In the September issue of Bass Empire, Emma Anzai discussed the upcoming release of Sick Puppies’ fifth studio album, Wave the Bull, while reflecting on her experience joining Evanescence. Anzai spoke about the challenges of balancing both bands, from adapting her playing style to the slower, groovier sound of Evanescence to maintaining her connection with Sick Puppies’ faster, punk-driven energy. As Sick Puppies gear up for their new album, Anzai reflected on how her diverse musical journey influences her approach to performing with both bands.
Emma Anzai recounted her experience stepping into the well-established world of Evanescence, a band she admired since their MTV days. “It was really special but daunting because of their presence and history,” she shared. Emma’s familiarity with Evanescence began when Sick Puppies toured with them around 2007, which laid the foundation for a lasting camaraderie. “We built a relationship back then, and it was a fun tour, so reconnecting with them wasn’t like stepping into a completely new situation. I knew everyone already, which made it nice.”
When asked about her initial impressions of Evanescence when they first appeared on the scene, Emma recalled her immediate attraction to their unique sound. “When I first heard ‘Bring Me To Life’ and saw the video, I thought it was awesome. Back then, there weren’t many super rock bands fronted by vocals like Amy’s. It caught my attention because it was new and I was so glad someone was doing that style. I’ve been a fan from the beginning.”
Emma highlighted the contrasting styles of Sick Puppies and Evanescence as the major changes she faces when moving between the two bands as a bassist. “Sick Puppies are very fast, almost punk-like, so the tempos are a lot quicker. The challenge for me was trying not to rush my playing, because Evanescence’s music is really groovy, and the tempos are a bit slower.”
Emma elaborated on the adjustments required in her performance style. “It was more challenging for me to not try and rush into that. A lot of the basslines in Evanescence’s music are super groovy and really cool. It was all about laying back, and I think that was the biggest challenge.” She also shared how she manages to bring her own style to Evanescence while honoring the band’s iconic sound. “I think about that myself, like, where’s the line? I don’t want to come in and play all sorts of stuff that doesn’t fit with them. I was very cognizant not to do that, because I wanted to stay true to what they are.”
Emma elaborated on her approach to integrating her personal touch. “I learned all the parts as they are, which is great. Sometimes, during live performances, I might do something a little different—like following some of Will’s (Hunt, drums) fills in my own way. The basslines stay the same, but I add subtle nuances, like adapting to his live fills, since he plays them differently from the album versions. So it’s just an area where we can express that kind of thing.”*
Discussing how to prepare for live performances with Evanescence, Emma described her comprehensive approach. “Yes, I did all of that—rehearsals, understanding the dynamic, and how things felt playing together, which was great from the get-go. So that was really easy,” she explained. Regarding studying the band’s previous performances, Emma added, “In terms of dynamics and interaction, I watched a bunch of videos as well, just to see what their vibe was. Plus, we toured with them, so I’d already seen the show a lot anyways, but that was a long time ago. So, yeah, just videos and rehearsals.”
You can read the full interview with Emma Anzai in the September issue of Bass Empire, now available on DiscountMags.
