Dokken
Breaking The Chains

THE REVIEW

Hello again everyone, it's still The Alexander and I'm here to write a new review about Dokken, for their debut album; we're in the early Eighties when the world of rock gives birth to a new darling, a not-so-new but still appreciable melody: these are the Dokken debuting with this "Breaking The Chains" that is not bad at all, in fact, I like it a lot, sure still lacking in excellent production, but well-received.

Let's move on to the album: the first track opens with the title track, namely "Breaking The Chains" which is one of the most beautiful pieces of the album, if not the most beautiful, with that summer atmosphere, that makes me think of a night trip to California, outdoors with the wind blowing through your hair, exceptional!

The second one is "In The Middle" which kicks everyone's ass with this fantastic melody and a catchy chorus and Don's voice always spot-on without flaws.

The third and fourth tracks are also nice, which goes to show that the imagination is certainly not lacking with the Dokken in making great tracks that captivate from start to finish, ("Felony", "I can't See You").

The fifth track is "Live To Rock", an explosion of hard 'n' heavy from every pore, a great track defying those who say that the Dokken were not capable of delivering powerful and fast tracks, think again.

Let's move on to the sixth and seventh tracks, "Nightrider" and "Seven Thunders", two very enjoyable pieces, nothing new but still high level in full Dokken style.

The eighth and ninth are much more exciting for their rhythm and melody combined just right, at least according to me, the tracks in question are, ("Young Girls" and "Stick To Your Guns"), then the last track "Paris is Burning" which is not bad, but as far as I'm concerned, it's a completely normal track, not very compelling but still very listenable and catchy.

The Dokken start well in their career by releasing a good album, but their characteristic is that they have never written complex songs, but always very simple in composition and they have never written long songs but always within the norm and that's also why I like them a lot, and I believe many others do too; simplicity almost always but not always leads to success and why not, also to writing beautiful tracks with meaning, here I'm obviously speaking in general not just about the Dokken, just look at bands like the great AC/DC, who with their very simple rock and roll have captured the ears of many listeners and are still today one of the most loved bands in the world, to conclude I'd like to say.

Once again great Dokken and for the readers: if you haven't listened to this album yet, do it, you won't regret it, it's really worth it even if it's nothing innovative for that era.