Description
Black vinyl with gatefold cover
Its amazing to think that it really is three decades ago that the Teutonic voice burst onto the scene fronting the band Warlock. Although there had been many women involved in rock music before, Doro was one of the first to break into the male dominated world of heavy metal. She deliberately underplayed her gender, preferring to let her ability as a vocalist and song writer do the talking. Her output in all those years has been quite amazing with four studio albums released with Warlock and a further twelve under the Doro banner. In 1986, she became the first of only two women to play at the original Monsters Of Rock festival at Donington Park (the other was Sean Yseult of White Zombie). This mini album of mainly covers forms an interesting insight into the music that has shaped and influenced this most candid of performers. Its a rare chance to take a glimpse into the mind and soul of one of heavy metals true icons. If Doro is the queen of metal then youd not bet against Ronnie James Dio being the king. He may sadly no longer be with us but his music lives on and its no surprise that we find one of his songs on this record. The choice though is interesting. Egypt from the 1984 album The Last In Line, although far from obscure, will still raise eyebrows. To cover such an early song suggests the diminutive former Black Sabbath and Rainbow vocalist as a major influence in how Doro shaped her career. The fact that she played a part in the live line up of Dios Disciples in 2011 backs this up further. Her rendition of this soft rocker is both immediately recognisable and at the same time very much her own sympathetically rendered take on a minor classic. In short, you can feel its personal. Playing homage to another female who in many ways fought tooth and nail to rise to the top sees a rather subdued cover of Tina Turners Nutbush City Limits. Held in check by an apparent unwillingness to try to compete with some of the most powerful lungs to ever breathe into a mic, this time pure interpretational excellence sees it win out in the face of overwhelming odds. It may not be in the same class as the original but its still very good and you have to admire anyone even attempting this particular song. Its almost possible to imagine a young Doro singing this into a hairbrush in front of the mirror never dreaming shed end up a world renowned star in her own right. Proving theres still plenty of gas in the tank, we get a couple of originals too, including the jump around rocker Warfare which manages to just about hold its own when put up against such a huge array of rock history. Theres a great little duet with none other than Lemmy on It Still Hurts, which sees the Motorhead man turning on the charm with an accomplished performance. Of course, covers always have that ability to both elate and deflate at the same time depending on how well you know the original and whether the new version floats your boat in the same way. Metallicas Nothing Else Matters is a prime example of a great song torpedoed by woolly production and an over keenness to force something that needs a gentle touch. This is balanced out by that stupendous Dio cover though, which could have been written with this girl in mind. For me, the key to this release is the fact that these songs are clearly deeply ingrained into the very heart of Doro Pesch. This is as close as an opening up of that privacy she holds so dear but done in a medium shes happiest with. Her Music.
Track listing:
1. It Still Hurts-Jacob Hansen mix
2. Leve Ton Poing Vers Le Ciel-Raise Your Fist French version
3. Babe Im Gonna Leave You-Led Zeppelin cover
4. Nutbush City Limits-Tina Turner cover
5. Only You-Kiss cover
6. Egypt (The Chains Are On)-Dio cover
7. Nothing Else Matters-Metallica cover
8. Warfare-from the Anuk III soundtrack
9. Nyc Blues-demo