Top 10 Doro Songs

Feature Photo: Andreas Lawen, Fotandi, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our top 10 Doro songs list looks at the music catalog of one of Germany’s most iconic heavy metal female singers of all time. Doro, often regarded as the Queen of Heavy Metal, became a global figure in the metal scene following her success and influence as the frontwoman of the heavy metal outfit Warlock. The singer spent the better part of her ‘80s as a member of Warlock, which eventually disbanded in 1989.

Her solo career started right after Warlock broke up. Amazingly, the German heavy metal queen continued to command a cult following even after starting her solo career. Some of her fans felt like Warlock never left but rose in another incarnation. Initially, the singer received acclaim from European metal fans, only to receive critical acclaim abroad with her later releases. Like The Scorpions and Accept, Doro has most of her remarkable tracks done in English, a move that have seen her amass global audience.

Doro’s Career Beginnings and Breakthrough

The Dusseldorf-born lady started pursuing music at a tender age. Doro was exposed to music by reputable artists, including Slade, T. Rex, and The Sweet. Eventually, she joined the underground band Snakebite in 1980. However, Snakebite disbanded the following year, with Doro Pesch joining another less popular ensemble, Beast and Attack, where she also took on the lead vocals.

In 1982, Doro Pesch joined three other musicians to form Warlock, with which she achieved her great status as a heavy metal queen. Warlock built its career under the sonic influences of Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Ronnie James Dio, and Iron Maiden. Doro Pesch took on the vocals duties in all of Warlock’s four studio albums.

The band’s biggest success was its fourth and final studio album, Triumph and Agony, issued in 1987. “All We Are” and “Für Immer” are some of the best songs by Warlock from the album. Doro would later cover the two songs as part of her new releases for her solo career. During her tenure as Warlock’s vocalist, Doro toured Europe alongside Judas Priest and W.A.S.P.

Doro’s Album Releases over the Years

After Warlock disbanded, Doro Pesch started her solo musical pursuits under the name Doro. In 1989, she released her debut album, Force Majeure, an album that was intended for release by Warlock as the band’s fifth LP. The album saw Doro strike a sonic balance between hard rock and heavy metal. Force Majeure was issued through Vertigo Records, which has been home to other artists, including Metallica, Black Sabbath, Status Quo, Def Leppard, and Dire Straits.

Joey Balin was tasked with the album’s production work. Force Majeure was warmly received, peaking at number twenty on the European Albums chart. The album also peaked at number one hundred and fifty-four on the Billboard 200. “A White Shade of Pale,” “Hard Time,” and “I Am What I Am” are some of the best Doro songs from the album.

In 1990, Doro returned with her eponymous sophomore album. Unfortunately, Doro didn’t achieve the desired level of success, performing poorer than Force Majeure. Nevertheless, the album managed to rise to the ninth spot on the German Albums chart. “Unholy Love” and “Broken” are some of the biggest songs by Doro. Gene Simmons, best known for his impact on Kiss, was the album’s executive producer.

Doro released the third studio album, True at Heart, in 1991. The album was a little disappointing to the fans of Doro’s heavy metal sound, having it feature hard rock primarily. True at Heart managed position nineteen on the German Albums chart. “Angels Cry,” “Fall for Me Again,” and “The Fortuneteller” are some noteworthy musical gems from the album.

The singer’s efforts to receive mainstream and commercial success with her next albums, Angels Never Die and Machine II Machine, hit a snag. This setback was highly influenced by the rise of outstanding commercially successful releases by alternative rock legends Pearl Jam and Nirvana.

In 1998, Doro released her new album, Love Me in Black, through WEA. The album saw the singer blend heavy metal with industrial metal and hard rock sonic influences. Love Me in Black only managed to rise to position thirty-eight on the German Albums chart. However, the album is home to some of the best Doro songs, including “Tausend Mal Gelebt,” “Love Me in Black,” and “Kiss Me Goodbye.”

Doro gave it another shot, releasing the seventh LP, Calling the Wild, in 2000. The album was issued through SPV/Steamhammer in Germany. A second edition of the album was issued in the US through Koch Records. The album featured cover songs of Billy Idol and Motörhead. Calling the Wild rose to number sixteen on the German Albums chart. “Danke,” “Love Me Forever,” “Give Me A Reason,” and “White Wedding” are some of the biggest songs by Doro from the album.

