| Written by Alex Stojanovic TRACK LISTING It's Another Day (New Track) Kiss Of Death The Hunter Unchain The Night When Heaven Comes Down Breaking The Chains Into The Fire Dream Warriors Tooth & Nail Alone Again It's Not Love In My Dreams Heaven Sent (Acoustic Studio Bonus Track) Will The Sun Rise (Acoustic Studio Bonus Track) DOKKEN IS: Don Dokken - Lead vocals & guitars George Lynch - Guitars & backing vocals Jeff Pilson - Bass & backing vocals Mick Brown - Drums & backing vocals |  Release Date: April 20, 2018 Label: Frontiers Records Website: www.dokken.net www.facebook.com/DokkenOfficial |
Fans were ecstatic when in 2016, it was announced that the classic Dokken lineup with Don Dokken, George Lynch, Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown would reform for a few special shows. I may only be in my mid-20s, but it always brings me joy when I see reunions of the classic or original lineups of bands from the 70s and 80s, because the old fans from the early days get to re-live their youth, and the new generation of fans from years later get a glimpse of what it was like in those days, so it's great for everybody. This special reunion spawned six shows in Japan and one in the States, and if you attended any of those shows, the experience is available for your re-living pleasure on the new CD/DVD release: Return To The East Live. With a title like that, and being that the album was recorded in Japan, the album feels like a sequel to Beast In The East.
The CD contains audio recordings of the many Dokken classics played live from the shows, and the DVD documents the band's first show back with the lineup at their only U.S. appearance at the Badlands Pawn in South Dakota. Before going into the live tracks, the album starts off with the first brand new studio track from the classic lineup in more than two decades: "It's Another Day". The song is a nice treat for both the old and new fans. It's a decent track, but I wouldn't call it amazing. The production is pretty raw though. This is not the only studio recording though. At the end of the album, there's two new acoustic versions of "Heaven Sent" and "Will The Sun Rise", and I think they did a great job.
It's no secret that Don's vocals aren't what they used to be. He suffered a torn vocal cord a few years back, and went against doctors orders to stop the tour, resulting in damage to his voice, but I give him credit for admitting his mistake. I also give him credit for making the wise decision to sing lower, rather than attempting to hit the high notes with his current vocal condition, because then it would've sounded just atrocious and would've been truly been embarrassing. It's also no secret that all live albums are edited in the studio before being released. If you watch the raw footage of any of the songs from the tour, you'll know that the vocals were seriously edited in the studio. If you listen to tracks like "Unchain The Night", "It's Not Love", "Breaking The Chains" and "In My Dreams" and compare the fan-filmed versions on YouTube to the versions on this album, you can really hear the difference in the vocals. George, Jeff and Mick however, sound fantastic musically.
Opinions will obviously differ about Don's vocals. Some people think he sounds decent and the band should keep going, while others believe that Don should hang it up. I think that whenever Dokken decides to call it a day, they should get the classic lineup back together for a proper good-bye. It doesn't have to be a tour, but just get them and the current lineup together for that final show. I know Don has gone on record to say that the classic lineup would not reunite again, but you never know.
Highs: All the Dokken classics played by those four guys again after all these years is amazing.
Lows: Some of Don's vocal performances.
Final Rating: 7/10
The CD contains audio recordings of the many Dokken classics played live from the shows, and the DVD documents the band's first show back with the lineup at their only U.S. appearance at the Badlands Pawn in South Dakota. Before going into the live tracks, the album starts off with the first brand new studio track from the classic lineup in more than two decades: "It's Another Day". The song is a nice treat for both the old and new fans. It's a decent track, but I wouldn't call it amazing. The production is pretty raw though. This is not the only studio recording though. At the end of the album, there's two new acoustic versions of "Heaven Sent" and "Will The Sun Rise", and I think they did a great job.
It's no secret that Don's vocals aren't what they used to be. He suffered a torn vocal cord a few years back, and went against doctors orders to stop the tour, resulting in damage to his voice, but I give him credit for admitting his mistake. I also give him credit for making the wise decision to sing lower, rather than attempting to hit the high notes with his current vocal condition, because then it would've sounded just atrocious and would've been truly been embarrassing. It's also no secret that all live albums are edited in the studio before being released. If you watch the raw footage of any of the songs from the tour, you'll know that the vocals were seriously edited in the studio. If you listen to tracks like "Unchain The Night", "It's Not Love", "Breaking The Chains" and "In My Dreams" and compare the fan-filmed versions on YouTube to the versions on this album, you can really hear the difference in the vocals. George, Jeff and Mick however, sound fantastic musically.
Opinions will obviously differ about Don's vocals. Some people think he sounds decent and the band should keep going, while others believe that Don should hang it up. I think that whenever Dokken decides to call it a day, they should get the classic lineup back together for a proper good-bye. It doesn't have to be a tour, but just get them and the current lineup together for that final show. I know Don has gone on record to say that the classic lineup would not reunite again, but you never know.
Highs: All the Dokken classics played by those four guys again after all these years is amazing.
Lows: Some of Don's vocal performances.
Final Rating: 7/10
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