DORO – Classic Diamonds

In the late nineties and early two thousands, Metal bands embraced orchestras like Popeye embraces spinach. Metallica, KISS, The Scorpions … if you weren’t jamming with a philharmonic you weren’t jamming. But as quickly as they came, the sounds of woodwinds, brass, and strings headed back into the Classical genre. They left so fast, you may have missed a gem or two in the wake, like Doro’s Classic Diamonds. Much like the other Symphonic releases, this album is a best-of… with orchestration. This twin CD/DVD re-release covers both the Warlock years and solo Doro, and throws in a few surprises along the way.

The German Metal Goddess never sounded as good as she does here, with The Metal Classic Night Orchestra. Songs like “Metal Tango” and “I Rule the Ruins” make you wonder how they ever existed without the symphonic background. “All We Are” and “She’s Like Thunder” remind you that Doro is a rocker first and foremost. The Judas Priest cover of “Breaking The Law” features the Duke of Metal, Udo Dirkschneider. He and Doro sing the song in duet as a power ballad; probably one of the more interesting Metal covers ever.

The DVD features an eight-song Live at Wacken segment, taped in 2004. During another duet on this feature, Doro and Blaze sing the Iron Maiden classic, “Fear of the Dark,” a bittersweet moment for some; one gets to hear Doro covering Maiden, but then is reminded that Maiden once featured one of the worst voices in Metal, the laughable and forgettable Blaze Bailey. The DVD also features some more performance pieces as well as behind-the-scenes footage.

Doro always offers a solid product, and Classic Diamonds is no exception. The CD alone is worth the money; the DVD is just icing on the cake. Besides a great voice, see a great show and the personal side of this performer. There was obviously a lot of time spent revamping the songs and giving them fresh life with this lush dreamscape of sound.