance.
They also dig into why Evanescence got lumped in with nu metal (even when it barely makes sense), how bands like Breaking Benjamin and Korn shaped the conversation, and whether one killer riff is enough to tip the scales into metal territory.
👉 Listen now and decide for yourself: is Evanescence metal enough for your playlist, or are they the ultimate gateway drug to heavier music?
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