For a while there, it seemed like Evanescence wasn’t going to come back — five years after the release of The Open Door and a few writing and productions mishaps later, the band has finally returned with its fourth record, Evanescence, a loud, epic statement that the group hasn’t changed at all.

Despite claims by frontwoman and lead singer Amy Lee that this self-titled release would be influenced by trip-hop visionaries Massive Attack and Icelandic singer Björk, Evanescence features the same pummeling guitars, soaring melodies and huge string sections that have marked all the band’s releases.

This isn’t a bad thing, however — there’s something to be said for an aggressive hard rock band so deftly blending heavy metal guitar riffs, truly badass female vocals and piano stabs with Elton John levels of flare, such as on “Erase This.” Juggling all these elements, the band has cultivated a huge audience around the world.         

Although bands such as Nightwish and Lacuna Coil play a similar style, Evanescence’s lack of uniqueness doesn’t make its music any less relevant.

For those jaded by the overplayed “Bring Me to Life,” which continually gives the band a false one-hit wonder pedigree, Evanescence as a whole can remind people there’s more to the band than that single.

Evanescence has made tracks such as the dark “End of the Dream” before, a song stuck somewhere between a Trent Reznor sense of melody and symphonic metal, but the band’s worthwhile compositions, interesting tonal shifts and catchy licks prove it has plenty to offer.

Many of the choruses on Evanescence do seem uncomfortably similar to one another, as track after track utilizes the same formula. Huge power chords ring out and Lee always hits that same big note at the top of her range.

It’s understandable considering the group’s radio aspirations, but a little jarring since the verse and bridge sections all feature a diverse array of heavy riffs, like the thick crawl of “Made of Stone” or the Tool-affected atmospherics on “Sick.”

As to Lee’s apparent desire to fill this new record with more spacious electronic sounds, a few songs, such as the bombastic if disinteresting “Oceans” and first single “What You Want,” have some stray synth pads and warbles around.  Only album closer, “Swimming Home”, openly alters the band’s well-defined dynamics.

The very end of the record was definitely the best place for “Swimming Home,” a depressing arrangement of electronic sounds and sad chord progressions that is too out of place on Evanescence for its own good.

That said, it offers a window directly into Lee’s other musical predilections, and gives way to the possibility that the band might be holding the singer back as a solo musician.

Perhaps this disparity is one more reason the fourth record took so long to record.

VERDICT: Even though Evanescence hasn’t changed its style, the band is still as feisty and relevant as ever. Its fourth record reintroduces singer Amy Lee as a true queen of rock.

berman@umdbk.com