Evanescence Vs Within Temptation

Given a choice, I'd pick PS3 over Xbox 360, poems over songs, drama over action, anime over movies. But there's one thing that confounds me completely - Amy Lee or Sharon Den Adel? My brain goes haywire when attempting to come up with a solid answer to this question. These two lovely ladies, the frontwomen of the rock bands Evanescence and Within Temptation respectively, are highly deserving rock Goddesses who unfailingly bring out memorable songs. They've their own unique qualities that are endearing to say the least. They've both been instrumental in inspiring me significantly and they're both friggin awesome! @_@ In this post, I'm going to juxtapose them and make a dissection of their abilities and that of their bands in general, and if possible, make a definite conclusion.

Band name:

Evanescence:

                   Abstract and subtle. I'd like to think that it refers to the evanescence of mortal life, thereby driving home the point that life's too short to let anything get the best of you, and that moral integrity should be maintained notwithstanding dire circumstances because that's how our life will be gauged at its dusk.

Within Temptation:

                   As profound and a tad more objective in my opinion. I'd interpret this as the resoluteness one should have about their morals, the self-discipline that one should have to not to give in to temptations, the loyalty towards one's ideals and what one believes in.

Hey, I'm not being preachy. These were just my interpretations of the band names. Now, for the real deal! 

Music:

Evanescence:

                   EV's music slants heavily towards gothic/hard rock, but what makes it stand apart and shine brilliantly is the amazing piano score that submissively complements the guitar riffs in most songs. There are occasional deviations though. For example, "My Immortal" doesn't have the element of rock in it; Neither does "Forgive me"; In "Swimming home" the electronic music dominates. In essence, the music in Evanescence is far from what the band name implicates. It will stand the test of time and will continue to rock for generations.

Within Temptation:

                   WT's music is relatively more experimental, inclining into symphonic rock territory. It's partly because of the lingering symphonies, but there's a sense of "epic-ness" to their music. I can't discern and validate the secret ingredients, but let me put it this way - WT's music would be fitting for pivotal moments in movies that are set in the medieval era. Get the drift now? O_o There's a sense of fantasy to it, something mystical and outlandish. Something that's incongruent to EV's modern rock which we can relate to easily. However, this "medieval rock" is outright fantastic and the emphasis on symphonies is refreshing!

Vocals:

Evanescence:

                   Amy Lee has this amazing, distinct voice that spans 3.5 octaves and gives the listener goosebumps all over. Although a classically trained singer, she can soothe the senses with hauntingly beautiful vocals that'd waltz to the melodic piano score and flawlessly transition to rocking our innards with a raw, powerful voice. Songs like "Exodus", "Forgive me", "Swimming home", "My immortal" exhibit the ethereal, enchanting aspects of her voice. On the other hand, songs like "Tourniquet" and "Everybody's fool" are cathartic and potent enough to run an entire power plant. Her killer set of lungs, the impressive vocal range and her inimitably angelic voice makes Amy the legendary rock Goddess that she is. Not to mention the invigorating passion with which she sings!

Within Temptation:

                   After months of drowning in Evanescence, I initially perceived Sharon's voice to be too different to instill me, but that half-baked conception didn't last for long. Once my ears were treated to "Memories", I began fanatically downloading WT songs. She isn't blessed with a unique voice like Amy's, and there's a slight feeling of deja vu associated, that's reminiscent of Celine Dion. But, Sharon does what she does best. She handles all the niceties with absolute clarity, and her airy, feminine voice goes well with the symphonic, "Medieval" rock, sending us on raptures. However, that isn't to say that her voice merely suits songs that aren't too taxing in terms of raw energy. She can be almost as adept at singing powerfully like Amy, and that's a huge credit to her versatility!

Lyrics:

Evanescence:

                   I'll make this as condensed as possible. EV's lyrics are dark and mostly depict sad scenarios. But despite its darkness, there's a rich tapestry of uplifting warmth, that's threaded with strong emotions, covering it. It helps the wounded souls find their inner strength, hang in there, persist and persevere with hope for the morrow. The songs, like I said earlier are more easily relatable and the lyrics are quite unequivocal except in rare occasions like in "Secret door" and "Lost in paradise".

Within Temptation:

                   WT's songs are more poetic and they are subtler when it comes to expression. This sense of subtlety embraces the theme of the music and it works like a charm, abidingly casting the listeners under its wonderful spell. Unlike EV's lyrics which are comparatively curt and lucid, many songs in WT leave themselves open to interpretation by the listeners.

So, to consolidate all the above parameters, it's quite safe (and convenient :P) to say that Amy Lee is Sharon's doppleganger who dwells in a different realm where darkness isn't intimidating, but inspiring; Isn't devastating, but constructive. Sharon can be deemed, on grounds of her musical and singing abilities, Amy's sheltered sister who explores uncharted territory in the human mind. Essentially apples and oranges, but then life's impossible without either!