Here’s the catch: Amanda’s music is not metal, by any means. Sure, "Windows" is produced by Sascha Paeth (Kamelot, Epica, Edguy) and features musicians who have quite the headbanging music background. Amanda Somerville, however, is a pop diva through and through – but that doesn’t mean her music isn’t any good. In fact, "Windows" is one of the most unique mainstream albums out there right now. During this 11-song set, Amanda weaves together pop, rock, and R&B with traces of world music, electronica, and metal. Experimental touches add layers and unpredictability to the overall sound. Amanda’s songwriting style is also interesting, effectively mixing a wide variety of musical influences with an equally broad array of lyrical styles and themes.

"Carnival" is a great example of Amanda’s creativity. Accordions creep in under Amanda’s sultry voice, and right away you’ll imagine yourself riding a merry-go-round or ferris wheel. The lyrics play on the song’s title and other deeper ideas: "It seems so unfair / They bite and they scratch when they're not even there / The giddyup days / Go down with the sun as the calliope plays." "My Song for You" is also authentic, mixing low foreboding keys with voguing 80s programming and crisp guitar riffs. Throw Madonna’s early material into a blender with Lacuna Coil’s "Shallow Life" and the Twilight Zone theme, and this rich tune is what you get.

The majority of "Windows" leans to the pop/rock side. There are crunchy tracks like the sassy "Inner Whore," which relies on heavy guitars and catchy lyrics; and more subdued songs like the bittersweet "Moth." Then there is "Mayday," a middle-of-the-road rocker with a sense of urgency. Maybe it’s the quick drumming or the S.O.S. signal in the background that makes it so. Or, maybe it’s Amanda’s pressing and image-filled lyrics: "Here comes a tidal wave to drown me in my sin / (No signal on the radio) / I'm overboard, my future's looking grim / And I'm yelling in the microphone/ Mayday, mayday, this ship is gonna sink."

Amanda does a good job with ballads, too. She gets her groove on with the slick "Get Me" and glides into wedding song territory with the lightly percussive "All That I Am." However, the most impressive ballad on "Windows" is the title track. It begins as a simple piano/keyboard track, but soon enough it’s gilded by Amanda’s vulnerable lyrics and aching vocals that crawl under your skin and linger long after the song finishes. Just as eyes can be windows to the soul, this song is truly a window into Amanda’s soul.

"Windows" is a solid album, but it loses momentum towards the end. Most of the uptempo or stronger numbers come early on, leaving the album’s two weak tracks (the clunky Euro-popper "Out" and the tinny "Clean") as well as most of the ballads for the second half. In some ways this works, especially with the title track to close it out and tear at your heartstrings. Yet, the last several minutes of "Windows" drag on a bit, potentially boring the listener. Maybe it’s just me being picky, but it would be a shame for someone to pick up "Windows" and never finish it because they lose interest before the end.

In all honesty, though, Amanda does more right than wrong on "Windows." She allows herself to shine on this album as a songwriter, a visionary, and a vocalist her wealth of talent. More importantly, she stands out from other mainstream artists by genre-hopping effortlessly from song to song and tying up the loose ends so neatly that not a single note sounds out of place. With "Windows," Amanda has created a first-rate combination of style and substance with little repetition of any kind. It’s a great addition to the lighter side of female-fronted rock and metal – and a colorful, uninhibited glimpse into the mind of a gifted artist.

Bonus: The physical copy of the 2009 reissue of "Windows" includes a bonus track, the jazz-lounge throwback "Sometimes."