Dokken - Lightning Strikes Again

Enduring LA rockers Dokken return with a new album that promises a return to their much loved 80's heyday. In recent years Dokken have released a succession of albums that, whilst generally well received, where nevertheless felt by many long standing fans to be trying to flirt with modern trends too much - so the question is has Don Dokken and crew delivered an album that can take us back to those halycon days of 1986's classic 'Under Lock And Key'? 

Overview!

From the opening notes of 'Standing On The Outside' the band lay their intent clear - the stuttering 'Its Not Love' style riff and screaming pick harmonic laden guitar from Jon Levin could almost be an outake from 'Under Lock And Key' or 'Back From The Attack'. Whilst the chorus hooks are undeniably a modern updating, the general song constuction and solo sections are pure 80's Dokken.

Jon Levin proves a very able successor to perma tanned axe wizard George Lynch, in his phrasing and general approach he's a modern updating of the great man - and with Lynch himself seemingly having forsaken this playing approach it is very refeshing and great fun to hear!!! He also misses being a mere copycat by having a real touch of the John Norums (Europe guitarist and another cohort of Don Dokken from his 1990 release 'Up From The Ashes' solo album) to his playing. A great performance!

'Heart To Stone' is a real 'Too Many Tears' minor key rocker - a fine example of economical melodic rock song writing that classic erc Dokken fans will lap up. Levin is - as he is throughout the album - shit hot here, and many who wish that Lynch still played like this nowadays will find much to enjoy here.

The rest of the album benefits from musical variety to: 'Disease' is a bit more grungy and attitude laden, 'How I Miss Your Smile' is a laid back acoustic led ballad, whilst 'Oasis' benefits from a driving Queensryche/Led Zep 'Kashmir' riff.

'Point of No Return', with its doublebass drumming and riffery is a 'Tooth and Nail' style rocker, and on 'I Remember' - a typical Don Dokken 80' style power ballad - the band sound very Scorpionsish (Don actually sang backing vocals - almost 30 years ago! - on The Scorp's classic 'Blackout' album).

'Judgement Day' is a bluseier take on 'Unchain The Night' with an almost perfect example of an updated classic Lynch solo - choppy question and answer solos, slippery tapping and elastic phrasing with those ever present super charged pick harmonics and all with the amp sounding as if it's on the verge of meltdown! 

Conclusion

A solid return to form: based on this album Dokken won't win any new fans - but at this stage of the game nor should they be trying to. However, they most definately will win back many of their original fans who feared Don and cohorts had forever forsaken their unique brand of melodic Hard Rock. Does what it says on the tin: classic Dokken - no more and no less!