'Idol' Alum Carly Smithson Joining Evanescence Members For New Band

Carly Smithson rocks out on 'Idol' FOXAccess Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Carly Smithson is about to become a Fallen "Idol."

The "American Idol" Season 7 singer has joined with former members of rock band Evanescence to become The Fallen, the Los Angeles Times first reported.

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Evanescence sold over 15 million copies of their breakthrough album, "Fallen," but founding member Ben Moody left the band shortly thereafter, and the act has been on hiatus since the conclusion of its 2007 tour.

The new band includes Moody as well as former members Rocky Gray, John Lecompt and newcomer Marty O'Brian, who was not in Evanescence.

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Carly told the Times that the new hard-edged new act is "everything I am."

"I kept getting told that, 'You don't have the rock voice, you can't do rock music.' But it's everything I am. It's everything I listen to," Carly said. "I'm not the regular girl next door."

And for his part, Moody said that Carly is a perfect fit as their lead singer.

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"It was just clear to me that we had found our better half," he told the Times. "This is bringing more energy than Evanescence could ever muster."

The band plans to announce the news on Monday, when they'll release a free single on their Web site, www.wearethefallen.com, with plans for a national theater tour in the works with intermittent recording sessions and single releases.

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