DORO The Metal Queen On Forever Warriors, Forever United And More!!

Less than one week from today The Metal Queen DORO will unleash a brand new double album Forever Warriors, Forever United upon the world. And less than one week from today there will be much rejoicing in the streets all over the world. In the meantime I was able to sit down with DORO for our seventh interview in the last five years. No matter what’s going on here at A&GS HQ this is always my high point of the year. As always, there were no scripted questions, and no real agenda. We just talked- well, SHE talked and I gushed like a schoolgirl, as I do Every. Single. Time. So here we go. Amps and Green Screens and DORO Mark VII. Check it:

Amps: So, first things first, Mini-Amps is still jealous of the fact I’ve seen you live and he hasn’t. But I’m bringing him soon.

DORO: Of course, of course! How old is he now?

Amps: He is 16! And I’m taking him to see his girlfriend TAYLOR SWIFT for the first time tonight.

DORO: WOW!! Yeah, Taylor Swift is cool, but keep hooking him up with the metal stuff!

Amps: Don’t worry, your new album will be in his iPod while he’s in bed tonight. He’s already got so many in there: Triumph and Agony, Warrior Soul, Fight, Raise Your Fist, I could go on and on.

DORO: (Laughs) that’s great! What are your favorite songs off the new record? Did you get a chance to listen to it?

Amps: DORO, I have done nothing BUT listen to this album for the past two days.

DORO: Oh, wow! Good, good, good!

Amps: Lemme tell you this…favorites so far are “All For Metal”, “Bastardos”, “Don’t Break My Heart Again”, Backstage to Heaven”, “Living Life to the Fullest”, “Resistance”, “Lift Me Up” is absolutely beautiful. And one of my absolute favorites is “Lost in the Ozone.”

DORO: Ohhhh, nice! Because it started with Lemmy, and I wanted to end it with Lemmy as well. I was writing some songs before, but I wasn’t serious as we were doing so much Triumph and Agony tour stuff. And then, when Lemmy passed I went to his funeral, and on the plane I had this idea for “Living Life to the Fullest” and the lyrics and melody just came out, you know? Out of the soul, out of the heart, out of nowhere it came. I was like, “I gotta record this song for Lemmy, to honor him, to feel close to him.”

And we started in the studio a couple of days later, and everything just started flowing. So many songs, and I thought, “Yeah, now it is time for this new album. You never know what will happen in life, so let’s do it.” This was actually initiative. And I wanted to end with a Lemmy song like “Lost In the Ozone.” He was such a great lyricist. That song has such deep and sad lyrics, so I wanted to do that one.

Amps: By the way, “1000 Years” is absolutely gorgeous.

DORO: Ohhhhhh, nice! Thank you! We played it live on a T.V. show and it came out really nice. That’s so cool.

Amps: Why don’t you just do this whole double album live back-to-back so we can all be happy, huh??

DORO: Oh, wow!! (Laughing) 25 songs, I still don’t know which ones to pick! I hope the fans help decide what we do, along with the classics like “All We Are” and “Burning the Witches”. This will be an interesting setlist for sure.

Amps: When I saw “Soldier of Metal” I was expecting one thing. But what I heard was a very unexpected twist. Tell me about that.

DORO: It was actually a song we had pretty early on. Soldier of Metal was a working title for the album then, before we knew it would be a double album. But this was still a key song for the album, and of course I always want to be a soldier of metal for the fans. They can always rely on me, I will never, never give up and I will do it as long as I live and as long as the fans will want it!

Amps: Who is that singing towards the end of “Turn It Up”?

DORO: That’s (guitarist) Tommy Bolan! Yeah, he had such a great voice for this one. He played the licks and solos on that one, too.

Amps: I think you’re gonna have to do “Bastardos” live. That is such a fucking great song!!

DORO: I love that one! It’s got some old school feel to it, and I’m so glad you like it. We definitely gotta do that live!

Amps: After SIX years…we are finally getting a Double Shot of DORO music. How does it feel knowing that your hard work is gonna be out to the masses soon?

DORO: It feels great! So far, only the journalists like you have heard it, so the fans haven’t yet. So I hope they will love it. I’ve gotten some great feedback, people seem to really love it, so I’m very excited. There are tons of great songs on it, from the super-heavy, to some very nice ballads. I’m very happy with how everything worked out.

Amps: Was it hard putting the songs in the order they are on the albums? Or did the tracklist come together naturally?

DORO: It was sometimes, you’re thinking, “Oooh, these songs go together” then you write it down, and it doesn’t work when you listen. I went to mastering five times and I changed the sequence many times. Then in the end I thought, “Now I can sleep good.” And I was finally at peace, but you can always feel it if something doesn’t sit right on your album. But some songs, they take the leap, and they tap into your inner voice. So I am very happy with this tracklist.

Amps: Two of your bandmates did some killer solo albums in  (bassist) Nick Douglas and (guitarist) Luca Princiotta, releasing Regenerations and Rough Blue in 2017 and May of this year. What did you think of those records? I love them!

DORO: (Beaming with pride) super, super records! I’m so proud of Nick and Luca. I am so happy that they did these and everybody loves them. They expressed themselves with songs that had so much heart and soul. I am so happy for them. We’re really a family, everyone supports everyone in this band, in many ways, not just onstage. Every musician wants to do their own thing from time to time, and I am very, very proud of them.


Amps: Any plans for a possible U.S. tour, perhaps in 2019?

DORO: Oh definitely, definitely! We’d love to bring Tommy Bolan back out with us because he did so many cool things on this record and we had such fun on the Triumph and Agony Tour last time. It was a blast! So, probably early 2019 for the U.S.

Amps: I drove/took the train from Philly up to NYC for that tour and it was hands down one of the best times I’ve seen you. Sad that B.B. King’s has closed. The last show was April of this year.

DORO: (In shock) WHAT?!? What? no way! Oh that is so heartbreaking. I can’t believe it. I really love that place. Oh man, such sad news. All these things are closing. The record stores, all these great clubs. That’s why I called these albums Forever Warriors, Forever United. Because we the metalheads will still be standing together and fighting the good fight. Everything goes to shit and we will always stand together. We are all family, some of my closest friends. I trust them with my life, I have for over 30 years now.

Amps: Please say something to Mini-Amps. He always lights up when I play your messages to him!

DORO: Hey Corey, it’s me DORO. Man, I’d love to see you soon. Your Dad has to get you to a show! I wish you all the best and keep on rockin’, stay metal!

Amps: And finally, what do you want to say to your legions of fans all around the world?

DORO: To all the fans, my family all around the world, I love you with all my heart. Always, always have, and I always will. I wish everybody to stay healthy, stay happy, stay metal!!



DORO is the Undisputed Metal Queen. That’s not even up for debate. But she is also the sweetest, kindest, most genuine, and humble person I’ve met since before A&GS even existed. That very first V.I.P. meet and greet in 2010 when she asked so many questions about Mini-Amps and then promptly dedicated “Earthshaker Rock” to him will be forever burned into my memory.

And in the years that we’ve gotten to do these interviews she never fails to light up the room, Hell the world with her smile, demeanor, and genuine love for us the fans. And we love you right back, DORO. Thank you for everything…Für Immer.

As of this writing I am proud to announce she has also been inducted into The Hall of Heavy Metal History; it happened onstage at Wacken Open Air last week. CONGRATULATIONS, DORO!!

Oh, and wait till you guys get your hands on this double disc set Forever Warriors, Forever United on August 17 via Nuclear Blast Records. I guaran-damn-tee they won’t leave your player for weeks, months even!!