Doro
True at Heart

THE REVIEW

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This was, in short, my reaction when I saw that the site didn't have a review, a mention, of Doro Pesch. Known to most for being part of the heavy metal band Warlock, the figure of the German singer has always been recognized as one of the most acclaimed and recognized female voices in the metal genre, a genre where, needless to say, the male figure has always dominated. She started her career with Warlock, as we mentioned, and over the course of four years, the band released four albums, among which the beautiful debut "Burning The Witches" and their best work "Triumph And Agony" stand out. It should be noted, however, that unlike many German bands active at the time, Warlock never veered into the speed or power genre. Rather, they characterized themselves with a sound that was very close to typical American-style melodies, which might be one of the reasons why the band never became very well known in Germany.

"Triumph And Agony," released in 1987, marked the definitive breakup of the group, which had been in the air since the release of the previous album "True As Steel," a breakup also prompted by Vertigo Records' interest in Doro and the total disinterest in the other members. This would lead Doro towards what would become a prolific solo career, starting two years later in 1989 with the release of "Force Majure" first, and the self-titled "Doro" in 1990.

In 1991, "True At Heart" was released, which, just from the title, expresses strong references to her past with her previous band. The album opens with some truly excellent tracks, such as "Even Angels Cry" and the beautiful "The Fortuneteller," where Doro alternates between narrated parts and singing to tell the story of a man searching for his love through palm reading by a gypsy. Perhaps there are too many slow songs where Doro captivates the listener with her voice, which end up being somewhat boring, such as "Gettin' Nowhere Without You" and "You Gonna Break My Heart." On the other hand, the more aggressive songs, where the German singer manages to give her best, succeed perfectly, especially in "Live It," "Heartshaped Tattoo," and the surprising opener "Cool Love." A ballad worthy of the name, in the sense that it doesn't become boring, can be found at the end of the album with "I Know You By Heart," where Doro sings in particularly low tones, accompanied by a light drum and guitar chords that manage to give the song a sensual and mysterious atmosphere.

Doro's career is vast and entirely full of very successful episodes, in my opinion, but this "True At Heart" manages to strike the listener sharply, thanks to Doro's warm voice and a production that is practically perfect. It certainly won't be one of those albums considered pillars of the genre, it may appear static in some parts, but darn, no one is perfect, right? Perhaps too little known, Doro deserves to be listened to, even if only for a short time, just to try to understand the magic that resides in her voice, which captivates the listener and eventually manages to conquer.