Tag: the end machine

So, this is album number three from this Fontiers project band, and with a change of vocalist. Here they introduce Girish Pradhan from another Frontiers’ band, Girish And The Chronicles. Now, this guy can sing and he is a great addition. I think the original brief was for George and Jeff with Mick Brown to revisit that classic Dokken sound and I think they have achieved that especially on this record.

Black Hole Extinction opens up the album and it’s a belter of a tune. It’s got a classic George riff and that Dokken groove with Girish delivering with the vocal. It’s favourite track time next with Silent Winter. Killer opening with George ripping at the intro before the song blasts in with a killer uptempo groove and superb hook and chorus. Killer Of The Night follows and it has a more laid back groove and vibe but the vocal and harmonies are excellent. Hell Or High Water keeps the pedal to the floor with a high octane opening with Girish hitting all the notes. I love George’s guitar tone.

Stand Up has a much slower groove and is the one song that doesn’t quite do it for me, although I love the solo. Burning Man has a slow bluesy groove with Girish delivering a killer vocal, ranging from the full on power to the beautiful clean and quiet. Shattered Glass Heart is classic Dokken (musically,) but with a much more powerful vocal. I love the intro to Time, it has a great riff and some tasty George guitar. Hunted sees Girish giving it the full power Glen Hughes vocal assault with a killer solo from George.

The one thing this record has an overload of is killer intros, and Stranger In The Mirror is no exception. It has a killer intro and that guitar sound is off the hook, plus what a great middle eight and run out. We close out the album with Into The Blazing Sun. This one is all about George. Great solo and again, what a tone.

I hope George keeps making music after the Lynch Mob farewell tour is over as it will be a sad day when he stops.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

According to George Lynch, this is an intentional return to the original Dokken sound – just without Don Dokken on vocals. The vocals are handled by Robert Mason who (just to confuse you) was the vocalist in Lynch Mob. So why not call it Lynch Mob I hear you ask? Well, with the BLM movement so very prominent around the world, George thought it would be disrespectful to use that has a band name again.

I’m not sure what Don made of this album and the one before, but the music on offer here is way better than anything Dokken have put out since Under Lock And Key. There is not a bad song on this album, and Robert Mason is a great vocalist – plus with Jeff Pilson doing harmonies, it’s a sure fire winner. I’m a big fan of George Lynch and he does not disappoint on this album, his playing and tone just hits the spot for me. There are so many great tracks on this album, We Walk Alone, Dark Divide, Shine Your Light, and the totally awesome Devil’s Playground.

If you were a Dokken fan, or just love great melodic rock, you should really own this record.

10/10 from The Grooveman.