Anywhere But Home

Evanescence’s "Anywhere But Home", captures one night of the magic as cameras entered The Zenith in Paris to capture the phenomenon. The two-disc DVD/CD features Evanescence’s sold-out European tour and is offered in both 5.1 and two-track audio mixes. In addition to the live concert DVD, which was directed by Hamish Hamilton (U2, Peter Gabriel), "Anywhere But Home" also includes a CD of the concert presented in a two-track mix, and the previously unreleased studio recording of the composition "Missing." The DVD features the band's four music videos, an hour-long behind-the-scenes program, and some special surprises in addition to the concert film. The special surprises will be discovered by the viewer as they navigate the menus designed exclusively for this special release.

Essentially a live showcase for their mega-selling breakthrough Fallen, this CD/DVD combo set chronicles Evanescence in peak form during a subsequent tour stop in Paris. The performances here lean early on the crunch of guitarists John Lecompt and Terry Balsamo (reaching a peak on the the band's potent cover of Korn's "Thoughtless"), but ultimately revolve around the melodramatic, goth-rooted vocal charisma of singer Amy Lee. It's on stripped-down, yet still larger-than-life takes of "Bring Me to Life" and "My Immortal," as well as the shadowy grace of "Breathe No More," that Lee stakes her claim to the alt.diva throne. Taken as a whole, the forceful renditions here argue that this live recording was hardly premature, instead well documenting the band's more direct musical tack and considerable live chops. The CD contains the appropriately named, previously unreleased studio track "Missing," while the DVD supplements its crisply shot and edited concert performances with four videos and an hour of documentary footage and interviews. --Jerry McCulley