Dokken - Heaven Comes Down / New album coming October 27, 2023

[Metal T]

'Gypsy' sounds pretty awesome.Don sounds good! Sounds like he's got Mark Boals on board again for the backing vox.Jon Levin plays circles around alot of players these days and doesn't get credit for it.Looking forward to the record and seeing Don and Co. live'  when they come through in November...

[Captain Howdy]

 

[whiplash1972]

Don discussing the new song and his lyric writing over the years 

 

[whiplash1972]

Entire album is up on YouTube now:

I haven’t had a chance to listen to all the tracks , but this one has really got my attention… loving it!

 

[lettard]

Mine should arrive today  

[Geoff]

Hate to be the doomsday parade, but sadly I don't like it one bit. The way in which the songs are delivered seems to cater to Don's vocals these days, and that part I can appreciate. Sadly, I just don't like any of the songs. 

I have no issues with Don's vocals for what they are, Levin sounds great but the production job really lets the rhythm section down. Weak drum sound doesn't do the album any favours when the songs are really struggling to deliver any punch as they are. 

Listened to a couple of reviews on this yesterday and both were a lot kinder than my ears were. Simply put, I just don't personally like any of the songs at all. They're subdued and restrained, but more than that, there's just no half decent hook, the choruses don't grab me whatsoever, and the verses just plod along. No part of any song interests me. Maybe the solos, but it's a struggle to make it that far on any of these tunes. 

It's sad to say. You can definitely look at it glass half full and say it's better than this or that, but comparing it to other poor albums doesn't work for me. Reality is I'll never play any song off this again, regardless of if it's better than another bad recent Dokken album or not. I was thinking about this the other day, and I'd probably have to go back to 'Erase The Slate' to find the last keeper track Dokken recorded, imo. That's a long time ago now... 

If I was pressed I'd say the best two tracks are 'Fugitive,' which is about as close to vintage Dokken as I think we can ever expect again, and the ballad 'I'll Never Give Up' is probably the track that suits everything about the band at the moment best. Relaxed vocals from Don, poor production not as vital for a softer song, and overall it just caters to how laid back the band is in 2023. 

[nyoilers]

6 hours ago, Geoff said:

Reality is I'll never play any song off this again

I happen to like this one and it might shock you but I like it even better than King Kobra We Are Warriors

[Geoff]

8 hours ago, nyoilers said:

I happen to like this one and it might shock you but I like it even better than King Kobra We Are Warriors

Lol. Well that’s one thing it’s got going for it, at least. Ten times better than King Kobra, imo. 

[tts42572]

On 10/31/2023 at 5:25 AM, Geoff said:

Hate to be the doomsday parade, but sadly I don't like it one bit. The way in which the songs are delivered seems to cater to Don's vocals these days, and that part I can appreciate. Sadly, I just don't like any of the songs. 

I have no issues with Don's vocals for what they are, Levin sounds great but the production job really lets the rhythm section down. Weak drum sound doesn't do the album any favours when the songs are really struggling to deliver any punch as they are. 

Listened to a couple of reviews on this yesterday and both were a lot kinder than my ears were. Simply put, I just don't personally like any of the songs at all. They're subdued and restrained, but more than that, there's just no half decent hook, the choruses don't grab me whatsoever, and the verses just plod along. No part of any song interests me. Maybe the solos, but it's a struggle to make it that far on any of these tunes. 

It's sad to say. You can definitely look at it glass half full and say it's better than this or that, but comparing it to other poor albums doesn't work for me. Reality is I'll never play any song off this again, regardless of if it's better than another bad recent Dokken album or not. I was thinking about this the other day, and I'd probably have to go back to 'Erase The Slate' to find the last keeper track Dokken recorded, imo. That's a long time ago now... 

If I was pressed I'd say the best two tracks are 'Fugitive,' which is about as close to vintage Dokken as I think we can ever expect again, and the ballad 'I'll Never Give Up' is probably the track that suits everything about the band at the moment best. Relaxed vocals from Don, poor production not as vital for a softer song, and overall it just caters to how laid back the band is in 2023. 

I'd say basically all the same about this.

I appreciate the attempt and I don't really even think Don did all that bad vocally here all things considered.  For me though, the songs just needed more.  Add some harmonies, backing vocals and other hooks that would help these songs soar a bit.  Give me some "It's Not Love" style chants or something.

It's just too reserved and comes off as pretty dull and boring.  They could've added more to this to sort of take the focus and pressure off Don vocally IMO.

[gooup]

Have to agree with Geoff. The drums are miles in the back of the mix ... no punch.

[Captain Holly]

I had high hopes for this record. I really did. After giving it a good listen I agree it is bland and very boring. Fugitive is a fairly good song but that's about it. Don deserves the credit for trying but this record is just a dud.

C.H.

[whiplash1972]

As a longtime Dokken fanboy, I've tried not to let my thoughts be overly colored by "nostalgia goggles", but I must say, particularly with my highly tempered expectations, I'm thrilled with what Don and company have achieved here.

I think for now, as opposed to a full-scale review, I'll give some observations and opinions...

The three "singles" are all good, mid tempo rockers, which I feel were probably picked because Don feels he has a better chance of pulling them off live (he's said he wants to incorporate 2-3 new songs into their setlist). With that said, they're not the strongest tracks on the album.

The 4 track run of "Is It Me or You?", "Just Like a Rose", the ballad "I'll Never Give Up", and "Saving Grace" is my favorite part of the album by far. I thoroughly enjoy all these songs, especially "Saving Grace". "I Remember" is a favorite as well. 

The last two tracks kinda lose me. I just don't care for "Lost in You", and while "Sante Fe" doesn't suck (I actually really enjoy the story it tells), it's more akin to something you'd hear on Don's "Solitary" solo release. Coincidentally, it's also the only track where Don is credited as having written it by himself as opposed to the rest of the album, which was written by Don and Jon Levin together. 

Just as I expected, Jon Levin is who really shines here. He's an excellent guitarist, and has carried on with the Dokken guitar sound that George Lynch established perfectly. Also, he's actually been in the band longer than George was at this point. 

Even though I knew ahead of time that Don's vocals would be "enhanced" in the studio, they're still quite a bit better than I expected. He sounds fine here, and works within his limits (which he is very aware of).

The "Heaven Comes Down" cover artwork is credited to bassist Chris McCarvill, with 2 others credited with "additional artwork". Previous release "The Lost Songs: 1978-1981" credits Tokyo Hiro ( Facebook ) with the cover art.    

"Heaven Comes Down" features probably the most diverse lyrics of Don's career. As he's said himself, alot of his songs reference love lost, love found, and love lost & found, but he branches out quite a bit here. 

In my opinion, if this does turn out to be Dokken's final album, it's a stronger, more fitting exit than 2012's "Broken Bones" would have been.

All in all, I'm very happy with this one, and you'll be seeing me discuss it more in the not too distant future. 

*I guess that was pretty close to a review....  

 

 

 

[nyoilers]

On 11/2/2023 at 2:15 AM, whiplash1972 said:

Sante Fe

I think this is one of the top songs on this release. Probably because it does sound a little different.

[Metal T]

IMO - The final mix is effectively worse then the last 3 Levin-era records...did 'Silver Lining Music' even give them a budget?  Frontiers (the label that most seem to hate) sure as hell did.Don said they got peanuts from the label to even shoot a vid so he had to call in some favors w/ industry folks who were 'Dokken Fans'.....

Have zero problem w/  the songs,vocals,performances thus far....will give my thoughts on the main site after ive absorbed it all...