Back for the Attack

Back for the Attack is a monumental masterpiece on which Don Dokken’s soaring, beautiful singing and George Lynch’s sharp, cutting guitar draw each other out as strongly as possible. One of their signature works, inscribing the band’s commercial peak. The riffs are hard and the solos extremely technical, yet at the songs’ center firmly singable, beautiful melody is always powerfully placed. A more aggressive, refined record. From the weighty opener “Kiss of Death” and the dramatic popular “Dream Warriors,” which became the theme of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3, to a cut like “Prisoner,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Heaven Sent” and the instrumental “Mr. Scary,” bursting with Lynch’s virtuosity, convey the work’s fullness. In particular, “Mr. Scary” gained immense support from guitarists. A record on which, from the weight of “Kiss of Death” to the dramatic hook of “Dream Warriors,” the album moves between aggression and sure refinement without strain and powerfully. It splendidly pulls each player’s overwhelming strength together into a sure immediacy as a band. A powerful, engaging masterpiece adorning the peak of Dokken’s golden age — an essential record for fans.