REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: July 31, 2023

DOKKEN – Back For The Attack

Back to 1987 and what was the last of the four initial Dokken albums, and quite possibly their best. I’m a huge fan of The George, who is one the most gifted guitarists of his generation. There are lots of George’s solos and riffs to drool over on this album.

Kiss Of Death rips straight in, killer riff and groove to the song and the solo’s are killer. They could also write very good catchy singles and Prisoner is just that, a great hook but it’s that gang chorus that is the cherry on top. Standing In The Shadows is one of the band’s finest tunes. It has a killer George riff, simple groove, with a huge hook and chorus, and lots of George. My favourite track and George’s tour de force: Mr. Scary. It’s an instrumental that is just as iconic to him as Eruption was to EVH.

A great band, with a killer rhythm section, as well as the two main protagonists. It’s good to see Dokken still doing the rounds, but Don’s voice (which was never great) hasn’t aged very well. George however, is more prolific than he ever was. Great record!

9/10 from The Grooveman.


Well, summers here and I’m taking a little break until after Labour Day so I can escape my basement. Keep rockin’!!

PROTEST THE HERO – Fortress

A band that come not to far away from me in Southern Ontario. This album came out in 2008. If you like things on the heavier end of the Prog Metal spectrum then these guys could just be for you.

The album is split into three parts which is cool, but not so cool when the album does not have the track listing for you to follow. The tracks that really shake my tree are as follows, Bone Marrow which reminds a tad of British eccentrics The Cardiacs with lots of lovely changes and grooves to keep your brain engaged. As well, Sequoia Throne has many nods to old school thrash. My favourite track, Palms Read has multiple time and groove changes to keep the most twisted mind happy. And, the totally nuts a go go Wretch.

Great band that consistently put out top quality music.

9/10 from The Grooveman.