Lightning Strikes Again

Dokken – Lightning Strikes Again

Another incredibly strong Dokken single with all the right touches. ‘Lightning Strikes Again’ is one of their faster more energetic feeling numbers with a lot of intensity, while ‘It’s not Love’ is a powerful love-song in that eloquent Dokken tradition. A majestic sound here, with two great tracks from the ‘Under Lock and Key’ sessions.

‘Lightning Strikes Again’ was one of the first Dokken tracks I heard and became incredibly fixated on it. Listening to it again now, I’m getting goose bumps – incredible, after all these years. Really a perfect blend of Don’s powerful, powerful vocals and the killer guitar skills of Lynch, not to mention solid performances by the other band members – this one has a majestic, mighty feel to it that is paralleled by so few other bands. Commentators say that Giuffria (feat. Craig Goldy from Dio) had a cinematic and majestic sound – I argue they haven’t heard Dokken! I enjoy the interesting backup vocals in the verses of this track – a nice touch that they don’t use in other numbers. The chorus in this one is the usual heart-wrenching style and is helped along by some well-mixed and deep bass riffage.

‘It’s Not Love’ is a relatively good number from the same album that interestingly, is positioned right after the preceding track on the full-length as well. -Strange. Anyway, this love-song benefits from some quality production with really clear sound coming out right from the intro. Incredibly three-dimensional guitars add to the feel. Typical love lyrics are given extra punch by the incredibly strong gang-chorus vocal backups and the soaring power of Dokken’s verse in the choruses. Dokken’s shifting delivery of the song adds dimension to it also, with quieter, differently delivered bits contrasting with loud energetic deliveries.

A great single with two strong numbers featured from the 1985 album ‘Under Lock and Key’. This one would serve as a pretty good intro to the ‘classic’ Dokken sound that had all but disappeared by the 1990s with feuds between Dokken and Lynch leading to some incredible turmoil. Really great sound throughout with tonnes of energy, with the centrepiece being the namesake himself: Dokken’s incredible vocals.

-DeathRiderDoom