Doro
Raise Your Fist

The Queen raises her fist in the air for heavy metal, and for her fans which she adores and always seems to speak about. The forever young Dorothee from Düsseldorf will celebrate 30 years as a musician next year and for that you might call this a sort of anniversary album, but there is another reason for that as well. The fifth of september 1987 (just over 25 years ago) Warlock released theirs and also Doro’s biggest hit album to date, Triumph and Agony and that is actually one album she herself compares this album with, at least she did when I spoke to her some month ago. And if the album cover is any indication we are in for a real treat, you can buy this one on vinyl which is the version I would buy just to look at this magnificent album cover a bit larger.

30 Years is quite an achievement but what is probably more impressive (at least to me) is how she remains so vital and enthusiastic, I don’t think I have ever spoken to anyone so enthusiastic about her music, but even more so about her fans. She says she is married to metal and I suppose her children are her albums and maybe the favourite child is Triumph and Agony from 1987 which has a lot more in common with this one than the artist for the cover artwork.

Both albums start with a massive metal hymn that seems written exclusively for the massive arena stage and to arouse the audience, but there is a similar dynamic as well with songs ranging from flat out rockers to massive hymns and quiet ballads. The production is of course modern and very clean and makes good justice to Doro’s very characteristic voice as well as keeps a unified dynamic soundscape over the thirteen tracks that make up this album. Sure it can be said not to be the most groundbreaking of albums but heavy metal has never really been up to that, has it? and Doro offers songs that may be recognisable as hers while still making it slightly different to what she has done earlier. That is as far as I can tell though, I should point out that I have not heard everything by Doro so I might be missing something. I would however say that this album is the heaviest and grandest one I have heard by Doro.

Do you have enough strength to keep your fist in the air for 52 minutes? It sure is an album that lends itself to some serious cliché behaviour considering the greatness and catchy character of most of the songs. It is an energetic album and if you consider Doro’s age it is even more impressive, although she probably is still around 20 at heart, she appears that way when speaking to her and this music does sound more vital than most done by people with her experience. There are some minor flaws on this album besides the fact that some may find it a bit similar to what has come before and that is a valid point, there are also some parts that aren’t really contributing to the overall quality of the album and could have been skipped to allow for a shorter album. One of those is a part of the otherwise great tribute song to Ronnie James Dio called Hero, there is a bit of a disco feel to that part which is not great in my ears. The eleventh song Free My Heart is a bit bland as well and could have been passed over without damaging the album.

In my limited experience this is the best album by Doro so far, it shares some features with Triumph and Agony which is a brilliant album. Both albums starts with an amazing hit song that is an instant hit you cannot really forget even after hearing it once and then the dynamics are similar so it might be fitting that this album that surpasses that great album comes 25 years later and is the starting point of her anniversary tour as well. But other than the title track we have some brilliant music in the ballad duet with Lemmy called It Still Hurts, Grab the Bull By the Horns where Gus G. is guesting is another good one as well as the really catchy and heavy Revenge along with Hero that despite its dull part is a great song and tribute to the late great Ronnie James Dio.

So, raise a fist and put on the album starting with a song with that exhortation, I think that will be cause enough for some serious hair rearrangements. I can only end by saying that Doro is still young, great and relevant, don’t miss this one.