Emma Anzai performs with Evanescence at Mediolanum Forum of Assago in Milan, Italy, on Nov. 10, 2022. Photo by Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images.

Patience is key for hard rock trio Sick Puppies. The band and fans alike have eagerly awaited a follow-up to 2016’s Fury, which was the first with new guitarist and lead singer Bryan Scott. The trio nearly finished a new album in by the end of 2019, but because of the pandemic, it waited. Two years later, Sick Puppies are finally on the verge of unleashing that work.

“We’re really ramping up right now,” Sick Puppies cofounder and bassist Emma Anzai said. “It’s been many, many years but it’s finally going to happen.”

The band debuted the first taste of the album back in 2019 with “There Goes the Neighborhood,” at Sacramento’s Aftershock Festival. That song will be on the album, Anzai confirmed. Sick Puppies were also tapped by ESPN to record a song for its NHL coverage, putting a hard rock spin on Paul Oakenfold’s “Ready, Steady, Go.” It’s instantly recognizable from the opening guitar chords, before exploding into entirely different territory.

Emma Anzai with Sick Puppies, courtesy.

Anzai has stayed busy outside of Sick Puppies, too. In 2022, the bassist joined Evanescence after that band shuffled its lineup. She was given three weeks to learn the set before the band began a European tour. While it was plenty of time to learn the material, Anzai said she really wanted to dial it in.

“It was pretty stressful because I’d never done anything like that before,” she said. “That was the first time I’d played for anyone else. You can learn it and then you can really hone in on the specifics. The tough thing for me was how specific to make it, especially because I was doing vocals as well. I kinda went down the rabbit hole, which was fun because it’s good to push yourself.”

The first show, at Austria’s Nova Rock Festival, was live-streamed.

“I was really nervous, I really hoped I wouldn’t mess this up,” she said. “Amy [Lee] and the guys were so lovely about it. They were really supportive and gave me everything I needed.”

After Evanescence returned to the U.S. for more shows, Anzai played a show that saw her pull double duty with both of her bands.

“It’s really intense. You get really excited. You’re all hot and sweaty from the first set. Then you go right back into another one,” she said of the demanding pace.

The most noticeable shift for Anzai was the style of playing and learning to do more with less, she explained, adding how the band’s rhythm sections are different.

“Evanescence has got a very controlled groove pocket whereas Sick Puppies is a lot more frenetic and kinda punky,” she said. “That distinction is really noticeable when I go between the two.”

Emma Anzai (second from left) with Evanescence in 2022, courtesy.

Already an accomplished bassist, Anzai said she hopes the dynamics of the playing with both bands will make her a better overall musician. She wants the infusion of the dark and moody Evanescence sound to get even tighter with her musicianship.

“As the saying goes, it’s harder to play something slower than it is to play it faster,” she said. “Your focuses are in different places.”

With plenty of gigs now under her belt, Anzai said Evanescence’s “Made of Stone” and “End of the Dream” have become her favorite tracks to play. On top of the Sick Puppies tour (which includes playing for U.S. troops overseas) and eventual album release, Anzai will remain with Evanescence when the band hits the road with Muse in 2023.

“It was really exciting when we first got the news,” said Anzai, “their production and sound are insane, the band is just amazing, it’s gonna be awesome.”

Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald.