Amanda Somerville has been diagnosed with a malignant and aggressive brain tumour. Her husband, Sander Gommans, who founded After Forever and wrote most of its music, made it public today.
“The love of my life, mother of my three daughters and my beautiful wife Amanda Somerville, has a malignant and aggressive brain tumor,” he wrote. “We're shocked, devastated and I can't describe the challenges we're facing as a family right now.” He thanked the family and friends helping them, and asked for the one thing that can be given from a distance: “Amanda gives so much to all of us, love, music, friendship, strength. It's time to send out hope and power to her.”
Somerville grew up in Michigan and moved to Germany to build the career that has since touched a large part of European metal, as a singer, as a writer and as the vocal coach behind a great many voices that never carry her name. Her own band, Trillium, made Alloy in 2011 and Tectonic in 2018.