Forever Warriors, Forever United
| Forever Warriors, Forever United | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cover art by Geoffrey Gillespie | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 17 August 2018 | |||
| Studio | Rockcity Digital Studio, Kirchlengern, Germany | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||
| Length | 100:04 | |||
| Label | Nuclear Blast | |||
| Producer | Andreas Bruhn, Doro Pesch, Nick Douglas, Bas Maas, Luca Princiotta, Johnny Dee | |||
| Doro chronology | ||||
| ||||
Forever Warriors Forever United is the thirteenth studio album by the German female heavy metal singer Doro, released on August 17, 2018 through Nuclear Blast Records.[1] This is Doro's first double album, released separately as split albums, as well as a double package. The album is dedicated to Lemmy Kilmister. The first single "All For Metal" contains several guest vocalists such as Chuck Billy, Jeff Waters, Johan Hegg, Mille Petrozza, and Sabaton. "If I Can't Have You, No One Will", which has a duet with Amon Amarth bellower Johan Hegg, was released as the 2nd Single. The 3rd and 4th singles were "Lift Me Up" and "It Cuts So Deep" respectfully. Five music videos were produced in promotion for the record's release: "All For Metal", "It Cuts So Deep", "If I Can Not Have - No One Will", "Freunde Furs Leben" and "It Cuts So Deep".
Background
When talking about the album Doro explained that:
"We have toured very intensively over the past few years, gathering so many impressions along the way and meeting so many great people. That really inspired me. The songs and ideas literally flooded our minds and this also didn’t stop in the studio. From over 50 song ideas we quickly had 14 songs for an album, then suddenly 20 and in the end, it was 24. Then I decided to also record one more in our last studio week: 'Caruso'."[2]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Blabbermouth | 7.5/10[3] |
| Sonic Perspectives | 5.4/10 |
| Distorted Sound | 7/10[4] |
| Metal Forces | 8/10[5] |
| Ghost Cult Magazine | 7.0/10[6] |
| Metal Hammer |   [7] |
| Grimmgent | 6.4/10[8] |
Reception of the album has been generally positive upon its release, with many welcoming her return. A review from Blabbermouth gave a review stating that "'Forever Warriors, Forever United' is like that reliable MOTÖRHEAD album you're gonna buy automatically—just because." They spoke fondly of tracks like 'All For Metal', 'Turn it Up', 'Resistance', 'Blood, Sweat and Rock 'n' Roll', 'Fight Through the Fire', and 'Backstage to Heaven'. However, they disliked the length of the album, stating that;
"If there's any real problem to "Forever Warriors, Forever United", it's that the sum of all parts is too much of the same helpings in one sitting. To the point even the band is, at times, rolling through the motions. "If I Can't Have You - No One Will" is unfortunately awkward and garish, though Doro is to be commended for shaking things up. Positively, "Bastardos" is shocked with speed and hellfire, and Doro rolls through it with champion vigor. She snarls deliciously on "Turn it Up" and she tragically makes you feel what she's feeling on "Heartbroken", one of the best tunes in the set."
Another reviewer from SonicPerspectives wrote that the album was more of a mixed bag.[9]
"We wanted to like this album. Seeing a golden rocker like Graham Bonnet defy age and the odds to deliver a blistering metal album was heartwarming, and we wanted nothing more than to see Doro also deliver the goods. However, there is little to recommend the album, unless one is a longtime Doro fan. The artistic drawing of a 22-year-old Doro on the cover unfortunately does not live up to the dated and faded product within."
