Imperfection (song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Imperfection
| cover = Evanescence - Imperfection.png
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Evanescence
| album = Synthesis
| B-side =
| released = {{start date|2017|09|15}}
| recorded = February–August 2017
| studio = Spaceway Productions
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:22
| label = BMG
| writer = Evanescence
| producer = * Will Hunt (Spaceway)
| chronology = Evanescence
| prev_title = Lost in Paradise
| prev_year = 2012
| next_title = Hi-Lo
| next_year = 2018
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|7_XoKJP1XK4|"Imperfection"}}}}
}}
"Imperfection" is a song by American rock band Evanescence from their orchestral-electronica fourth studio album, Synthesis (2017). It was released as the lead single from the album on September 15, 2017. Amy Lee wrote the song about fighting for one's life, from the perspective of someone left behind after a loss. Produced by Will "Spaceway" Hunt and Lee, "Imperfection" fuses electronic and symphonic music with trip hop percussion. An accompanying music video was released on October 19, 2017.
Background and composition
"Imperfection" is a song on Synthesis.{{cite web|url=https://dontboreus.thebrag.com/editorial/evanescence-interview-amy-lee-australian-tour/|title=Amy Lee Of Evanescence reflects on the band’s career and influence ahead of their Australian tour|website=Don't Bore Us|date=December 19, 2017|access-date=December 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209083130/https://dontboreus.thebrag.com/editorial/evanescence-interview-amy-lee-australian-tour/|archive-date=December 9, 2022|url-status=live}} On the album, the songwriting is credited to Evanescence and programmer Will B. "Spaceway" Hunt, with production by Hunt and Amy Lee.{{cite AV media notes |title=Synthesis |type=liner notes |others=Evanescence |publisher=BMG |year=2017 |id=538337812}} The recording process and making of the song is featured in the documentary From the Inside: The Creation of Synthesis, which was included in the deluxe edition of the album.{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/evanescence-return-with-new-track-imperfection|title=Evanescence return with new track Imperfection|work=Metal Hammer|date=September 15, 2017|accessdate=December 14, 2022}} A clip of it is uploaded to the band's YouTube channel as part of the webisodes titled Inside Synthesis.{{cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9cc40p1wLc|title=EVANESCENCE - Inside Synthesis: Episode 2 - Imperfection|publisher=YouTube|date=September 29, 2017|access-date=May 13, 2022}}
Lee wrote the song from the perspective of someone "left behind" after a loss to suicide and depression.{{Cite magazine|last=Reed|first=Ryan|date=September 15, 2017|title=Hear Evanescence's Operatic New Song, 'Imperfection'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hear-evanescences-operatic-new-song-imperfection-119830/|access-date=November 13, 2020|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516114307/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hear-evanescences-operatic-new-song-imperfection-119830/|archive-date=May 16, 2022|url-status=live}} For Lee, it was the most important song on the album, describing it as a "plea to fight for your life", and not giving in to the fear; "I have to tell myself that every day. Nobody is perfect ... it's precisely those imperfections that make us who we are, and we have to embrace them because there's so much beauty in those differences. Life is worth fighting for. You are worth fighting for.".{{Cite web|last=DiVita|first=Joe|date=October 20, 2017|title=Evanescence's 'Imperfection' Video Is a Call to Keep Fighting|url=https://loudwire.com/evanescence-imperfection-video/|access-date=November 13, 2020|website=Loudwire|language=en}} Lee confessed in 2019 that the song became "more special" to her following her brother's passing in January 2018.{{cite news|url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/kelebek/hurriyet-cumartesi/evanescencein-kurucu-lideri-amy-lee-kimse-mukemmel-degil-ve-dunyayi-guzel-yapan-da-bu-41323201?fbclid=IwAR1QaoHlFXrSUOTQfO4wY7ELz7Eb9NrGpT2DrnN5PjxVUhRophLeiJ71fx4|title=Evanescence'ın kurucu lideri Amy Lee: Kimse mükemmel değil ve dünyayı güzel yapan da bu!|work=Hürriyet|date=September 7, 2019|access-date=May 13, 2022|language=tr}}
