Veteran rock singer Amanda Somerville, known for her work with some of Europe’s biggest symphonic metal acts, has been diagnosed with what her husband described as a “malignant and aggressive brain tumor.”
Sander Gommans, Somerville’s husband and a founding member of the metal band After Forever, revealed the devastating diagnosis in a public social-media statement on September 19.
“The love of my life, mother of my three daughters and my beautiful wife Amanda Somerville, has a malignant and aggressive brain tumor,” Gommans wrote.
He said the family was “shocked” and “devastated” as they began dealing with the diagnosis and thanked relatives and friends who had already stepped in to help.
Gommans also asked fans to keep Somerville and their children in their thoughts.
Readers can see Gommans’ original announcement here: Sander Gommans’ Facebook post
The family has not publicly disclosed the specific type of tumor, where it is located, what treatment Somerville may undergo or what doctors have told them about her prognosis. Multiple music publications have independently reported the announcement.
Metal Community Rallies Around Somerville
News of the diagnosis quickly spread through the international rock and metal community, where Somerville has built a career spanning nearly three decades.
Avantasia founder Tobias Sammet was among the musicians publicly offering support, saying the news was devastating and sending strength to Somerville, Gommans and their children.
Fans also flooded Gommans’ announcement with messages of encouragement and prayers.
Somerville, 47, has never been easily tied to just one band.
The Michigan-born singer and songwriter has recorded, toured or collaborated with Epica, Kamelot, After Forever, Avantasia, Edguy and Ayreon, among numerous other artists and projects. She has also released her own music and fronted the hard-rock project Trillium.
She later teamed with former Helloween singer Michael Kiske for the Kiske/Somerville project.
Somerville Played a Major Role With Epica
Her connection with Epica went considerably deeper than simply appearing as a guest singer.
In a 2008 post on its official website, Epica described Somerville as a longtime friend and colleague who had worked with the group as a vocalist, vocal coach and co-writer.
The band said she had contributed to every Epica album released up to that point and had temporarily filled in for lead singer Simone Simons during a North American tour earlier that year.
Somerville also contributed vocals to several After Forever albums and performed on Kamelot recordings, while her work with Avantasia included both studio recordings and live appearances.
Another major early project was the 2003 metal opera “Aina: Days of Rising Doom,” for which Somerville contributed extensively as a singer and creative force.
Her unusually broad résumé helped make her a familiar voice even to metal fans who may not immediately recognize her name.
What the Diagnosis Means
The family’s description of the tumor as malignant indicates it is cancerous, but that alone does not identify what type of brain cancer Somerville has.
According to the National Cancer Institute, many different tumors can develop in the brain and central nervous system, and treatment depends heavily on factors including the tumor type, grade, location, molecular characteristics and whether it can safely be removed.
Doctors commonly use imaging and, when possible, examination of tumor tissue to establish a more precise diagnosis. Treatment can involve surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapies or combinations of those approaches depending on the individual tumor.
For that reason, it would be premature to draw conclusions about Somerville’s treatment or outlook based solely on the family’s initial announcement.
For now, Gommans has made clear that the family is focused on supporting Somerville.
“Amanda gives so much to all of us,” he wrote, mentioning her love, music, friendship and strength before asking supporters to send hope and encouragement back to her.
No further medical update had been publicly announced as of September 22.