Fallen (Evanescence Album) - Background and Recording

Background and Recording

After Evanescence was formed by Amy Lee and Ben Moody in 1995, the band released three extended plays (EP) and one demo CD and in January 2001 they signed with their first major label, Wind-up. The writing process for the album took a period of eight years. During an interview with MTV, Ben Moody revealed that he never wrote together with Lee adding, "maybe two or three times in eight years did we actually sit down and write together in the same room."

The album was recorded at Track Record Inc. & NRG Recording Studios, Ocean Studios, Conway Recording Studios, all in California. Different tracks were recorded as demos before the album's recording sessions, while "My Immortal", "Imaginary", and "Whisper" appeared on the band's earlier material. The album was recorded and mixed between late August and early December, 2002. Recording work for Fallen started at Ocean Studios in Burbank, California, where most of "Bring Me to Life" was recorded for the Daredevil soundtrack, prior to full album production. For that song, Jay Baumgardner used a mix at his studio, NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, on an SSL 9000 J. Drum tracks were recorded at Ocean Studios, with Josh Freese playing to click-tracks, containing stereo guitars and vocals on selected songs.

On the rest of the drums, Fortman said that he used a D112 on the inside of the kick drum, a U47 on the outside, an NS-10 speaker as an outside mic. The producer ran 414s on the ride cymbal and hi-hat. He recorded the drums onto 2-inch tape on a Studer machine and then bounced the parts into Pro Tools. The guitars (Gibson Les Paul, Gibson SG, Mesa Boogie, Marshall Amplification) for the album were cut at Mad Dog Studios, Burbank, California in an old Mesa/Boogie cabinet. Lee's vocals, pianos and background vocal by The Millennium Choir were recorded in NRG Recording Studios. The orchestra parts were arranged by David Hodges and David Campbell, except in "My Immortal," which was done by composer Graeme Revell. The mixing for the album took a period of two weeks at Conway Recording Studios in North Hollywood while the album was mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in New York City.