DOKKEN – Back For the Attack (1987)

Dokken have never surpassed Back For The Attack, although they certainly have tried hard. This album is the pinnacle of Dokken. (No laughing!) No ballads! “Heaven Sent” is as close as we get. 13 songs, one being a George Lynch instrumental (pure smoke!), this album is packed full of great tunes and performances.  Think about that — 13 songs, in 1987.  That was overachieving, big time.  Overkill!

One could argue that you only need one Dokken album proper, and I would argue that it’s Back For The Attack.  Never had the band been so heavy or focused. Turns out they were falling apart at the seams, but at the time they were “Burning Like A Flame” up the charts indeed.

It’s a heavy regal hard rock sound, with oodles of smokin’ Furious George guitar as only he can play it.  Not to be outdone are Jeff Pilson on bass and backing vocals (the vocals being a critical component of early Dokken) and “Wild” Mick Brown destroying his kit, cymbal by cymbal!

Highlights:
The heavy angry groove of “Kiss Of Death”, Don at his screaming (!) best
“Burning Like A Flame”, the melodic but not-wimpy single
“Mr. Scary”, George’s ferocious solo piece
and of course the hit single “Dream Warriors” which everybody knows.

Even the cover art is the classiest thing this band has done, and totally representative of the music inside.

5/5 stars! ( I only wish the track “Back For the Attack” was included! Get it on the “Dream Warriors” single instead.)

Side One

1. “Kiss of Death”
2. “Prisoner”
3. “Night by Night”
4. “Standing in the Shadows”
5. “Heaven Sent”
6. “Mr. Scary”

Side Two

1. “So Many Tears”
2. “Burning Like a Flame”
3. “Lost Behind the Wall”
4. “Stop Fighting Love”
5. “Cry of the Gypsy”
6. “Sleepless Night”
7. “Dream Warriors”