Album review: DOKKEN – Return To The East Live 2016

Frontiers [Release date 20.04.18]

Well, where can I start? Dokken’s classic line up disbanded in 1989, got back together in 1993 but split again five years later. They then reformed for a short spell in 2016 for some live dates in Japan, and it was during this brief time that new live album “Return To The East” was recorded.

There is a lot of internet chatter regarding Don Dokken’s live vocal performance, however, on the album this not as bad as I had feared. Admittedly, on the band’s first recorded studio song in over 20 years “It’s Another Day” it fares better than the live material.

Throughout the live show the music is absolutely bang on with drummer Mick Brown and returning bassist Jeff Pilson and guitarist George Lynch sounding like they had never been apart. “Kiss Of Death”, “The Hunter”, “It’s Not Love”, “In My Dreams” , “Into The Fire” and “Unchain The Night” all sound great, unfortunately “Breakin’ The Chains” is slightly let down by the vocals.

The album come with two bonus tracks, these being acoustic studio versions of “Heaven Sent” and “Will The Sun Rise”, both of which sound good and work well. There is also a DVD and this includes a behind the scenes featurette.

Whilst Dokken continue to tour with a different line up, it is good to see the classic line up in action here. ***

Review by Nikk Gunns

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