Origin (Evanescence album)

Origin is the first demo album by American rock band Evanescence. A collection of home-recorded demos from 1996-2000, the CD was self-released in 2000. A total of 2,000 copies were made and sold on the Bigwig Enterprises website. Origin contains demos of songs originally written and recorded by co-founders Amy Lee and Ben Moody for their earlier independent EPs, including "Whisper", "Imaginary", and "My Immortal", which appear on their debut album Fallen (2003).

Origin
Demo album by
Evanescence
ReleasedNovember 4, 2000
Recorded1996–2000
GenreRock
Length45:33
LabelBigwig Enterprises
Evanescence chronology
Sound Asleep
(1999)		 Origin
(2000)		 Fallen
(2003)
Singles from Origin
  1. "Whisper"
    Released: 2000

Background

Origin was produced by a friend of the band members.[1] It was self-released in 2000 with 500 copies initially pressed.[2][3] A total of 2000 copies were made.[3][4] Although initially considered their debut album, it is an extended collection of demos,[4] with Amy Lee confirming it was a "dressed up" demo CD.[5] Lee stated in 2003,

"It's not our first CD, it's demos we recorded ... We weren't there yet, we weren't finished, and a lot of the songs are demos of songs that ended up on Fallen. ... We packaged it together and it looks like an album because we were wanting to look professional for record labels."[5]

Ben Moody added: "That wasn't really an album but our demos. We made it into an album to make it more appealing to the record companies, but it was never an official release ... We also did a lot of songs and demos after that. It was just a stepping stone for us."[3]

Lee said in 2007 that they were still finding themselves back then, and "it's hard to listen to the really old stuff without laughing at myself a little. But of course those songs will always be special to me, and remind me of a time in my life that was both wonderful and terrible." She stated that she's "always liked the idea of one day putting out a b-sides and rarities CD."[6]

Origin contains demo versions of "Whisper", "Imaginary", and "My Immortal", three songs which appear on Evanescence's debut album Fallen (2003). They re-recorded the first two tracks for Fallen, while "My Immortal"'s demo recording was used by their label Wind-up Records on Fallen.[10] "Imaginary" and "Where Will You Go" first appeared on Lee and Moody's 1998 Evanescence EP, and "My Immortal" was an outtake from that EP.[4][11] "Whisper" is originally from Lee and Moody's 1999 EP Sound Asleep.[12] The track "Even in Death" is from 1996,[13] and one of the songs Lee wanted on Fallen.[14]

According to the Bigwig Enterprises website, "Whisper" was the lead single from Origin, receiving airplay on local radio in Little Rock, Arkansas.[15] The Bigwig website sold copies of Origin, marketing it as Evanescence's "debut CD".[16][note 1] Bigwig stated that Origin was out of print by early February 2003,[17] before Evanescence's debut single "Bring Me to Life" was released on the Daredevil soundtrack album. Immediately after the release of Fallen, Origin was sold for US$400 on eBay.[1][note 1] In 2003, Lee and Moody encouraged fans to download it rather than purchase it for such high prices online.[18][19]

Release

Origin was released commercially for the first time in February 2017 as a part of The Ultimate Collection vinyl box set.[20][21] Deeming it to be "like an embarrassing old diary" for herself,[22][23] Lee explained why she included it in the box set:

It's something I've always cringed about because ever since we made a real studio album and honed in our sound and became Evanescence and made Fallen, I'm like, 'OK, everything before this we were just practicing.' But many fans love Origin and talk about Origin and wish Origin would be released. I've been against it for 13 years, but for the first time I guess I have enough separation from it to look at it and feel like, 'Y'know what? I see why that's cool. As a fan, I want to listen to that too.' So having that whole change of heart was really huge.[24]

Lee re-recorded the track "Even in Death" for the 2016 compilation album Lost Whispers, which was included in the box set.[25] She stated that re-recording it felt "like that song was truly redeemed because the early recording we have is not an enjoyable recording, but I really love that song."[24]

Critical reception

Sam Law of Kerrang! said that "there's limited reason for anyone other than die-hards to seek it out", deeming "Lies" the stand out track for Lee's "towering classical soprano delivery – the peak nu-metal synth/guitar interplay and additional death growls courtesy of Living Sacrifice vocalist Bruce Fitzhugh".[4]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Amy Lee, Ben Moody and David Hodges.

