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Many metal fans were waiting for a full comeback of Michael Kiske, but he took a long break from the metal scene and just returned last year with Place Vendome. Now he teamed up with American singer Amanda Somerville for an album full of duets. The songs are mainly written by Mat Sinner and Magnus Karlsson, some by Mat Sinner and Jimmy Kresic plus some written by Sander Gommans and Amanda Somerville. So the songs sound homogenous. The song writers also played on the album and the cast was completed with drummers Martin Schmidt and Rami Ali.
They kick off with a heave melodic rock track called Nothing Left To Say which offers heavy riffs and catchy hook. The symphonic Silence was the appetizer for the album and one of two songs the duo did a video clip for. The other song, a heavy rocker, is If I Had A Wish and follows. The opening riff of Arise shows reminiscences to Metallica, but then a break and they slow down, get more melodic then heavy - but get back to the riff-based part later. At the end of the day it's the voices of Michael Kiske and Amanda Somerville which ennoble the songs, no matter if it's a rocker or a ballad. Amanda Somerville replaced Simone Simons on Epica's North American tour when Simone had to take a break while fighting MRSA. Others will know her voice from Kamelot's Ghost Opera or from the Avantasia shows. Btw, the bonus track Set A Fire has a Kamelot-ish sound, but due to Amanda's vocals also remind me a bit of Within Temptation...
Songs like End Of The Road, One Night Burning and A Thousand Suns show the range of Kiske / Somerville. Some might dislike the fact that all songs are duets, but in this case it works. Both singers have enough space to shine and it shows that they are both brilliant singers.
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