The Open Door - Background, Titling and Artwork

Background, Titling and Artwork

"I feel like with Fallen, a lot of those songs sound like I was trying to prove myself and establish what we were and our sound. I was trapped having to feel a certain way. But with the new record, I sort of went with everything. I am not afraid to feel happy sometimes, and I think there's moments on the album with sensuality, which is really fun and beautiful, instead of the last time, where I felt like I was only getting out part of me. This record embraces the whole me."

During an interview with MTV News, Lee said that the band will begin the writing for the album in March 2004 after they finish their tour for Fallen. She revealed that it was impossible to write on tour and added that "everybody's going to go to their house and write material." She further said that the band was going to get together just for the recording of the new material. Amy Lee originally broke the news about the new album to the fans in a post on an unofficial Evanescence site, EvBoard.com. However, the album progressed slowly for several reasons, including Amy Lee's desire to maximize the creative process and not rush production, other band members' side projects, guitarist Terry Balsamo's stroke, Will Boyd's and Ben Moody's departure and the loss of their former manager. Although Lee stated on the fan forum that Evanescence's new album would be completed in March 2006, the release was pushed back allegedly because "Wind-up Records...wanted to make a few changes to the upcoming single "Call Me When You're Sober." Talking about the development and inspiration of the album, Lee stated:

"Life happens. We were writing for more than a year, and even during the recording process, there were all kinds of stuff like relationship problems, and then there were all kinds of drama with, which was really stressful and straining. Terry's stroke was the most difficult part. All the things that happened were really inspiring, because it was frustrating. But for me at least, every time we get really frustrated and you're hitting a wall and everything is chaos, it just makes the music that much better, because you have passion — even if it's negative. That's sometimes better, actually. At the end of it, we all felt like we could take a new breath and start anew. We wrote great songs, and I love them. But at the same time, you need the trials to really be able to put something out there that's genuine and real."

When asked is the album thematically different from the band's previous album, Fallen, Lee replied, "What music is for me and what Evanescence has been is me purging all of the negative and hard, difficult experiences that I've had in my life. Naturally, that's still coming across; I'm still purging the trials. I feel like this album comes from a place that's not so hopeless. The first album, I was talking about the hard stuff, but I was also wallowing in it. But I've grown so much now... The lyrics on the new album are looking for the answers, looking for solutions looking for happiness. It's not 'I'm miserable, end of the song.' It's more, 'I'm miserable, and what do I have to do to work this out and get out of this bad situation.'"

In an interview with MTV News, Lee revealed the inspiration behind the title of the album: "I feel like I have the ability to do a lot of things I couldn't do before, for a number of reasons. As a musician, I feel like I can just do whatever. This album is completely the way I wanted it to be on every level, and it's more of me and it's more of my writing. A lot of doors have kind of been opened in my life — not just since everything has happened for us. But lately, I have kind of just learned to go, 'OK, that's it,' and cut a few ties and move away — learn how to say 'No' and look for happiness." Lee also stated that the band "broke the doors" and tried doing different things which was also an inspiration for the title. The artwork for the album shows Lee in front of an open door. The Victorian dress she wears on the artwork was designed by herself. Simon Cosyns of The Sun concluded that the artwork "keeps the dark Evanescence image intact, with sinister fairytale scenes, elaborate Victorian gothic arches, illuminated typography and elaborate flowing dresses." Dane Prokofiev of PopMatters praised the artwork calling it "gother-looking piece."