Doro
Fight
SPV
There was a time when I considered Doro Pesch a Metal Goddess. When I was confronted with the pop-metal that was Vixen, I could retreat to the Doro-fronted Warlock. Sure she was beautiful, but more importantly, she could really belt out a song. When she released her debut solo album Force Majeure, I was captivated by her version of “Whiter Shade of Pale,” proving to me that she wasn’t just a metal screamer. It was with fond remembrance that I anxiously loaded up her new disc, Fight.
Doro has released another album that her loyal following will embrace. She’s gone back to basics with, according to the liner notes, the songs recorded “practically in a live atmosphere” and with very little polish (no loops, hardly any effects). The result is often a mixed bag. Several songs have that great raw feeling that so much over-produced music is missing these days. However, on many of the tracks, Doro’s vocals seem muted, sometimes overshadowed by the guitar or bass. Also, the drums often sound as if they off in the background somewhere, instead of in the same room with the rest of the band.
As for the songs themselves, there are some really interesting tracks. “Descent” features a vocal duet with Peter Steele (Type O Negative). Savatage guitarist Chris Caffery joins in on that track and the next, “Salvaje,” sung partially in Spanish. From the hard driving title track to the tempo switch-hitter “Wild Heart,” the band shows great range. However, the main problem I had with the songs were repetition. No, I didn’t feel like I was listening to the same song over and over again. Instead, in almost every song it seems like a single line (usually involving the title) was repeated ad nauseum. For instance, if I never hear “love is undying” again, it will be too soon (Track five – “Undying”).
I don’t know if I still consider Doro a Metal Goddess, but I do applaud this new album. If you are a fan of Doro, then you should probably pick this album up. If you like strong women singing good rock and roll, you should give Doro a chance. However, if you have the opportunity, pick up a copy of Force Majeure first. Fight has its strong points, but you should sample a few tracks before you buy it.
SPV Records: http://www.spvusa.com • Doro Pesch: http://www.doropesch.com
