Dokken
Match a powerful singer with a hot guitarist and you have the makings of a great group. Dokken featured vocalist Don Dokken and guitarist George Lynch. Along for the ride was drummer Mick Brown and bassist Juan Croucier, who later left for Ratt and was replaced by Jeff Pilson.
Though formed in L.A. (where else?) in '79, the group didn't hit its stride until the '84 release "Tooth and Nail" and the follow-up "Under Lock and Key." Dokken did the "Monsters of Rock" tour with Van Halen and Metallica in '88 but by that time they were running on fumes. They soon split only to make another stab at fame and fortune in '92.
Dokken maintained a modest profile for the next decade with an album here and there to break long spells of inactivity - and personnel changes. In addition to Dokken (of course) and Brown, who left in '88 but returned in '93, there was guitarist Jon Levin (since '04) and bassist Barry Sparks (who joined in '01). Even with relatively new blood, the band opted for re-releasing "Lightning Strikes Again" in '08 and embarking on a supporting tour.
Like a lot of groups, Dokken had to work its way to success and when they got there they could barely maintain it. These melodic mainstream Metal practitioners released over a dozen CDs but it all comes down to three albums, "Tooth and Nail" with "Into The Fire" and "Under Lock and Key" featuring "Unchain The Night" and "Lightnin' Strikes Again." These albums filled arenas with the Bic lofting faithful. Anything before or after, is simply not worth the money.
It makes a lot of sense to re-release "Lightning Strikes Again." It's Metal baby. Killer riffs, muscular rhythms and tough-as-nails vocals. "Standing On The Outside," "Judgment Day," and a song that practically channels Judas Priest, "This Fire" is as good as Dokken gets - which is very good. Though the ballads "I Remember" and "Oasis" are better, the acoustic "How I Miss Your Smile" is a song designed for soccer-moms and adult contemporary radio. Obviously a marketing ploy to broaden their audience.
"Point Of No Return" has a great riff but Dokken doesn't do anything with it. "Disease" and "It Means" push hard but are merely acceptable rather than riveting. In the end, the album is half great and for Dokken that is a career high.