In 2002, Doro returned with her eighth studio album, Fight. Fight was primarily a heavy metal record issued through SPV/Steamhammer. The album rose to a peak position of number eighteen on the German Albums chart. “Hoffnugg” and “Wild Heart” are the most popular songs from the album.

Classic Diamonds, issued in 2004, marked the singer’s ninth studio album. The album was issued through AFM Records. Unlike the band’s previous releases, Classic Diamonds was an acoustic/symphonic rock record. The album saw Doro take on songs by Warlock and Judas Priest, among other new releases. “Metal Tango,” “Für Immer,” and “All We Are” are some of the biggest songs by Doro from the album.

In 2006, Doro released her tenth studio album, Warrior Soul. The album was issued through AFM Records, which is/was once home to Annihilator, Destruction, Fear Factory, Rhapsody of Fire, and Ministry. Warrior Soul peaked at number twenty-seven on the German Albums chart. “In Liebe und Freundschaft,” “Heaven I See,” and Haunted” are some of the best Doro songs from the album.

Fear No Evil, issued in 2009, marked Doro’s tenth studio album. The album was also issued through AFM Records, peaking at number eleven on the German Albums chart. While Fear No Evil failed to make it to the charts in the US, the album was warmly received in the nation. “Herzblut,” “Walking with the Angels,” and “The Night of the Warlock” are some of the popular songs by Doro from the album.

In 2012, Doro released her twelfth studio album, Raise Your Fist. The album was issued through Nuclear Blast Records. Raise Your Fist featured “Hero,” a song Doro dedicated to the late heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio. Other remarkable musical gems from the album included “Raise Your Fist in the Air,” “It Still Hurts,” and “Engel.” Raise Your Fist rose to number sixteen on the German Albums chart.

Forever Warriors/Forever United, issued in 2018, marked Doro’s thirteenth studio album. The album peaked at number four on the German Albums chart. Forever Warriors/Forever United received a warm welcome in the US despite not rising high on the charts. “Love’s Gone to Hell,” “If I Can’t Have You, No One Will,” and “Lift Me Up” are some of the best Doro songs from the album. The metal queen is currently working on a new album which will be a follow-up to her 2018 LP, Forever Warriors/Forever United.

Doro’s Other Musical Pursuits and Legacy

As earlier mentioned, Doro Pesch is among the pivotal pillars of the success of the now-defunct German heavy band Warlock. The singer remains one of the most revered artists in Germany, especially in the heavy metal scene. Doro has also appeared as a guest singer in songs by multiple artists, including Judas Priest, Grave Digger, After Forever, Destruction, Twisted Sister, and Motörhead. Here we present the ten best Doro songs from the singer’s album catalog.

# 10 – Love Me In Black

Ushering us to the top 10 Doro songs list is the remarkable hit “Love Me in Black.” The song serves as the album title track to the singer’s sixth studio album. Doro Pesch teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Harry to write the lyrics to this song. Jimmy has worked with multiple successful artists, including Pink, Santana, Madonna, and Kelly Clarkson. “Love Me in Black” remains one of Doro’s concert staples.

# 9 – Hoffnugg

Fight is one of Doro’s most diverse albums of all time, thanks to its mixture of German and English lyrics. One of the magical musical gems from the album is the ninth pick of our ten best Doro songs, “Hoffnugg.” “Hoffnugg” is all about the desire for hope that is required to take one through tough and bitter times. The song’s lyrics are delivered in both German and English. However, it is Doro’s vocal delivery and the song’s arrangement that make “Hoffnugg” to tower over all other songs from the singer’s eighth LP, Fight.

# 8 – A White Shade of Pale

Coming in at number eight on our ten best Doro songs list is the bewitching hit “A White Shade of Pale.” The song is among the earliest releases from the singer’s solo career. It is featured on Doro’s debut studio album, Force Majeure. Doro does a great work performing this song which is a cover of a 1967 release by the English rock band Procol Harum. The singer delivers this hit in boisterous vocals. Other artists who have covered the 1967 Procol Harum signature hit include Annie Lennox, Michael Bolton, Richard Clayderman, Willie Nelson, and Vanilla Fudge.

