In 1984, Dokken unleashed their sophomore effort to hungry metal fans that knew this band had more to offer after Dokken's lukewarm debut. What they got was a stunning record that was a huge step forward in all aspects. 'Tooth And Nail' was a model for early 80's metal and proved that Dokken was more than just another sub-par act trying to break out of the budding Hollywood metal scene.

After the swelling intro of "Without Warning", the album fires off the title track which is a blistering exhibition in Guitar Shredding 101 by one of my all-time favorite guitarists, George Lynch. His all out display of speedy hammer-ons, pull-offs and fingertapping is frighteningly exquisite. I recently caught a performance by George and his own band, Lynch Mob, and they opening the set with "Tooth And Nail" in which George exceeded the fury captured on the recorded version. Definitely something I'll never forget as I stood 3 feet away as he pulled it off.

The next track, "Just Got Lucky", was an early example of Dokken's pop metal leanings with its simple yet catchy riffs. The power ballad "Alone Again" is easily the most popular track off 'Tooth And Nail' and definitely the most commercial. That's always been a favorite of mine to play on guitar since it includes both a soft side and hard side. It's an excellent tune and one of Dokken's best ever. This album is filled with Dokken classics and there's really not a bad tune to be found.

I could very well go on and on about this disc because I love it so much. It transcends my penchant for 80's metal because it's so well crafted. Dokken teetered on the line between heavy metal and pop metal on this one and that's when I've enjoyed them the most, when they've kept the pop flavorings to a minimum. I'm not saying I dislike the pop metal niche Dokken carved out for themselves in the 80's, but they've always had an aggressive side that for the most part wasn't utilized enough on subsequent releases.

Overall, this album is more raw and intense than anything this band has done and I can't recommend it enough to 80's heavy metal and pop metal fans. All axe-slingers should take notice (in case you missed this one) because 'Tooth And Nail' features some incredible George Lynch leads at a time when he thought he was average at best being unschooled and all. (Yeah, whatever!) If only this album was longer!

Track Listing:
1. Without Warning
2. Tooth And Nail
3. Just Got Lucky
4. Heartless Heart
5. Don't Close Your Eyes
6. When Heaven Comes Down
7. Into The Fire
8. Bullets To Spare
9. Alone Again
10. Turn On The Action



Recommended: Yes