Hell to Pay

Returning to a more focused direction after their somewhat less than inspired Long Way Home cd, Dokken have once again gotten back on the right track and recaptured the “Dokken sound” … albeit in a less energetic format. You can’t blame Lynch’s absence for the missing energy, though. Having recruited former Doro axeman to do an impressive Lynch impersonation on their new cd Hell To Pay, Dokken has made some really good songs with some really good guitar work. And while it’s definitely their most consistent effort in the last few years, it never reaches the heights of Dokken’s previous glory. Still, The Last Goodbye, Can You See and Escape are some damn good songs. --Scott