Dokken - Beast from the East

Dokken's demise came way to early, since 1989 gave us their farewell (at least, up to that point in time) album, Beast from the East, a live album that is a barrage of hard rock taking us all the way to the land of the rising sun. Lead singer Don Dokken, guitarist extraordinaire George Lynch, drummer "Wild" Mick Brown, and bassist and all-around great backup (and lead, too!) singer Jeff Pilson gave their fans a rib-cracking live album that I still consider to be one of the best released in the 1980's and hell, ever!

Granted, in interviews some members of the band have let the public know that there was some overdubbing done for the album, but it is strange to find a live release that doesn't have overdubbs. Thing is, anybody who is a fan of the band knows that these guys can play, and back in the 80's, Don Dokken could outsing pretty much anyone, with the exception of a few notables, such as Kiss' Paul Stanely, Journey's Steve Perry and Van Halen's (then) Sammy Hagar. The backing vocals done by Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown put to shame many a band's half-hearted live backing vocals. And then there's George Lynch, one of the best guitarists to be influenced by the great Eddie Van Halen. George's aggressivness is only surpassed by his unreal ability in his instrument. The way he sticks little solos in between chords is outstanding!

Beast from the East boasts such hits as Unchain the Night, Dream Warriors (from the Nightmare on Elm Street movie of the same name), It's Not Love, and the mega-80s hit In My Dreams. I could also mention Standing in the Shadows, which is sadly and pretty inexplicably kept out of the CD release but was available, along with two other songs, on the original cassette and LP versions.

Then there are those three standout tracks, Breaking the Chains, one of Dokken's earliest hits, the ballad Alone Again, and the only studio track of this album, the aptly-titled Walk Away. This live version of Breaking the Chains is a major contribution to the legacy of the band, and Don Dokken's voice is in top-notch form, hitting all the wailing high notes while regaining the veracity in his lower register. Alone Again comes to us with an introduction that doesn't appear in the original studio verion and makes it that much better. It simply hits you where it hurts. Walk Away is a great ballad that was to be Dokken's last single as a band in the 1980's and probably turned out to be the last video of their to be played on Mtv. Nonetheless, it's a great song anyway you look at it.

Reasons to own this album:

1) The sound of the crowd is important in a live album, and the Japanese fans here sound as if there were about 1,000,000 in attendance!
2) George Lynch's amazing guitar playing and Don Dokken's voice.
3) Probably the best live album released by a hard rock band in the 80's.

Beast from the East is a roaring lion that is a throwback to days when music and poses went hand in hand, but Dokken was always a band that showed that their poses were always accompanied by some of the best musicianship to come out of L.A.