Considered their first full band effort after Dokken reunited in 1994, this is another big disappointment. Whereas on Dokken's previous Dysfunctional studio album (which also missed the mark) when all the songs were already written and George Lynch just stepped in to provide the solos, 1997's Shadowlife was Dokken's first attempt at making a record together since their heyday in the mid to late 80's.

Unfortunately, the combined talents of these fine musicians doesn't work this time around and the result is an inferior disc of weak tunes compared to their back catalog of heavy rotation hard rock hits. Even with the addition of George Lynch to round out the songwriting, the album falls flat as a wet noodle. OK, that's not fair. A wet noodle is actually a tad more exciting than this CD. Lynch, who's one of my all-time favorite guitarists and known for his electrifying playing, sounds uninspired as though he's just going through the motions. Tell me it's not true. Can this album be that bad?

Shadowlife is well below what I expect from a band that graced FM airwaves across the country during the 80's. It sounds as though Dokken is forcing this one while the same time, reaching for commercial appeal. They certainly fail on the latter account as none of these tunes are worthy of airplay with the exception of "Bitter Regret" which is the best track and the most reminiscent of their early style. Don Dokken's soft vocal approach seems only natural over Lynch's acoustic guitar. It's ironic that this song is the best the track on the album that would be their last together.

But I expect more than a well-constructed ballad from this band noted for its poetic lyrics and hard rock grooves. One thing this CD did prove was that George Lynch and Don Dokken could not come back together and make a successful record again. The heart and soul of Dokken have always been these two and it was their continual conflicts that originally tore the band apart. I fully expected that once they settled their differences, they'd get back to producing the music that once made them famous in the pop metal world. I was wrong.

While not 100% terrible, this disc falls into the trappings of trying to be too much of everything and not enough of any one thing, which in this case, is Dokken's knack for writing songs with hooks you enjoy hearing over and over. There's nothing memorable about Shadowlife other than it's most likely the last time we'll see Don and George working together. At one time, the friction between these two created some unforgettable classic pop metal. Now it just leaves you wondering why they even bothered reuniting.

As much as I have loved this band over the years, I cannot recommend this CD. This disc just plods along and I find myself more happy when it's over than when it starts. This one is for hardcore Dokken fans only, although I wouldn't be surprised if they felt the same way as I do. It is true; not even Lynch's command of the guitar can save this one.

I honestly didn't expect to write so much about a CD I truly dislike. The only thing I say is that I really love this band and could go on and on about them even when they've let me down. I know they meant well when they made this but I'm sorry to say that it just doesn't work for me.

Track Listing:
1. Puppet On A String
2. Cracks In The Ground
3. Sky Beneath My Feet
4. Until I Know
5. Hello
6. Convenience Store Messiah
7. I Feel
8. Here I Stand
9. Hard To Believe
10. Sweet Life
11. Bitter Regret
12. I Don't Mind
13. Until I Know (Slight Return)



Recommended: No