It's been a long wait for Evanescence fans wanting the third album from their heroes.

The band, fronted by (the, quite frankly, absolutely gorgeous) Amy Lee, of course sprang to global fame way back in 2003 with their multi-platinum debut, 'Fallen' - which went on to sell 17 million copies worldwide - and the accompanying smash hit single, 'Bring Me To Life'. Following the controversial departure of founder member Ben Moody, 2006's sophomore, 'The Open Door', didn't live up to the success of its predecessor, but was well received critically and went on to shift a nevertheless impressive seven million units.

Then, the band just seemed to disappear... and, apart from a few rare guest appearances - such as on Korn's MTV Unplugged performance in 2007 and the following year's 'Nightmare Revisited' project - virtually nothing was heard from the newly-married Lee. Until last year, when reports came out that the singer and her "band mates" - in fact, only guitarist Terry Balsamo remains from the 2006 incarnation - were working on a new album.

So, has this self-titled opus been worth the wait?  And does it live up to the hype which inevitably surrounded it?

The answer to both questions is 'yes' - and 'no'.

Right from the off this is an album which is different from the Evanescence of the previous decade. Opener 'What You Want' suggests that Amy spent more than a little time in the company of Jonathan Davies and co, as there is a very Korn groove to it, especially in its use of electronics and its almost dubstep drum patterns. 'Made Of Stone' is darker and heavier, before 'The Change' presents what is first recognizable trace of the Evanescence of old, with Lee's vocals soaring over a gothic soundscape.

'My Heart Is Broken' starts well, but is messy and confused, not sure if it wants to be a ballad or a rocker, while 'The Other Side' is hard and heavy and is as close to a metal song as they've probably ever recorded . 'Erase This' is a pure filler before the album really hits its peak with 'Lost In Paradise' - Amy's sensual voice accompanied by just a solo piano which is then joined by swelling strings before the band kick in with understated effectiveness. 'Sick' is another heavy song, and is one of the album's hidden gems, with its degrees of light and shade and doomy keyboard effects.

'End Of The Dream' promises much and, after a dodgy start, delivers another hard-hitting guitar driven number, while 'Oceans' starts unpromisingly and evolves into a fairly innocuous mid-paced gothic rocker and 'Never Go Back' does exactly the opposite to its title and turns the Evanscence wheel full circle back to 'Fallen'.

The surprise package however is 'Swimming Home':  apparently a last-minute addition to the album - an afterthought if you wish - it's completely different to what has come before, with Amy's almost otherworldly vocal perched atop an ethereal, programmed backing track. It's a really weird way to end the album but serves to sum up the overall experience generated throughout: some unexpected moments, some interesting twists on the Evanescence tale, but ultimately hit and miss and not completely satisfying.

www.evanescence.com