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "All For Metal" | Andreas Bruhn, Doro | 4:02 |
| 2. | "Bastardos" | Bruhn, Doro | 3:49 |
| 3. | "If I Can Not Have - No One Will" | Doro, Johan Hegg, Thomas N. Bolan | 5:09 |
| 4. | "Soldier of Metal" | Bruhn, Doro | 4:35 |
| 5. | "Turn It Up" | Doro, Joey Balin, Thomas N. Bolan | 3:23 |
| 6. | "Blood, Sweat and Rock 'n' Roll" | Bas Maas, Doro, Johnny Dee, Luca Princiotta, Nick Douglas | 4:22 |
| 7. | "Don't Break My Heart Again" (Whitesnake cover) | David Coverdale | 4:41 |
| 8. | "Love's Gone to Hell" | Bruhn, Doro | 4:16 |
| 9. | "Freunde Fürs Leben" | Bruhn, Doro | 4:25 |
| 10. | "Backstage to Heaven" | Doro, Jack Ponti, Josh Daniel Tate | 3:51 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Be Strong" | Bruhn, Doro | 3:01 |
| 12. | "Black Ballad" | Bruhn, Doro | 5:46 |
| 13. | "Bring My Hero Back Home Again" (Taken from the movie Anuk III - Die Dunkle Flut / The Dark Flood) | Luke Gasser | 2:34 |
| Total length: | 52:54 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Resistance" | Andreas Bruhn, Doro | 3:14 |
| 2. | "Lift Me Up" | Bruhn, Doro | 4:50 |
| 3. | "Heartbroken" | Bruhn, Doro | 4:40 |
| 4. | "It Cuts So Deep" | David Bryan, Doro | 5:14 |
| 5. | "Love is a Sin" | Bruhn, Doro | 4:08 |
| 6. | "Living Life to the Fullest" | Bruhn, Doro | 4:39 |
| 7. | "1000 Years" | Joey Balin, Doro | 4:44 |
| 8. | "Fight Through the Fire" | Nick Douglas | 3:47 |
| 9. | "Lost in the Ozone" (Motörhead cover) | Ian Fraser Kilmister, Mikkey Dee, Michael Burston, Phil Campbell | 3:26 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. | "Caruso" | Lucio Dalla | 3:33 |
| 11. | "Tra Como E Coriovallum" (instrumental) | Bas Maas, Luca Princiotta | 2:40 |
| 12. | "Metal is my Alcohol" | Bruhn, Doro | 2:10 |
| Total length: | 47:10 | ||
Personnel
- Band members
- Doro Pesch – vocals
- Bas Maas – guitars
- Luca Princiotta – guitars, keyboards
- Nick Douglas – bass
- Johnny Dee – drums
- Additional musicians
- Mille Petrozza (Kreator) - backing vocals "All for Metal"
- Chuck Billy (Testament) - backing vocals "All for Metal"
- Sabaton - backing vocals "All for Metal"
- Warrel Dane (Nevermore, Sanctuary) - backing vocals "All for Metal"
- Jeff Waters (Annihilator) - backing vocals "All for Metal"
- Ross the Boss - "All for Metal"
- Rolf "Rock'n'Rolf" Kasparek (Running Wild) - "All for Metal"
- DeTraktor - backing vocals "All for Metal"
- Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake), Dio, Dead Daisies) - guitars (solo) "Heartbroken"
- Tommy Bolan (Warlock) - guitars "All for Metal"
- Johan Hegg (Amon Amarth) - duet on "If I Can't Have You, No One Will" and backing vocals on "All for Metal"
- Helge Schneider - saxophone on "Backstage to Heaven"
- Production
- Doro Pesch - layout, producer
- Bas Maas - producer
- Luca Princiotta - engineering, producer
- Nick Mitchell - engineering, producer
- Andreas Bruhn - engineering, mixing, producer, arrangements (strings)
- Mike "Metal" Goldberg - engineering, mixing
- Ralph Quick - engineering, mixing
- Jochen Kux - engineering
- Carsten Steffens - engineering
- Jens Dreesen - mastering
- Thomas Ewerhard - layout
- Geoffrey Gillespie - cover art
References
- ^ "Forever Warriors, Forever United - Doro". Nuclear Blast Records. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
- ^ "DORO: 'It Cuts So Deep' Video Premiere". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. August 17, 2018.
- ^ Van Horn, Jr., Ray. "DORO Forever Warriors, Forever United". blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ Fermor-Worrell, Jack. "ALBUM REVIEW: Forever Warriors, Forever United – Doro". distortedsoundmag.com. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ Moore, Theron. "ALBUM REVIEW: Forever Warriors, Forever United – Doro". metalforcesmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ Alcock, Gary. "Doro – Forever Warriors/Forever United". ghostcultmag.com. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ Chantler, Chris. "Doro – Forever Warriors, Forever United album review". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ "Doro – Forever Warriors, Forever United". grimmgent.com. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ Kokel, John (August 10, 2018). "Doro - Forever Warriors, Forever United (Album Review)". sonicperspectives.com. Retrieved 27 July 2022.