Doro - Fear No Evil

August 6, 2009

Reviewer: Peter

Ever since she burst onto the metal scene with her band Warlock, Doro Pesch has been seen as a trailblazer for female vocalists everywhere.  Even if you don’t know anything about the music, the name and the face are hard to forget.  Now entering her 25^th year in the metal music scene, if you start from Warlock’s debut album release in 1984, Doro is still going strong.  A new album Fear No Evil and the same work ethic that has allowed her to remain in the business are proof enough that she still has the ability to put out a good album.

For those who are unfamiliar with Doro’s work, the music is what you would expect if you grew up in the 80’s and/or are into bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and some of the other bands that made their name during that time.  The intro to the opening track “The Night of the Warlock” features a rather cheesy voice that passes itself off as “The Warlock.”  Once the music starts, flashbacks of 80’s style metal immediately come to mind.  One of the highlights on the album is “Herzblut,” in which she sings in German.  While her English singing is good for what it is, it is a real treat to hear her sing in German.  From a vocal standpoint, one that has never heard Doro sing can argue that her vocals are less than spectacular.  However, the vocals are still better than a good number of today’s female fronted bands.  Nowhere is that more evident than “Walking with the Angels,” which also happens to fill the “ballad-per-album” quota that seems to be a rule on many heavy metal albums.  If you look at the song titles on the album, you will undoubtedly notice the theme of battles, which is what Doro has done for much of her career.  The closing track “25 Years” is a heartfelt tribute to her still strong career and is a thank you to the fans.  Even with that, she could still go on for another few years, given the results on Fear No Evil.

Obviously, there will be a difference in opinion between those who have followed Doro’s music career closely and those who are just now finding out about the music, so one shouldn’t base an entire body of work on one album, as Fear No Evil proves.  Yes, there are moments that will make you want to hit the skip button, but there are also times where you would want to replay, as well.  Even as she gets closer to 30 years of making music, Doro is proof that age is just a number and metal music will never die.

Release Date: January 23rd, 2009
Label: AFM Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  The Night of the Warlock
2.  Running from the Devil
3.  Celebrate
4.  Caught in a Battle
5.  Herzblut
6.  On the Run
7.  Walking with the Angels
8.  I Lay My Head upon My Sword
9.  It Kills Me
10.  Long Lost for Love
11.  25 Years

Total playing time: 47:44

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