Demo CD version (Indie release)
No.TitleLength
1."Origin" (intro)0:35
2."Whisper"3:56
3."Imaginary"3:29
4."My Immortal"4:26
5."Where Will You Go"3:46
6."Field of Innocence"5:13
7."Even in Death"4:09
8."Anywhere"5:18
9."Lies" (featuring Bruce Fitzhugh)3:49
10."Away from Me"3:30
11."Eternal" (Instrumental)7:22
Total length:45:33

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Origin.

Evanescence

Production

Additional musicians

  • Will Boyd – bass on "Away From Me"
  • Bruce Fitzhugh and Stephanie Pierce – vocals on "Lies"
  • Suvi Petrajajrvi, Sara Moore, Catherine Harris, and Samantha Strong – female vocal ensemble on "Field of Innocence"

Additional personnel

  • Adrian James – package design
  • Amy Bennett – site photography
  • Rocky Gray – cover photo
  • Ben Moody, Sr. – band photography

References
  1. Maerz, Melissa (October 2006). "She sold more than 15 million albums with Evanescence, only to find herself in abusive relationships". Spin. 22 (10): 70. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  2. Sanneh, Kelefa (August 3, 2006). "Evanescence And The Killers Get Ready For Their Encores". The New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  3. Stojanovic, Sasha (August 10, 2003). "Dark Splendour". deo2.com (Interview). UK. Archived from the original on September 24, 2005. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  4. "The 20 greatest Evanescence songs – ranked". Kerrang!. August 21, 2020. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  5. "Evanescence". PowerPlay. No. 47. August 2003. p. 10.
  6. "An Interview With Amy Lee...Exclusive!". EvanescenceWebsite.com. October 1, 2007. Archived from the original on October 5, 2007.
  7. Wiederhorn, Jon (November 5, 2003). "Are There Clues To Evanescence's Problems In Their New Video?". MTV. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022.
  8. Law, Sam (October 2017). "Symphonic Possession". Kerrang!. No. 1694. pp. 24–27.
  9. "Evanescence's Amy Lee on 'My Immortal' (2018)" (Interview). Music Feeds. February 16, 2018. Archived from the original on November 13, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  10. [4][7][8][9]
  11. Evanescence (EP). Evanescence. 1998.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. Sound Asleep (EP). Evanescence. 1999.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. "Evanescence's Amy Lee Explains Decision To Release Pre-'Fallen' Material". Blabbermouth.net. October 19, 2016. Archived from the original on July 21, 2021.
  14. Campagna, Cathy (2003). "Evanescence: New Royalty". Metal Edge. pp. 21–24.
  15. "Evanescence Announces Major Label Recording Deal". Bigwig Enterprises. February 7, 2003. Archived from the original on 2003-02-07. Retrieved May 24, 2007.
  16. "Evanescence - Debut CD". Bigwig Enterprises. 2001. Archived from the original on April 20, 2001. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  17. "Evanescence". Bigwig Enterprises. 2003. Archived from the original on February 6, 2003. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  18. DeBarros, Anthony (May 8, 2003). "Evanescence lands someplace special". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  19. Lee, Amy; Moody, Ben (February 24, 2003). "Interview with DC101 radio on February 24, 2003". Elliot in the Morning (Interview). Interviewed by Elliot Segal. Archived from the original (MP3 audio) on February 26, 2007 – via EvanescenceReference.info.
  20. "Evanescence: The Ultimate Collection". Evanescence.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  21. Bowar, Chad (October 11, 2016). "Evanescence to Release 'The Ultimate Collection' Vinyl Box Set in December". Loudwire. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  22. "The Oral History of Evanescence ft. Amy Lee". Alternative Press. March 29, 2021. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  23. "Evanescence's Amy Lee reveals stories behind the songs". Entertainment Weekly. December 5, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  24. "Evanescence's Amy Lee Talks 6-LP Vinyl Collection & Possibility of a New Album". Billboard. November 18, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  25. "New Song Premiere: Evanescence's 'Even In Death (2016)'". Blabbermouth.net. February 16, 2017. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2022.

Notes
  1. Amy Lee: "It has happened. There is a very dodgy company - that would be the perfect way to put it. There's a guy that's ripping people off all over the Internet selling our demos; and he's selling it like it's Evanescence's first CD. It's not our first CD. [...] It's on the Internet. If you want to hear our old stuff, if you must, download it please. Don't try to spend your dollars and buy that CD; it has gone for that much before. They sold it on Ebay."[5]
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