Dokken
Lighting Strikes Again

Just last year they marked their debut with Frontiers by releasing the 1981 live album "From Conception." Now, the Dokken have decided to break the silence with their latest studio album, "Lightning Strikes Again," four long years after the previous and not particularly essential "Hell To Pay."

It was especially for them that the Italian critics coined the term "class metal," to describe the kind of heavy rock capable of blending the melodic approach of arena rock and melodic hard rock with the power and urgency of classic heavy metal. That's why it wasn't difficult for them to carve out a distinct niche in the crowded hard'n'heavy scene of the '80s. Even now, more than two decades later, the Dokken, with consistency and a certain perseverance, continue to offer that same music. Thus, their fans or anyone who's known them for a long time will already know there will be no unpleasant surprises. On the other hand, it's also true that it will be equally difficult to expect any joyful novelties, and above all, there is the absolute certainty that it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to replicate the immense success of great past albums like "Back For The Attack," "Under Lock And Key," or "Tooth And Nail." Certainly, the absence of the two historic members George Lynch and Jeff Pilson, on guitar and bass respectively, is felt. They were able to provide that dose of power and grit that now seems at least partially lost, and their overall sound is less polished than in the past. However, when they launch into tracks like "Standing On The Outside", an impactful opener supported by the good work of guitarist Jon Levin, or the more heavy-oriented "Disease", more aggressive but noticeably less inspired, the unmistakable trademark sound of Dokken emerges clearly.

The standouts are rather the gritty and anthemic "Give Me A Reason", with a flavor mixing the Dokken themselves and the heaviest Scorpions of the '80s, the intense and melodic "Heart To Stone", nostalgic yet gritty, where you can appreciate the vocal performance of a truly gritty and sharp Don Dokken, or the slower and more romantic "I Remember", significantly superior to the other ballad "How I Miss Your Smile", at times a bit too sweetened, but overall pleasant and almost never cloying. Other standouts include "Oasis", a particularly atmospheric, solemn, and dark track, yet also dreamy and ecstatic, and the dive into aggressive and combative heavy with "Point Of No Return" and "Judgement Day", which at least partially return to the current Dokken the grit and power that distinguished them in the past, while the stagnant mid-tempo "It Means", the uninspired "Release Me", and the closing track "This Fire" lead to an unfortunately unconvincing finale.

"Lightning Strikes Again," the tenth studio album of the American band, confirms practically everything already known about Dokken. It certainly won't be a fundamental album, not even within their own discography, but Don and his bandmates' latest work shows a band still far from the sad road to oblivion, and above all still capable of releasing albums with potential for a good following, especially, but not only, among their fans.