After some seriously intense multi-platform social media teasing and a rapid build-up of excitement over the past few weeks, the epic and much-anticipated collaboration between three iconic queens of metal, Amy Lee, Poppy, and Courtney LaPlante, has finally been released. “End Of You” is completely fresh, released on 4 September via Sumerian Records. We really shouldn’t need to introduce this trio, but if you haven’t been keeping up, Amy Lee of Evanescence is famed for her incredible range of powerful operatic vocals, Poppy is a solo artist on a meteoric rise, most recently in the eye of metal fans through highly successful major summer festival appearances and a collaboration with Bad Omens on “V.A.N.”, while Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox, following album success, brings an iconic, melancholy singing voice alongside a mighty roar that simply cannot be matched.
“End Of You” begins slowly and almost romantically as Amy Lee kicks it off. It’s a song of clear sections, and Lee leads the first, accompanied by a drum, guitar, and bass beat that will sound familiar to fans of Evanescence. Poppy takes over for the second section, bringing her somewhat pop-influenced vocal style and a change to more modern instrumentals. It soon becomes a duet between Poppy and Lee before a scream from Poppy blends beautifully with Courtney LaPlante’s trademark roar. LaPlante leads the next section before the trio combine to sing the chorus and close the track.
This collaboration seriously delivers. The way the individual and massively unique talents of all three artists blend is done to perfection. It’s a collaboration we never saw coming but absolutely needed. The track is a real power song for women and a celebration of female-fronted metal’s continuing evolution. We suspected this would be something special, and now we’re left wanting more.