SONGS REVIEWED: "Kiss Of Death"
WHENEVER A LIVE DISC CROSSES MY PATH, I TEND TO THUMB MY NOSE AT IT, AS THEY'RE NOT REALLY THE NOVELTY THEY USED TO BE. WHAT I MEAN IS, A "LIVE" ALBUM USED TO REPRESENT A CONCERT EVENT SO SUBSTANTIAL, THAT ONLY THE SELECT FEW ACTS WHO REALLY DESTROYED ON STAGE WOULD DARE RELEASE THEM. SURPRISINGLY, DOKKEN IS ONE OF THOSE ACTS.
WHAT I WAS MOST CURIOUS TO HEAR ON THIS DISC WAS HOW NEW ADDITION, REB BEACH SOUNDED LIKE PLAYING AN OLDER, GEORGE LYNCH-ERA DOKKEN TUNE. HE REALLY IS A VALUABLE ASSET TO THIS BAND; NOT ONLY DOES HE NAIL GEORGE'S LINES IN "KISS OF DEATH" NOTE-FOR-NOTE, BUT HE AUGMENTS THE SHIT OUT OF THE SONG WITH HIS OWN LICKS. WELL, LET'S ALL BE HONEST, REB WAS A FUCKING MONSTER PLAYER FOR YEARS BEFORE HE EVER GOT THIS GIG. HE WAS DOING SESSION WORK WITH TONS OF ARTISTS, AND THEN THERE WAS THAT LITTLE STINT IN WINGER... FOR A BALDING OLD FART, DON DOKKEN SINGS HIS ASS OFF ON THIS TUNE... IT'S NOT EASY TO SCREAM THOSE HIGH NOTES, AND IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE WAS MUCH OVERDUBBING DONE ON THIS SONG (IF ANY WAS DONE AT ALL)... SO IF HE'S PULLING THESE SONGS OFF LIVE THIS WELL EVERY NIGHT, I MUST TIP THE HAT TO DON. THE VOCAL HARMONIES ARE SOLID, TOO. AS A GROUP, THEY'RE REALLY TIGHT VOCALLY (YEAH, THERE'S SOME SPOTS LATER ON.. LIKE "IN MY DREAMS" WHERE THEY START TO SOUND LIKE A TRAIN WRECK)... THE BIG BITCH IS THAT THEY'RE ON CMC INTERNATIONAL... WHICH MEANS ONLY ABOUT TWELVE PEOPLE WILL EVER HEAR THIS DISC. TWELVE MORE THAN WOULD HAVE HEARD IT OTHERWISE, I SUPPOSE.
