The wait is officially over. Evanescence have announced their sixth studio album, Sanctuary, set for release on June 5, 2026 via BMG. The announcement arrived alongside the release of lead single “Who Will You Follow” — the band’s first standalone new music in years and the opening statement of what is shaping up to be one of the most significant chapters of their career.
“This album is over three years in the making and we are so damn proud of every second of it,” the band said on social media. “Hope you love it and can’t wait for you to hear it! HERE WE GO!!!”
Amy Lee went further in the official press release, laying out exactly what Sanctuary meant to her during the years it was being built: “This album is over three years in the making, and finally listening back to it all at once, about to release it to the world, I am so damn proud of every second of it. It’s overwhelming. Working on it has been my outlet for so much that feels wrong and out of control, and a place to ignite hope through the power of music and connection… good thing we have the tour all lined up or I wouldn’t know what to do with myself now! I’ve been completely obsessed. I’m dying for the fans to hear this.”
That emotional intensity has been building for years. The creation of Sanctuary stretched across multiple studios and multiple producers, with the band deliberately refusing to rush anything. Drummer Will Hunt revealed in a February 2026 interview that Evanescence had completed four songs with producer Nick Raskulinecz and six to seven songs with the team of Jordan Fish and Zakk Cervini, with Cervini mixing the entire album.
The lead single “Who Will You Follow” was co-written and produced by Zakk Cervini — known for his work with Bad Omens, YUNGBLUD, Bring Me The Horizon, and Spiritbox — and Jordan Fish, who has produced for Bring Me The Horizon, Poppy, and Architects. The involvement of Cervini and Fish alongside Raskulinecz — whose résumé includes landmark records for Korn, Foo Fighters, and Rush — signals a production ambition that matches the emotional scale Lee has described.
The album was not assembled quickly or carelessly. In November 2024 the band entered the studio to begin formal work. By July 2025, Amy Lee was back recording vocals. In September 2025 she described the process: “We have all the songs that are gonna be on it at least started, so we’re in that moment of finessing and beautifying and writing lyrics and doing the hard stuff where I slam my head up against the wall.” She confirmed later that month they were “rounding the corner” and looking to release the album in early 2026.
Composer Michael Wandmacher — known for his film scores — contributed string arrangements to the album, sharing on Instagram: “I spent the weekend finalizing string arrangements for the upcoming Evanescence album. It was a dream job I never could have imagined. I am still on cloud nine. So many incredibly talented people made this possible, with Amy at the helm. I will admit to being tired after two weeks of over 100 hours, but as Zakk Cervini so aptly said: ‘It’s a privilege to be exhausted doing something you love.’ This was definitely a career highlight for me.”
The strings — contributed alongside cellist Dave Eggar and conductor Susie Bench — suggest an album that will balance the band’s heavier instincts with the orchestral grandeur that has always been part of their sonic identity.
The band is no stranger to chart success. Their 2003 debut Fallen remains the sixth best-selling album of the 21st century with over 17 million copies sold worldwide. Their most recent standalone release, “Afterlife,” debuted at number one on both Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and Mediabase’s Active Rock Radio chart in both the US and Canada.
Sanctuary arrives on June 5 — just six days before the band kicks off their massive world tour on June 11 in West Palm Beach, Florida, with Spiritbox and Nova Twins supporting across North America. UK and European dates follow in September with Poppy and K.Flay, before the tour closes with a special standalone show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on October 26.
Three years of work. One album. June 5. Sanctuary is coming.