# 7 – Tausend Man Gelebt

You don’t require to know German to tell that “Tausend Man Gelebt” is an unforgettable metal classic whose glory will live on for a lifetime! “Tausend Man Gelebt” is the product of perfection in songwriting and production, alongside solid musicianship. Spanning over four minutes, the song balances Doro’s signature heavy metal sound with industrial metal and hard rock sonic influences. The song is among the rare treasures featured on Doro’s sixth LP, Love Me in Black.

# 6 – Walking With The Angels ft. Tarja Turunen

The sixth spot on our ten best Doro songs list goes to the dazzling hit “Walking with the Angels.” “Walking with the Angels” is one of the most reputable duets ever released by Doro. The German heavy metal queen collaborates with the Finnish heavy metal singer-songwriter Tarja Turunen.

Tarja Turunen is best known for her impactful career as the lead vocalist of the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. Her departure saw the Finnish band recruit Anette Olzon, who later left the band and now is the lead singer of The Dark Element and Alyson Avenue. Nightwish’s current vocalist is Floor Jansen was a former member of After Forever.

“Walking with the Angels” is highly celebrated by metal fans thanks to the captivating performance by the two vocalists. The song also features some of the best lyrics ever penned by Doro Pesch. “Walking with the Angels” is a true masterpiece!

# 5 – Unholy Love

Despite having Gene Simmons of Kiss as the executive producer of Doro, the album failed to reach its desired success levels. However, the album still managed to feature some of the biggest classics by the singer, including the fifth pick of our ten best Doro songs, “Unholy Love.” The failed success of the album is majorly attributed to the rise of alternative rock, which took the music world by storm.

Nevertheless, “Unholy Love” is one of the rawest heavy metal/hard rock recordings of 1990. The song’s lyrics feel a little gothic, an element present in some of the songs released by the now-defunct band, Warlock. Doro delivers unbridled vocals, which are the pillar upon which the song’s success is built.

#4 – All for Metal

“All for Metal” is one of the most successful hits by Doro from the singer’s most recent album, Forever Warriors/Forever United. The singer released a video of the song featuring members of Amon Amarth, Testament, and Kreator. “All for Metal” has its chorus made up of big gang vocals. The song also features charming guitar lines as well as echoing backing riffs.

“All for Metal” is an anthem for all metal lovers, having it celebrate and pay homage to the music genre. It is the power possessed by this hit that makes it quite a massive hit and a fan favorite. As the song comes to the end, it features a tremendous solo whose catchiness is majorly contributed to by prodigious guitar riffs.

# 3 – Für Immer

Number three on our top 10 Doro songs list is the metal classic “Für Immer.” Doro Pesch collaborated with Joey Balin in writing this song. However, it was first released by Doro’s former band, Warlock. The song is featured on the band’s fourth and final LP, Triumph and Agony. Doro would later feature the cover of the song on her ninth studio album, Classic Diamonds. The singer’s version of the songs from Classic Diamonds feels a little different from Doro’s usual heavy metal sound. This follows the use of strings and acoustic guitars as seen on all songs in this symphonic/acoustic rock album.

“Für Immer” has most of its lyrics penned in German. The song’s title translated to English is “Forever.” Its lyrics allude to an eternal tie that keeps two lovers together. The singer revealed that “Für Immer” is one of her most meaningful records of all time. Metal lovers still hold this song dear in their hearts thanks to its moving lyrical theme and content. Sabaton covered “Für Immer”, featuring it on their sophomore LP Attero Dominatus.

# 2 – Herzblut

Our second song on the ten best Doro songs list is the poignant hit “Herzblut.” The song is among the best releases from the singer’s eleventh studio album, Fear No Evil. Its lyrics were penned by Doro Pesch and guitarist Andreas Bruhn. The song clinches the second spot of our ten best Doro songs list, thanks to the singer’s expressional and beautiful vocal delivery. Doro recorded the song in four different languages (German, French, Portuguese, and Spanish), all of which can be found on her 2009 EP Herzblut.

# 1 – Raise Your Fist In The Air

“Raise Your Fist in the Air” is among the archetypical heavy metal ballads that have seen Doro maintain her crown as a true metal queen. The song serves as the album title track of the singer’s twelfth studio album, Raise Your Fist. “Raise Your Fist in the Air” is an anthemic hit whose lyrics allude to standing up against oppression of any kind. This fierce heavy metal ballad was penned by Doro Pesch alongside Sister of Mercy’s guitarist, Andreas Bruhn. “Raise Your Fist in the Air” quickly became one of Doro’s concert staples.