American singer Amanda Somerville has been very active in the coaching, production and vocal realm for many of your favorite gothic and power metal artists through the years. Bands like Avantasia, Edguy, Epica and Kamelot have benefited from her professional melodies and expertise in the recording studio and on the road. Following the success of her collaboration with ex-Helloween vocalist Michael Kiske on last year’s Kiske/Somerville project album, Amanda returns with more of a debut metal project act Trillium and this first full length, Alloy.
Songwriters Sander Gommans and Sascha Paeth also perform a key role in the instrumentation, with much of the guitar work, bass, additional keyboards and drums delivered by both. Alloy appears to straddle Amanda’s rock and metal affinities, some material being more atmospheric and gothic-tinged with “Coward” and “Utter Descension” and at times other songs have a darker, heavier veneer like “Bow to the Ego” or her duet with Jorn Lande “Scream It.” Sinner/ Primal Fear bassist Mat Sinner aids Amanda’s beautiful powerhouse rock range on the closing mood mover “Love is an Illusion”.
Some of the material steers dangerously close to current Lacuna Coil or Evanescence radio territory, especially the simplified guitar/drum groove present on the opener “Machine Gun,” which could turn off some who know Amanda can pull off these melodies in her warm-ups. Overall though Alloy conveys enough spirited solo action and versatile vocal abilities to continue to lift her profile up in the music business.
Trillium possess soul and grit, two elements often lost in this cookie-cutter flood of releases. This one could be a silent grower with more listening exposure.
(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)