Evanescence, the band’s first album is five years, thankfully marks a return to their sinister chug and Amy Lee’s heavenly wail. But there’s a deeper focus on electronic textures thanks to the programming of Nine Inch Nail Chris Vrenna and the frontwoman’s deep, long-lasting love of artists like Portishead, Massive Attack, and Depeche Mode. Here Lee–who is featured on the cover of the new Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock issue–breaks down her four favorite songs by tireless Icelandic genre-hopper Björk, whose wild, carefree spirit lurks in Evanescence‘s darkest corners.
“Crystalline”
“Björk inspires me in a lot of ways. Her voice is one of the most amazing voices in the world. And she’ll just say whatever. The way she uses the English language, probably because it’s not her first language, she uses it for the way the words sound as much as what the words mean. That always inspired me. When I’m writing lyrics, I think that way, too. I want the meaning to matter, but the way they actually sound coming out your mouth matters, too. Smart girl, that one.
“Army Of Me”
“I know that’s everybody’s favorite, but it’s just so good. There’s a whole album of covers of that one song. If you go on iTunes, there’s an album that’s fully just that song 12 times by 10 different bands.”
“Joga”
“I’m probably pronouncing that one wrong. I love that song. [futureusgalleryAn MTV News reporter] was saying that [futureusgallerynew song "Lost In Paradise"] reminds him of this song. That’s a song that inspired me from a long, long time ago. It definitely inspired me musically ages ago.”
“Pagan Poetry”
“That’s another great one that I listen to a lot. Man, the lyrics are so good. ‘On the surface simplicity/But the darkest pit in me/It’s pagan poetry’… I love that! Totally speaks to me, it’s so beautiful!”