A semiconductor package including a top-surface metal layer for implementing circuit features provides improvements in top-surface interconnect density, more flexible routing and mounting of top surface semiconductor packages, dies and passive components or a conformal shield cap implementation. The metal layer interconnected with an internal substrate of the semiconductor package by blind vias laser-ablated through the encapsulation and filled with metal. The vias extend from the top surface to an internal package substrate or through the encapsulation to form bottom-side terminals. The metal layer may be formed by circuit patterns and/or terminals embedded within the encapsulation conformal to the top surface by laser-ablating channels in the top surface of the encapsulation and filling the channels with metal. A conformal coating may be applied to the top surface of the semiconductor package over the metal layer to prevent solder bridging to circuit patterns of the metal layer.