Vitamin's String Quartet Tribute to Evanescence reworks nine tracks from the Arkansas band's major label debut
Fallen, and proves that the elegiac grace apparent in that album was not simply a fluke of production or savvy marketing. Arranged for violin, viola, and cello, "Bring Me to Life," "Tourniquet," and especially "Going Under" become surging chamber anthems, while the skyward-climbing melody of "My Immortal" is made even more poignant by the tension between cello and violin. Quieter moments like "Hello" really show off the instruments' versatility, while "Whisper" retains the apocalyptic feel of its
Fallen counterpart. It might have been a good idea to wait until
Evanescence had more than one album readily available before issuing this string tribute, but the set will still be an interesting listen for any fan enamored of the group's goth-tinged sound. ~ Johnny Loftus