History
Sinergy
Sinergy was a Finnish power metal band active from 1997 to 2005. The group was founded by vocalist Kimberly Goss and guitarist Jesper Strömblad, with the initial concept of creating a female-fronted metal band.
Formation and Debut
The idea for Sinergy first emerged when Goss, then a keyboardist for Dimmu Borgir, met Strömblad, guitarist for In Flames, during a world tour. They discussed forming a female-fronted metal project, but scheduling conflicts prevented immediate action. After leaving Dimmu Borgir and relocating to Sweden, Goss decided to bring the project to fruition. The initial lineup featured Goss, Strömblad, bassist Sharlee D’Angelo (Arch Enemy, Mercyful Fate), drummer Ronny Milianowicz, and guitarist Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom).
Sinergy's debut album, Beware the Heavens, was recorded in 1999. The album aimed to revive the essence of early female-fronted metal bands, moving away from the operatic styles that had become prevalent in the 1990s and returning to a sound reminiscent of artists like Doro Pesch. The album achieved moderate success in Europe, but the band faced significant challenges due to the members' commitments to their primary bands. Further complicating matters, Goss moved to Finland at the end of 1999, making regular rehearsals difficult for a lineup primarily based in Sweden.
New Lineup and International Recognition
Despite the dissolution of the original lineup, Goss and Laiho were determined to continue Sinergy. They reformed the band with an all-Finnish roster. Roope Latvala (Stone) joined as rhythm guitarist, Marco Hietala (Tarot) took over bass duties, and Tonmi Lillman became the new drummer. This revised lineup recorded the album To Hell and Back and subsequently embarked on a tour with Nightwish. During this period, Sinergy began to gain international recognition. Their tour with Nightwish is notably documented on Nightwish's DVD release, From Wishes To Eternity, which includes a memorable segment where support musicians playfully impersonated Nightwish. Ironically, Hietala filled in as Nightwish's bassist Sami, a role he would later officially assume.
Suicide By My Side and Evolving Sound
Sinergy's identity solidified with the recording of their third album, Suicide By My Side. For this release, Goss adopted a more aggressive vocal style, moving away from her previous, more melodic approach. The album featured notable guitar solos from Laiho and Latvala, including the solo on the track "I Spit On Your Grave."
Later Years and Disbandment Rumors
Following the recording of Suicide By My Side, Lillman departed and was replaced by Janne Parviainen (Ensiferum, Barathrum). Marco Hietala also left, reportedly due to his increasing commitments with Nightwish, and was briefly succeeded by Melanie Sisneros (The Iron Maidens). Lauri Porra (Stratovarius) eventually took over as the bassist.
The band was reportedly working on a fourth album, Sins of the Past, which was originally slated for a 2005 release. However, the album never materialized. By late 2010, with no new information from the band, rumors circulated that Sinergy had disbanded, leaving their future uncertain.
