Classic Diamonds is a release between a 'best of' and a studio album. It contains songs from the Warlock era, from Doro's solo career, new songs and a Judas Priest cover. In detail, I Rule The Ruins, Metal Tango, All We Are and Fur Immer were included in Warlock's Triumph And Agony (1987), 1000x Gebelt and Love Me In Black in Doro's Love Me In Black album (1999), Burn It Up in Calling The Wind (2000) and Fight (dedicated to Regina Halmich, world champion in female boxing and Doro's close friend), Undying and Always Live To Win in her previous album, Fight (2002). The new songs are Let Love Rain On Me, which is available in 3 different versions in the homonymous EP, and I'm In Love With You.
Both new songs are slow, especially the second, which is a dramatic ballad. They are quite interesting as they are composed to promote Doro's voice. In my opinion, she sounds better than ever; she has reached maturity and her expressive zenith.
But the most important feature of this album is the Classic Night Orchestra's presence. Many of you might have been tired of all those albums where the listener is disorientated by operatic vocals and storming symphonic parts so that the artist's mediocrity is not perceived. I'm a fan of Heavy Metal and Classic Music combinations myself but, unfortunately, whatever is so much in fashion inevitably culminates in being an easy solution. None of these happens here. The Orchestra escorts Doro, not vice versa. Music sounds really alleviating and allows Doro to preserve her Heavy-Rock countenance. She moves smoothly from sweetness to harshness, being vulnerable or aggressive where needed.
The Orchestra's performance is remarkable, too. Notice the acoustic guitars in All We Are and the trumpet in Undying. The numerous whole manages to be impressive although Classic Diamonds is not a symphonic album.
I left Breaking The Law last because beyond every expectation it is the most disappointing track of the album. Of course we are talking about an all-star thing here: Doro and Udo Dirkschneider together in a Judas Priest classic! The particular version is good as an idea and it continues the tradition of Doro's co-operations with living legends, but Udo sounds old and deformed and only donates a little portion of his dynamism to the song.
In general, the album succeeds in what Doro and her record company wished for. It is essential to all her fans - and there are really many of them - and it can also increase the interest in her musical past. The songs vary a lot from their genuine versions and anyone who first gets to know Doro better through this new release may also be interested in obtaining the first editions.
The limited edition digibook also contains She's Like Thunder, The Last Goodbye and The Final.
- Album Highlights: Metal Tango, All We Are, Fur Immer and 1000x Gelebt