Kev Rowland I can remember when I first came across Warlock in the Eighties, and like many others I was captivated by the golden-haired front woman Doro Pesch. Since then I have heard a few of her albums and have always enjoyed them so when I was given access to her new work I was really looking forward to it. I started playing the album but was soon searching for information as I felt that I had heard much of it before so managed to convince myself that this was a compilation, but no it is a ‘new’ release – it’s just that many of the songs seems as if she is going back over old ground. There isn’t a really bad song here, just that a lot of them just appear simply to be quite average which make the gems stand out even more.

“It Still Hurts” is a gentle ballad, where she duets with Lemmy and this is easily the best song on the album. We are all so used to hearing Lemmy blast through the rock ‘n’ roll that it is easy to miss that he has an incredibly emotive voice, a more delicate fractured version of Tom Waits. Lemmy is singing at the top of his range, and Doro reacts so that there is more passion in this four minutes than the rest of the album put together. For me it is one of the best songs I have ever heard and even if the rest of the album was rubbish I would be recommending it on the basis of this song alone. But wait, there’s more. “Grab The Bull (Last Man Standing)” is a rock anthem that is going to get the crowds going, and it is definitely lifted out of the ordinary by some sterling work by guest Gus G.

So is this an essential purchase? No, but if you enjoy Doro then this is something that you can happily get as it doesn’t stray too far from where she has been before. www.nuclearblast.de

1967/ 1976 "True As Heart" is Doro's third solo album. In my opinion this album is only a normal album by a perfect Metal singer! In my opinion is in songs as "You Gonna Break My Heart" that Doro finds its natural habitat. Due to its style Doro is Metal Soul singer and the style of "You Gonna Break My Heart", reflective, with tons of emotional passages and tons of Power is perfect as in a ballad as "Even Angels Cry". This Power ballad, similar to a Journey ballad is another perfect habitat for Doro's voice. So I love these two songs!!!Vice versa "The Fortuneteller" is not a song that please me too much: Doro recite in a mid tempo which sounds like a metal version of Tangerine Dream (and the refrain not save this song, in my perception). But the real problem of this album (and of Doro, in general) is that Doro push the button of Soul Metal syle in vocal part, so that with a music that have echoes of Hard Rock, Dio, Purple and Motorhead and the final result is not perfect: No Niagara Falls born in the Netherlands!!! In my mind the problem is also the production and mixing: too close to Hard Rock and/ or AOR: Toto, Journey or Hall & Oates are other type of artist. Ok, this production is perfect with "Fall In Love Again", a tearjerker ballad, where Doro is superlative, becoming the Maria Callas of Heavy Metal (and at the same time a sort of Lemmy in a skirt). "Heartshaped Tattoo" sound in my mind as a perfect song for a concert in a biker meeting, not only for Hard Rock flavor or for chorus airplay but also because Doro raising the tone of his voice comes to be a female version of Chris Boltendahl (grave Digger, one of my favorite singers...)!!! In this album, with this type of production and style songs I prefer Doro when she sings for feeling and emotions and thus with clean voice (in the tons of ballads in this album presents, therefore). In a great substance I prefer the version of Doro that is photographed in page 9 of booklet that the Doro's version with serpent if back cover of "Calling The Wild" album!!! Is it normal if I love all Doro's version, after all? (and in fact in a song that "I'll Make It On My Own" that is a ballad, yes, AOR, yes but full Heavy Metal power ballad I love Doro, also if not use a clean voice!!!). "Gettin' Nowhere Without You" is a strange song for me: Pat Benatar is here. But this is Doro, a totally different singer, also if when the songs arrive in R&B field (but this song is 100% Heavy Metal, also if with slow R&B structure and alto sax solo). I adore also this version of Doro's music, because another natural habitat for this incredible and perfect singer. Singer who can afford to play with its femininity in "I Know You By Heart", a sort of Metal New Age ballad with Barry White afflatus!!!

Due to production and mixing, other to Hard Rock flavor of the more aggressive songs this album is great only in the ballads (that in a great substance are all power ballads). Sure Doro confirm its status of great and perfect singer. But for a real vision I think that Doro wasted an opportunity to go down in history. But the photo on page 12 of booklet... I can not criticize an album as to give a bad grade. I can not be objective as I should. Why then, with humility, a woman like Doro I would like as a companion for life!!!

1967/ 1976 BECAUSE DORO ISN'T MY MOTHER?!? (Because Axel Rudi Pell isn't my father!!!)

"Force Majeure" (1989) is the first solo album by Doro and the last album of Warlock (see sticker). Interesting is the fact that this album start with a unique Heavy Metal version of first full Progressive Rock song "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" (Procol Harum) that also in this version remain one of my three all time Rock song!!! With a great work in production, engineering and mixing of Joey Balin and Jeff Hendrickson that have sought more power than clean sound the songs buy unparelleded power. If you see this album as Proto Power Metal album (as it is) you see the truth essence of "Force Majeur". In this sentence is including the magic of "Wild Gone Wild" a powerful Metal Boogie extreme close to Power Metal (Because it's Power Metal, of course). Doro is at the maximum expression of power and feeling so that also a song as "Mission Of Mercy" becomes a wrenching song. In this fact songwriter helped this perception, because also songwriter is in the sign of power and feeling. The songs aren't so technical and this is another point of force for Doro, Bobby, Jon and Tommy. Interesting are the guitar soli, derived from Blues as some songs (more fror arrangements, that for other). In this sense "Angel With Dirty Faces" is a clear example of a song close to Whitesnake but with Teutonic power and mentality. This song confirm in my mind the fact that Doro have a Bluesy timbral voice (in addition to the style close to that of Janis Joplin but if Janis Joplin woul be a Heavy Metal singer). I love "Beyond The threes", a great and reflective power ballad, close to a Heavy Metal version of Carole King!!! After an AC/ DC song as "Hard Time" is the time of "Hellraiser" that is a song written for a great airplay in concerts and nothing more. One of the best song of "Force Majeur" is "I Am What I Am", a melodic Speed Metal song, great for feeling and writing. Doro is superlative and the rest of the band plays with fire. in a sentence: "I Am What I Am" is a song from Hell (and a perfect song for an Indy 500 or Daytona 500 camera car video!!!). "Cry Wolf" is strange song: should be a song that should trigger emotions, but instead, is a strange mix of Soul, Hard Rock and Power Metal, interesting but that leaves me indifferent if not for the great bluesy guitar solo and for the more pissed vocal part before and after guitar solo (refrain). Perfect is Doro in "Under The Gun", another Speed Power Metal. This song is powerful as a volcano eruption and its devastation!!! "River Of Tears" is a ballad and one of those songs to go with lighters in concert. Certainly the fact that at this point my emotions exit from my body. Probably crying is the least we can do. Maybe I find myself listening to "Bis aufs Blut" with a gun between my legs...

...But, after all, it is also true that "Force Majeure" is a Hell of an album. Probably not a perfect album but, in my opinion, a true and sincere little masterpiece of Heavy Metal. Not be underestimated.