Warlock-Triumph and agony

Metal Mind
1987/2011

After getting some notice in the mainstream circuits from 1986's True as steel Warlock seemed ready to take the next step up the ladder. I remember seeing ads for this one in every metal magazine and seeing the video the opener and big time anthem "All we are". I am sure I bought it cassette around the time it was released and played it over after school for several months at least. Even though I hadn't heard it a while until recently I was quickly reminded by why I took this one so quickly. You get fired up songs like "Three minute warning" and straight up rockers like "I rule the ruins" with it's faintly haunting chorus. Still there's no denying the band decided to stick to the slightly more melodic style that also dominated the previous release "True as steel". Tracks like "Kiss of death", "East meets west" and "Metal Tango" all have very simple song structures and much of the weight relies on Doro's vocals. She delivers of course, but the music is slightly more restrained on numerous songs this time around. We even get multiple ballads with the slow winding ballad "Make time for love" and the march-like heart wrenching attempt of "Fur Immer" (Forever). Not the band's heaviest effort, but probably their most polished. Unfortunately the end for the band was near. After successful opening and then headlining tours both Michael Eurich and Niko Arvantis both left the group leaving Doro as the sole original member. She hired drummer Bobby Rondinelli and guitarist Jon Levin and was set to record Warlock's fifth album when the band's ex-manager claimed the rights to the band name. Unfortunately he won and with pressure from the record label the band changed to the name "Doro" and continued on under that moniker. This re-issue includes a lyric book, band biography and four bonus tracks. Still a powerful album.