Review : Michael Kiske Amanda Somerville Kiske-Somerville Frontiers Records :: New Music Review :: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock

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Michael Kiske Amanda Somerville debut album new music review

Kiske/Somerville: Kiske/Somerville

Melodic Hard Rock/Metal

4.75/5.0

Frontiers Records
www.frontiers.it
Review: Craig Hartranft, 09.13.2010

If you don't know their names, you should or at least get out from underneath your rock. Michael Kiske rose to fame as Helloween's vocalist in the earl 1990s. In the last decade or so he's done solo and journeyman work, with too many projects to mention here. Amanda Somerville is a relative newcomer but hardly a novice with her own projects and significant collaborations. The duo was brought together for this debut album by by Serafino Perugino (president, Frontiers Records). And Kiske/Somerville is one fine album.

Foremost, the emphasis here is upon the representative vocal talents of Kiske and Somerville. Honestly, I've always been somewhat ambivalent about Kiske, having never thought he reached his potential on any outing. However, on Kiske/Somerville Mr. Kiske has never sounded better. Whether by the pairing with Somerville, or the music (more on this in a moment), Kiske seems to rise to the excellence we expect of him. Of Ms. Somerville, I've never had any doubts; she can only be crippled by average compositions. But even then she's like Meryl Streep, she can make the worst scenario better.

There is little doubt the songs were written with Kiske and Somerville in mind. To that end, writing came from some rather fine talent: Mat Sinner, Magnus Karlsson, Sander Gommans, Jimmy Kresic and Martin Schmidt. Those first two names basically guarantee that the tunes will be sophisticated, melodic, and quite appealing. To point, though some are stronger than others, there is not a bad song on this album. Of more importance, with possible exception of the heavier Nothing Left to Say, the songs support and emphasize Kiske and Somerville. To that end, choosing the best, or my favorite songs, is quite the challenge; however, I'll pick these: If I Had a Wish, Silence, A Thousand Suns, Arise (nice metal edge), and Devil in Her Heart. Finally, the only unresolved question is, What's up with Kiske and that knit cap?

The Michael Kiske and Amanda Somerville collaboration had all the promise of a massively impressive and entertaining project. Those promises have been fulfilled. Strongly recommended.

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