When popular German combo Warlock went tits up in the late 80s, lead chanteuse Doro Pesch promptly went solo, maintaining her former band’s style and sound, even when it later drifted out of fashion.
Barring a couple of failed commercial makeovers, it’s mostly been business as usual ever since, even into the brave new world of the 21st century where, as luck would have it, Doro’s brand of anthemic trad metal is well and truly back on the menu. Enjoy a light aperitif as you peruse a smorgasbord of succulent clichés, each lovingly prepared and seductively presented.
If you can get past the sometimes mushy mix and what appear to be programmed drums, Raise Your Fist is a Doro album up there with the best and streets ahead of the worst. There are a few too many songs – hardly a hanging offence these days – and guest vocalist Lemmy should probably have been assigned something other than sentimental ballad It Still Hurts, but when the chips are down, Doro’s sheer charisma shines through.
