Evanescence ‘Metalica 2025 Australian Tour Intimate Sideshow’

@ Metro Theatre, Sydney 14/11/2025.

I know What You Want, a way to stop yourself from Going Under, a chance to get Lost In Paradise before the Afterlife comes to claim you. Lucky for you, the way forward is through empowering music to enrich the soul and chase the darkness from the ever lurking corners in life. Tonight, U.S Alternative/gothic-rock titans, Evanescence emerge onto the stage here at Sydney’s Metro Theatre, for the smallest show the band have done in twenty years, while the band are in the country in support of the legendary Metalica’s current Australian tour.

This night will undoubtably be one for the ages, so I’ll see you on The Other Side…

The excitement tonight is palpable and at a fever pitch, with the venue’s whole capacity lining up to get in before doors open, so as to not miss a second or a prime viewing spot. Luckily, we don’t have to wait long, no supporting act, no, after everyone has entered and is primed and ready, Evanescence are brought forth like deities summoned from afar, harnessing the climactic vibe of the audience and answering it with the opening song, the bands recent single, ‘Afterlife’.

Leading into the stand to attention drum beat of ‘What You Want’ with Amy prompting a clap along to the beat, engaging us and conducting our attention and focus like her own entranced disciples, not that our focus could be anywhere else!

Like Evanescence’s last Sydney show at Qudos Bank Arena two years ago, this show tonight is an arena rock show in its high calibre performance and sound quality. The only difference is, the lack of big screens, larger scale lighting, confetti, pyros, stage props/add-ons/runways etc. I suspect the sound mixer tonight is the bands own personal, one that’s intimately versed in their sound, as every musical layer, from guitars and their effects/distortion, piano, synth, bass, drums both acoustic and electric, plus Amy’s exquisite vocals accompanied by bassist Emma’s backing vocals are all not only even and satisfying, every layer is set perfectly, complementing the sound as a whole, elevating particular elements when it’s their turn to shine, like the piano in ‘Lost In Paradise’, the dark vengeful distorted bass bite of ‘Going Under’ charging forth in support of Amy’s deliciously wrathful voice, and the synthesised string section in the grand finale of ‘Bring Me To Life’. It’s a real treat for my ears!

Amy and the band are constantly connected with the audience, whether it’s revving us up in intro’s and outro’s of songs, asking are we ready, and instigating clap alongs, to chatting to us between songs sending heartfelt messages of being all in this together in this crazy world and that the band are here with us to have a night to bring us happiness for a night to remember. All this is while Amy glides around the stage like an angelic spirit, reaching out to us without braking musical stride, sending her stunning voice into us like the sharp slice of a mythical blade.

The limited stage size and venue capabilities don’t hold back the bands multiple facets of their music, with the set consisting of all fan favourites in full blazing glory, including recent collaborative track with K-Flay ‘Fight Like A Girl’, ‘The Other Side’, ‘Call Me When You’re Sober’, ‘Yeah Right’ and of course, the hauntingly beautiful, ‘My Immortal’ before finishing with the iconic fan favourite, ‘Bring Me To Life’, which Amy conducts the perfect call and response with the audience, in the chorus, with the audience calling back the male vocals between Amy’s soaring vocals.

Normally when characterising melodic vocals compared to screaming vocals, it would be described as clean versus unclean vocals. However, clean just doesn’t do Amy’s voice any justice at all. Her voice slices deep like a vampiric teeth, it resonates in you, it haunts, it soars above the clouds like a stunning dragon,  it defies, it challenges, it embodies an ocean of emotion, and washes it over her fans in a tsunami that soaks us in its beauty to our core, leaving us simply spellbound! There’s honestly no other description to do it justice! The obvious evidence of Amy’s classical training as a vocalist and as a pianist thrust into an alternative rock setting with the other band members keeping pace with Amy’s musical quality without shadowing hers is truly remarkable and a testament to the band’s ever-growing and ever-lasting success and fan devotion all around the world!

To back up that claim, the band don’t need to stage an insincere encore, getting the fans to shout them back onto the stage, boosting the bands ego. No, the audience know that when the band pour their heart and soul into rocking out as fiercely as possible for ‘Bring Me To Life’ raising the crowds energy higher and higher to explosive levels, that’s it. And honestly, after a 90 minute set, we are all well and truly satisfied and spellbound.

Thank you Evanescence, your music and performances, no matter at what venue will never cease to Bring Me To Life and enrich My Immortal soul!