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DORO
Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud
Nuclear Blast Records - 2023
http://www.doromusic.com/

Having long been a fan of DORO PESCH, I was definitely looking forward to checking out the Conqueress - Forever Strong and Proud CD from the time it was announced. The funny thing though was that it was sort of a return to the fold for me.

I have no idea how, but I missed out on the Forever Warriors, Forever United album(s) cycle and the Magic Diamonds compilation release. There's no reasonable explanation for why this happened but it did.

So as I started listening to the new album, I was very amped up. And right from the start, that sense of eager anticipation was amply rewarded. With new guitarist Bill Hudson (ex-U.D.O.) and new bassist Stefan Herkenoff in tow, the band kicks things off with a suprisingly cinematic intro on the song "Children of The Dawn". That sense of the theatrical lends a heavier feel and tone to the song as a whole and is pretty effective way to jump start the album.

And while that song isn't quite so lightning fast in terms of tempo, for those looking for an immediate burst of adrenaline, just wait until you check out the second song on the album. "Fire In The Sky" explodes from your speakers with a spitfire delivery full of some incredible fast moving metallic pyrotechnics and a rapid fire vocal performance from DORO herself. I loved the song and felt my blood pumping throughout the song.

DORO PESCH has always been known for providing solid cover song recordings and duets. She nails both of those aspects with the cover of the JUDAS PRIEST song "Living After Midnight" which is one of two songs to feature Priest's Rob Halford joining in vocally. DORO's version differs enough in sound and feel so as not to be a straight up cover with nothing new to offer. I ended up liking this cover more than I thought I would at the start. And it is interesting to hear Halford playing a supporting role per se on a song that he helped popularize in the first place. Of course, given how much I love her cover of the JUDAS PRIEST track "Breaking The Law", I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised to enjoy this one too.

"All For You" starts off with an intro that makes it sound like you are about to hear a ballad track, but as the slower delivery progresses you hear more of the instrumentation come into play and then like a rocket, the score blows up into this full on rocker. It's on now because as DORO is singing about how she "tears down walls", this song is hitting you with a relentless wave of energy. Much like "Fire in the Sky", it is a rocker that gets your fists in the air and your heart beating faster and faster.

The song "Lean Mean Rock Machine" might be somewhat of a cliche (from the 1980's) song title but that doesn't mean the song itself is. It has all the earmarks of a live set fist-pumping anthem. It's a straight forward no-BS type of rocker that will always be a welcome addition to the DORO catalog for me.

I have to say that I really loved the musical score that powers the song "I Will Prevail". As you might expect from the song title, the song comes off as an anthemic exhortation from DORO. The song lyrics are positive in nature. The thing that really got me is the tone of the music was pretty heavy. DORO's vocals have a bit more of an edgy growl to them than you usually expect to hear. And I have to say that I really liked it. It gives a bit more of a mix to what Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud has to offer.

The other big guest appearance on the album is from Sammy Amara from the BROILERS. He teams up with DORO on the song "Bond Unending". I'm not familiar with him but I have to say I like the way their vocals worked together on this track.

In the liner notes booklet accompanying the CD, the photos alongside the lyrics for the "Time For Justice" song made me look up the video for the song on YouTube. And sure enough, the design of the film looks like something out of a Mad Max movie, which doesn't really have much to do with what I thought of the song but it was an interesting visual choice. Still, the song comes with a set of pointed lyrics without completely hammering the point over your head as to draw you out of how much of a solid rocker the track turns out to be.

Another hallmark of DORO's albums is at least one song incorporating her native German language in the lyrics of a song. Sometimes mixed with English lyrics, sometimes with full German lyrics. But either way, the songs are invariably draw you in. Of course, if you are like me, you don't know what she's saying in German (unless you look it up online) but I loved the ballad "Fels In Der Brandung". Mainly a straight forward ballad until the end where the music briefly grows just a bit more in-your-face until the quickly arriving conclusion.

While not nearly a ballad, the song "Love Breaks Chains" is definitely much slower in tempo than songs like "All For You" or "Fire In The Sky". Yet, there's still a lively pace to the song. It rocks you but in a bit of a measured fashion. The song "Drive Me Wild" is also an upbeat rocker but not quite a total cut loose pacing. You get more of a cut loose feel on the track "Rise" though.

Mixing a ballad's delivery on the main lyrics with a more intense focus on the song's chorus, the song "Best In Me" seems to serve as an appreciative dedication from DORO to everyone and everything that has made her life what it is. Now, it's entirely possible I'm mis-reading the lyrics but that is the sense I got.

One of the, ahem, pet causes for DORO PESCH is her advocation for animal rights. She dedicates the song "Heavenly Creatures" to all the animals in the world. The track has a rocking beat and I can appreciate the notion of what she's saying here though I'm not going vegan any time soon.

The second cover song on the album is the closing track and this one was a bit more of a challenge. Once again dueting with Rob Halford, DORO covers the BONNIE TYLER classic hit "Total Eclipse of The Heart". Now, when I first heard the song it was via the video they made for it. And I thought it was "okay". Some other people I know that heard it weren't all that impressed by it. And I can kind of see their point. First, it isn't like you HAD to cover this song. The other thing is that the original version is so iconic that any cover version is going to pale in comparison. But what makes me still like this new version overall is the way they change things up enough so that while it may not ever "replace" the original edition, this is a solid track that stands on its own. I like the chance DORO took by covering the song and adding in Rob Halford gives it a nice twist as well.

In her more than four decades-long career, DORO PESCH has recorded some utterly fantastic music. I mean, I've heard pretty much everything she's recorded so I feel safe in saying that. So I'm not engaging in hyperbole when I say that Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud is a damn fine record with great songs and some killer music and the always enrapturing performance of the one true Metal Queen...DORO PESCH!

4.6 Out Of 5.0