Evanescence has returned with its first new rock recording in eight years, ‘The Chain (From Gears 5)’. The band recorded its signature-rock version of the Fleetwood Mac classic following lead singer Amy Lee having lent her vocals to the launch trailer for the Xbox Game Studios’ “Gears 5” for Xbox One, Windows 10, and Steam, from the massively popular “Gears Of War” series. The spot aired as part of a multi-million-dollar ad campaign this fall in conjunction with the launch of the game. “Gears 5” was Microsoft’s most successful video game launch since Halo 4 in 2012.
‘The Chain’ is the first release in what is expected to be a very active period for Evanescence. Following their critically acclaimed foray into symphonic music with 2017’s “Synthesis” album and world tour, the five-piece has re-emerged by embracing a heavier sound, albeit with their trademark style that has made Evanescence integral in establishing a global, critical mass in rock, and among the most unique artists of the millennium. The band is currently working on new original music, which will start rolling out in 2020 in advance of their next studio album. Stay tuned for more details to come.
Said Lee: “This cover was so fun to make. We love Fleetwood Mac and wanted to paint a dark and epic picture with our take on ‘The Chain’. The lyrics make me feel the power of standing together against great forces trying to pull us apart, perhaps even from the inside. I really wanted to drive that home in our version, and even made everyone in the band sing by the end of it! We’re beyond excited to share this with our fans and I’m really looking forward to playing it live.”
At the end of the month, Evanescence will head to Mexico City to play Knotfest, followed by Download festival in Tokyo on March 29, 2020. After a short break, the group head out on a massive co-headline tour of Europe with Within Temptation. The new batch of dates kicks off on April 4 in Brussels, Belgium and concludes i n Birmingham, U.K. on May 1. Evanescence then returns to the U.S. for a headline show at The Fillmore in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 14. All tickets are on sale now and can be purchased on the band’s official web site.
“Synthesis” sold 34,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release to land at position No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart. Of that sum, 30,000 were in traditional album sales. Evanescence‘s 2011 self-titled release debuted at No. 1. “Synthesis” was the group’s fourth top 10 effort, following “Evanescence”, “The Open Door” (No. 1 in 2006) and “Fallen” (No. 3, 2003).
Last year, Lee told the 93.3 WMMR Rocks! radio station that she wasn’t opposed to the idea of releasing singles and EPs instead of full-length albums, especially as streaming services like Spotify continue to alter the way people consume music.
“I just think it’s cool to be able to have this freedom to commit to less and do more,” she said. “I’m totally open to doing a few songs instead of an album here and there, and see what happens.”
Video (audio) for ‘The Chain’
