Evanescence Expand 'The Open Door' For 20th Anniversary

09-24-2026

(KBPR) Twenty years after The Open Door debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard200, Craft Recordings celebrates Evanescence's landmark 2006 album with a newly remastered and expanded anniversary Deluxe Edition, arriving November 6 on 2-LP, CD, and digital formats.

Alongside the original album, the collection brings together three fan-favorite rarities from The Open Door era-"If You Don't Mind," "Together Again," and "The Last Song I'm Wasting On You"-plus a never-before-released demo of "Good Enough," offering an intimate glimpse into the early development of one of the album's most beloved songs.

Alongside the black vinyl release, the 2-LP set, housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket, will be available in a range of limited-edition color pressings through the Evanescence Store (Midnight Nebula), Craft Recordings (Metallic Blue), Barnes & Noble (Sea Glass), Books-A-Million (Ghost Blend), Revolver (Mercury Blend), Indie Record Stores(Opaque Ivory), and select International retailers (Translucent Cobalt). All formats are available to pre-order/pre-save now.

Frontwoman Amy Lee says, "The Open Door was such an important time for me, pushing boundaries and feeding my desire to experiment and grow. I wanted to connect on a deeper level, and fought for a future for the music I loved. It was beyond worth it. The fact that it resonates with so many people 20 years later means so much to me."

When Evanescence emerged in the early 2000s, their debut album Fallen became a global phenomenon, earning two GRAMMY Awards and establishing the band as one of the defining rock acts of the decade. Released on September 25, 2006, The Open Door arrived with enormous expectations-and found Evanescence pushing decisively beyond the sound of their debut. With Amy Lee taking greater creative control, the album expanded the band's musical vocabulary through sweeping orchestration, electronic textures, choral arrangements, and piano-rich compositions, setting Lee's unmistakable voice against music that could move from crushingly heavy to starkly intimate. The result was an album that felt unmistakably like Evanescence while opening up entirely new possibilities for the band.

Debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, The Open Door sold more than 447,000 copies in its first week and topped charts around the world while landing in the Top 5 across more than 15 countries. Lead single "Call Me When You're Sober" became a Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit, while the piano-led "Lithium" emerged as an enduring fan favorite and live staple. "Sweet Sacrifice," which earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance, captured the album at its most ferocious, while closing track "Good Enough" revealed its other extreme: a sparse, piano-driven performance centered on Lee's voice.

That evolution was recognized upon release. Entertainment Weekly described The Open Door as "more personal and, by accessing a deeper emotional palette, maybe even more universal," while Kerrang! hailed it as "a massive creative leap" beyond its predecessor.

Two decades later, The Open Door continues to find new audiences. "Sweet Sacrifice" has recently experienced a resurgence on TikTok, where a new generation of listeners has embraced the track, adding another chapter to an album whose appeal has extended well beyond its original release.

The anniversary edition arrives amid a busy chapter for Evanescence. Following the June 2026 release of Sanctuary, their sixth studio album, the band embarked on an extensive world tour, with dates across North America, the UK and Europe, followed by upcoming shows in Asia and a run through Australia and New Zealand in early 2027. The 12-track Sanctuary includes "Who Will You Follow" and the No. 1 rock hit "Afterlife," originally released for Netflix's Devil May Cry, and follows a run of collaborations with K.Flay, Halsey, Poppy and Spiritbox's Courtney LaPlante. As Evanescence continues to move forward, The Open Door (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) offers a chance to revisit the album that first demonstrated just how far the band's sound could reach.

Click here to pre-order/pre-save The Open Door (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) and stream the advance single "Sweet Sacrifice (Remastered 2026)" now.