Bard melee

[Selene]

This question was probably asked many times already, but I heard that bards don't really solo with melee and are more spell-casters. If I like going toe-to-toe against mobs, is bard a poor choice?

I guess I'm asking bard players if they play their bard with any significant reliance on melee. I know they mostly charm or swam kite, though fear kiting can be an option. Is it slow to fear kite though, at the higher levels?

Is a ranger much faster in killing things melee than a bard? Because I did notice bards have better defense skill caps than rangers and of course have nice slows on command.