Beginning with her first release, Burning The Witches in 1984 with former band Warlock, to the present day, Doro Pesch has been a staple in Metal for over twenty years. In 1989, with four albums under her belt, she disbanded Warlock and became known simply as Doro, and she has reigned supreme as the Queen of Metaldom ever since. In her years as a recording artist, she has explored the boundaries of music, yet has always stayed true to her Metal-roots.
With her latest effort, Warrior Soul, Doro has released as solid of an album as ever. There is a real maturity to her songwriting on this album that stands out upon first listen. With so many of today’s artists playing faster and sounding heavier with drop-tunings and thundering drum trigger effects, this album is very refreshing with its detail to structure and refrain from gimmicks. The pacing is very crucial to this disc; it doesn’t just come out and clobber you over the head with break-neck beats, but rather it hangs back and lets the songs develop and find their own voice.
This is the type of disc you want when you are by yourself on a long drive, when you can get away with your thoughts; a soundtrack to your endeavor. That isn’t to say the songs don’t rock, they do; “Strangers Yesterday” is an anthem kind of song that makes you want to unfurl your banners and storm the citadels of tyranny, and “Haunted Heart” will get your fist pumping to its double-bass poundings. “Ungebrochen” (Unbroken) sounds almost Ramones-inspired; very raw and in your face. Of course, the standard slower ballad tracks are here and done superbly, from the brooding title track to “In Liebe und Freundschaft” (In Love and Friendship), which sounds reminiscent to Warlock’s “Für Immer.”
With twelve new tracks, none of which will feel the wrath of your fast forward finger, Warrior Soul is a testament to the longevity of Doro’s career. The songs are all quality tracks, with an overall assembly that is so often missed by novice artists. Her backing band, consisting of guitarist Joe Taylor, bassist Nick Douglas, keyboardist Oliver Palotai, and drummer Johnny Dee, sound tight and well-polished without sounding over-produced. In light of her first film roll in Luke Gasser’s Anuk – The Warriors Way, and now with her best album since Warlock’s True As Steel, Doro is bound to have extended her career even further into the future.
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