What could be cooler than Allen/Lande?

[adaher]

How about Kiske/Somerville?

KISKE / SOMERVILLE




Former HELLOWEEN vocalist Michael Kiske is collaborating with American singer Amanda Somerville on a brand new ..melodic rock project.. for Frontiers Records. Mat Sinner (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER) and Magnus Karlsson (PLACE VENDOME, PRIMAL FEAR) are handling most of the songwriting for the CD, which is tentatively due in early 2010.

Commented Kiske: "This is another idea by Serafino (Frontiers Records President). I did a duet with a female singer on 'Breathing Water' by INDIGO DYING. It was so nice that he offered me a chance to make an album of all duet songs with a famous female singer."

Sinner added: "We're working hard on the songwriting for the first [Kiske/Somerville] album. It's a pleasure to write and produce Michael's next album, and with Amanda as the co-singer, it's something very special. I wrote songs with Magnus and Jimmy Kresic for the album, and we're really excited about the songs. Eight tracks are pre-produced now and we need another two songs before we will start the real recordings. AFTER FOREVER mainman Sander Gommans plans to join us and he's working on new songs with Amanda at the moment! Look out for a melodic metal masterpiece in early 2010!".

Somerville is the American singer-songwriter and vocal coach who was tapped to replace EPICA vocalist Simone Simons on the band's North American tour with SYMPHONY X due to Simons' health issues. Amanda was featured on KAMELOT's latest release, "Ghost Opera", and recently toured with AVANTASIA. She last year released her long-awaited solo Pop-Rock album, "Windows".

A Michigan.. native, Amanda has resided and worked mainly in Germany and the Netherlands since 1999. She has collaborated with several other bands in the metal scene along with producers Sascha Paeth and Miro, and co-wrote the rock opera "Aina".


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[Palabra de Dios]

I'm wary of this "melodic rock" release. I want something heavy, man.

 

[VenomGA]

but Kiske doesn't sing "heavy" anymore. LOL

 

[AngraRULES]

That's not cooler than Allen Lande. No freaking way.

 

[adaher]

If Mat Sinner and Magnus Karlsson are handling the songwriting, it will be heavy enough to please anyone who likes melodic metal.

 

[adaher]

That's not cooler than Allen Lande. No freaking way

I think it may end up being better. My one criticism of Allen/Lande is that there isn't enough distinction between the two singers. Which is why Jorn ends up sounding so much better. It's a "battle" between two similar singers in which one is clearly superior. Better to have two totally different singers.

 

[Wyvern]

Amanda has a nice voice but Kiske lost its track since KOTSK-2. And as matter of fact the second Allen/Lande album was weak. Magnus should be looking for some other direction musically speaking.

 

[Entrerie]

Brendon Small/Shagrath

/thread

Hypothetically speaking of course.

 

[Perditions Ghost]

AFTER FOREVER mainman Sander Gommans plans to join us and he's working on new songs with Amanda at the moment!

I think everyone missed this line. If it's got Sander, I have faith in it kicking all sorts of ass, melodic rock or not.

 

[dionysus11]

the biggest plus on this is of course Magnus Karlsson is writing some of the music just like allen/lande and we all know he writes some of the greatest music! but i would not say that michael kiske or amanda somerville is better singers or any better than R.Allen or J.Lande. It should be an amazing project i can't wait for it,Frontiers records always has the best albums and bands on the label, Outloud, Bob Catley,Primal Fear, Place Vendome the list is amazing even Saint Deamon, i can't wait for this album

 

[urinalcakemix]

Commented Kiske: "...It was so nice that he offered me a chance to make an album of all duet songs with a famous female singer, but they were out of the minimal budget that this project was allotted, so instead I ended up with Somerville."

Fixed.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

That's not cooler than Allen Lande. No freaking way

I think it may end up being better. My one criticism of Allen/Lande is that there isn't enough distinction between the two singers. Which is why Jorn ends up sounding so much better. It's a "battle" between two similar singers in which one is clearly superior. Better to have two totally different singers.

Are Russel and Jorn really that similar? I don't think I have trouble telling them apart. Maybe it's because I love SymX so much, I can tell Russel Allen from a mile away.

 

[Heavenly Call]

I think it may end up being better. My one criticism of Allen/Lande is that there isn't enough distinction between the two singers. Which is why Jorn ends up sounding so much better. It's a "battle" between two similar singers in which one is clearly superior. Better to have two totally different singers.

I don't know if it's "so much" better, but I do agree with the sentiment of your statement. I love...LOVE the Allen/Lande CDs, but they do sound very similar and there are several moments where I have to really strain my ear to try to pick out who is doing what. It's a little silly too because I think either person could sing either part so I never totally got why both of them were needed.

On topic, Frontiers has REALLY stepped up the game in the last 3-4 years in terms of the quality of their releases. I have many Frontiers releases from 99-2004 and the star power, production, and songwriting just isn't there. As a melodic metal fan, you just can't beat Frontiers. I know I'm always guaranteed AT LEAST 3-5 excellent songs per release and usually more so can't wait for this one!

 

[adaher]

Are Russel and Jorn really that similar? I don't think I have trouble telling them apart. Maybe it's because I love SymX so much, I can tell Russel Allen from a mile away.


I can tell them apart, it's just that they have similar singing styles(very influenced by Dio), so for me at least, I very much preferred the Jorn-sung parts. I love Russell Allen, he's an amazing vocalist, but Jorn is just better. And from reading reviews, I'm not alone in thinking "the battle" was unequal.

In duets where the singers are very different you don't compare them as much. I think Kiske/Lande or Khan/Lande or Allen/Breed would have made more sense.

It's a little silly too because I think either person could sing either part so I never totally got why both of them were needed.


Well, marketing probably had a lot to do with it. Magnus Karlsson wasn't as much of a commodity then, he was only known for Last Tribe. When I heard about the Allen/Lande album I had no idea Magnus Karlsson was doing it. Hearing that there would be a Russel Allen or another Jorn Lande solo album wouldn't really have created the same buzz.

Plus, with Allen doing Atomic Soul at the time and Jorn of course doing what he does in his solo career, I'm not sure either alone would have worked with Karlsson. Knowing that it would be a duet album is probably what sold them on the project.

I'd be interested in knowing if Karlsson had always wanted to work with these two particular singers, or if he had other guys in mind.

 

[Heavenly Call]

Well, marketing probably had a lot to do with it. Magnus Karlsson wasn't as much of a commodity then...

Ah, great point. Hadn't looked at it like that.

 

[Sumeet]

Mat Sinner and Magnus Karlsson are handling most of the songwriting for the CD

Yeah, yeah... Kiske and Somerville are good vocalists and all, but this is the real selling point for me.

 

[adaher]

You know, Kiske's got enough good material now outside of Helloween that headlining at Progpower and doing a Jorn-type thing would be pretty cool. When was the last time Kiske did a live performance?