Dokken - Tooth and Nail
On September 14, 1984, "Dokken" released "Tooth and Nail", their second studio album and the record that turned a nearly lost promise into one of the leading melodic metal bands of the 1980s.
A year earlier, "Dokken" had released "Breaking the Chains" in the United States. Sales fell short of "Elektra"'s expectations, and the label's executives were reluctant to fund another attempt. The band's management had to fight for a second chance, a struggle reflected in the title "Tooth and Nail": this time, they were determined to hold on with everything they had.
The lineup had changed, too. Juan Croucier left to join "Ratt", and Jeff Pilson took his place. Alongside him were Don Dokken on vocals, George Lynch on guitar and Mick Brown on drums. This was the band's classic lineup, four musicians whose chemistry was almost as volatile as the tensions threatening to tear them apart.
The album was recorded between April and August 1984 at "Cherokee Studios" in Hollywood. Producer Tom Werman tried to keep Don Dokken and George Lynch apart, even arranging separate working hours so they would not be in the studio together. Following a heated clash over Lynch's solos, Werman left. Roy Thomas Baker, who had already worked with "Queen" and "The Cars", joined in an attempt to get the sessions back on track, while Michael Wagener helped complete the recordings and mix the album.
Out of that chaos came a remarkably focused sound. On one side was the European metal Don Dokken loved, with influences from "Judas Priest" and "Saxon". On the other were big melodies, rich vocal harmonies and choruses made for radio and MTV. Towering over it all was George Lynch's guitar, wild and deliberate at once, full of sharp riffs and solos that told a story rather than simply showing off his speed.
"Without Warning" is a brief instrumental opener that builds tension before the riff of "Tooth and Nail" tears in without asking permission. The title track is a fast, aggressive declaration of survival, with Mick Brown driving the band forward and Lynch unleashing a dizzying solo that immediately marks him out as a different kind of guitarist.
"Just Got Lucky" balances that power with a bright melody and an irresistible chorus, but the guitar still bites. Its video was filmed in Hawaii while the band was touring with "Dio". Lynch played his solo on an active volcano, and as the heat and steam began to rise, park rangers ordered the crew to leave. Shortly after they took off, the volcano erupted, and the camera crew circled it from the air to capture that moment, too.
"Heartless Heart" keeps things moving with straightforward melodic hard rock, while "Don't Close Your Eyes" eases the pace slightly and makes room for Don Dokken's more vulnerable side. Make no mistake, these are not filler tracks. They keep the album engaging between the big hits and show how well the band already understood the tension between toughness and emotion.
"When Heaven Comes Down" takes the album back into heavier, more menacing territory, with a fierce riff and an almost apocalyptic atmosphere. It is followed by "Into the Fire", one of "Dokken"'s signature songs. The dark melody, the lift in the chorus and Lynch's polished solo create a heavy, brooding track with a chorus that is easy to get swept up in. It reached No. 21 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and later appeared in the film "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors".
"Bullets to Spare" is a rougher-edged track, with a heavy beat and none of the instantly catchy choruses that define the singles. It gives way to "Alone Again", the ballad that changed the album's fortunes. Don Dokken wrote its earliest version back in 1975 and brought it back to life nearly a decade later with Jeff Pilson. The song makes no attempt to hide its heartbreak. The voice sounds genuinely lonely, the keyboards leave room to breathe, and Lynch's solo turns pain into melody. The single reached No. 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 20 on the Mainstream Rock chart, while its video gave the album the commercial boost it needed.
"Turn on the Action" closes the album with one last fast, noisy charge. After the big ballad, the band chooses not to bow out gently but to remind us where they came from: four hungry musicians, a skeptical record label and the feeling that this might be their last chance.
"Tooth and Nail" was not an overnight hit. It gradually climbed to No. 49 on the US album chart, went Gold in August 1985 and was finally certified Platinum in March 1989. That slow-building success showed that listeners had discovered more than a handful of good singles. They had found a band with an identity of its own. The meeting of Don Dokken's melodic voice and George Lynch's fire created a tension that could not be faked.
Four decades after its release, "Tooth and Nail" still sounds like the moment "Dokken" discovered that their internal contradictions were also a source of strength. It is melodic without being soft, virtuosic without losing sight of the songs, and full of the hunger of a band with plenty left to prove. Sometimes a band with its back against the wall plays as though its life depends on every note. That is exactly what happened here.
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