Who hasn't heard of the queen of metal, Doro Pesch? When she joined the German, Düsseldorf-based heavy metal band Warlock in 1983, metal fans all over the world were in awe. Beauty combined with such a powerful voice was unparalleled at that time. As such, Warlock became an icon in heavy metal. In the meantime, Doro recently celebrated her 25th anniversary in metal and has released plenty of solo albums to date. Metalrage.com had the honors of reviewing her latest opus, entitled Fear No Evil.

Although Doro’s popularity primarily comes from her live performances, Fear No Evil contains some memorable songs that should be noted. The first track to really kick up the jam is ‘Night Of The Warlock’, which is a classic heavy metal song with a catchy chorus. The speedy and somewhat aggressive ‘Caught In A Battle’ is in sheer contrast with ballads like ‘Herzblut’ or 'Lay My Head Upon My Sword'. With that, it befalls me that there are not that many powered-up songs on the album. Could Doro be feeling that 25th anniversary hangover, still?

Anyway, even though the album is fairly tranquil, it’s still without a doubt undeniably filled with classic riffs and that ‘old school’ feel. Doro’s voice still sounds powerful and capable of putting up a good performance. It especially stands out in the duet with ex-Nightwish singer Tarja Tuurunen, ‘Walking With The Angels’.

Fear No Evil isn’t radically different from previous Doro releases. Songs that stand out are the ballads and the surprisingly heavy ‘Caught In A Battle’, which is a flashback to the early Warlock years in Doro’s career. If you’re a fan or just interested in what a heavy metal queen sounds like, this record should be in your collection.