"Imperfection" has a "classical base", and fuses electronic and symphonic music with influences from EDM, hip hop music and R&B, featuring trip hop beats, a "swaggering cadence" and belting from Lee.{{refn|{{cite magazine|last=Exposito|first=Suzy|date=November 14, 2017|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/review-evanescence-flourishes-with-the-classical-makeover-of-synthesis-122186/|title=Review: Evanescence Flourishes With the Classical Makeover of 'Synthesis'"|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=July 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201000748/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/review-evanescence-flourishes-with-the-classical-makeover-of-synthesis-122186/|archive-date=December 1, 2022}}{{cite news|last=Bowar|first=Chad|url=https://loudwire.com/evanescence-synthesis-album-review/|title=Evanescence Find Orchestral Bliss With 'Synthesis' – Album Review|work=Loudwire|date=November 10, 2017|access-date=May 13, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-20-greatest-evanescence-songs-ranked|title=The 20 greatest Evanescence songs – ranked|work=Kerrang!|date=August 21, 2020|access-date=October 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010225754/https://www.kerrang.com/the-20-greatest-evanescence-songs-ranked|archive-date=October 10, 2022|url-status=live}}}} On the album, it is preceded by a piano solo that transitions into the song. Lyrically, the track was described by NME as "an emotional moment dealing with suicide and depression."{{cite news|last=Trendell|first=Andrew|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/evanescence-unveil-video-new-single-imperfection-2151660|title=Evanescence unveil emotional video for new single 'Imperfection'|work=NME|date=October 19, 2017|access-date=May 13, 2022}}
Release and reception
"Imperfection" was released as the album's lead single for digital download and streaming on September 15, 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/evanescence-drop-new-video-for-imperfection|title=Evanescence Drop New Video For Imperfection|work=Kerrang!|date=October 25, 2017|accessdate=December 14, 2022}}
Rolling Stone's Ryan Reed stated that Evanescence "achieve electronic-symphonic symmetry" on the song. Stephen Dalton of Classic Rock commented that both of the album's new songs are "classy, stadium-sized anthems that couch soaring Bond-theme melodrama in supple trip-hop shudders and sumptuous, vaguely Middle Eastern string swirls.{{cite magazine|last=Dalton|first=Stephen|date=November 28, 2017|url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/evanescence-synthesis-album-review-1|title=Evanescence – Synthesis album review|magazine=Classic Rock|access-date=July 28, 2018}} Kerri-Ann Roper of Belfast Telegraph highlighted "Imperfection" as one of the great tracks on the album.{{cite web|title=Albums of the week: DIY SOS's Nick Knowles, Shed Seven, Evanescence and Tears For Fears|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/albums-of-the-week-diy-soss-nick-knowles-shed-seven-evanescence-and-tears-for-fears-36306143.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=November 10, 2017|access-date=December 1, 2022|first=Kerri-Ann|last=Roper}} Kerrang!{{'}}s Sam Law praised the song's composition. Writing for Alternative Press, Jordan Toney said it's "the perfect mixture of classic Evanescence along with mixing in their new sound" and the "quick pacing of Lee's voice almost provides a suspenseful feel that's only relieved when Lee hits those long notes that she can hit so well."{{cite web|title=Evanescence release electronic-infused single, “Imperfection”|url=https://www.altpress.com/evanescence_electronic_single_imperfection_stream/|work=Alternative Press|date=September 15, 2017|accessdate=December 19, 2022}}
Music video
"Imperfection"'s video premiered first on NME on October 19, 2017, before being available on Evanescence's YouTube channel.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_XoKJP1XK4|title=Evanescence - Imperfection (Official Video)|date=October 19, 2017|publisher=Evanescence|via=YouTube}} The piano solo that segues into "Imperfection" on the album introduces the song in the video.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Digital download{{cite web|url=https://us.7digital.com/artist/evanescence/release/imperfection-explicit-6828209|title=Imperfection (Explicit) |publisher=7digital |location=United States |accessdate=May 13, 2022 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316154812/https://us.7digital.com/artist/evanescence/release/imperfection-explicit-6828209 |archivedate=March 16, 2021 |url-status=live }}
| title1 = Imperfection
| length1 = 4:23
}}
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Synthesis.
- Amy Lee – vocals, piano, producer
- Will "Spaceway" Hunt – producer, programming, synths, engineer
- David Campbell – orchestra arrangement and conducting
- Damian Taylor – mixing engineer
- Nick Spezia – orchestral engineering
- Gary Hedden – additional audio editing
- Emily Lazar – mastering engineer
- Chris Allgood – mastering assistance
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| Chart (2017)
! Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Alternative Digital Song Sales (Billboard)
| 19 |
| {{singlechart|Billboardrocksongs|39|artist=Evanescence|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 2, 2020}} |
| scope="row"| US Rock Digital Song Sales (Billboard){{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/evanescence/chart-history/|title=Evanescence Chart History|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 17, 2022}}
| 21 |
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| Label ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row" rowspan="2"| United States
| September 15, 2017 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | rowspan="2"| BMG |
|---|