When their debut album Breaking The Chains stiffed in the US, Dokken’s record deal with Elektra was on thin ice. Backs against the wall, the band would have to fight Tooth And Nail (see what they did there?) to keep their rokken roll dream alive. But when they should have been forming a united front, the band members were fighting among themselves. Producer Tom Werman decided early on that he’d had enough and the band had to complete the record the only way they could. Separately. Guitars, drums and bass were finished up with Roy Thomas Baker during the day, while frontman Don Dokken recorded alone with Michael Wagener during the night.
Fortunately the struggling, warring band had some top notch material to draw from. Superb L.A. glam meets Ozzy/Scorpions-style Euro metal. A lush and ominous guitar intro leads into the superb thrashabout title track. Just Got Lucky and Into The Fire have humungous raunchy hooks. Alone Again is classy manfeels and When Heaven Comes Down is a heavy, stately centrepiece.
And, amazingly, considering the fractious nature of the album’s creation, it’s the raw, live vibe and delivery that is the real magic on Tooth And Nail. There’s a moment in Heartless Heart where a drum and vocal bridge suddenly explodes into harmonised arena rock heaven. It sounds like a band playing the gig of their lives, having their moment of world-beating peak performance flow. George Lynch firing off godly guitar licks left, right and centre and Don, aloof and weedy on the debut album, now generating massive sparks of excitement with committed and charismatic ease. Tearing it up in the daytime, burning it down at night, straight to the top… Tooth And Nail is the sound of a band fighting for their lives and winning heroically.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
Great writeup Scott!
This was my intro to Dokken and it for sure is a great album. Slick move to include Heartless Heart a track that is one of those Gems that no one ever writes about until today!
Awesome!
I reviewed this one a ways back and always giggled at Curious Georges banana colour hairdo!
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Thanks Deke! It’s such a cool track, always gets me going every time a hear it. And LOL at Curious George! I always thought it looked like a seagull had shat on him personally.
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ha…Shithawks as Ladano calls em!
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I like the sound of this one. Wee bit grittier than Back for the Attack, eh?
That Rock Candy are pretty good with the reissues, huh? I have the Burning Tree one they done, which is pretty great.
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I really like the RC ones too. They pick some great albums. This one is better than BFTA. They were running out of steam on that one a little. It’s all too mid-tempo much of a muchness. This one and Under Lock and Key are the goodies.
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I’ll keep an eye out for those two, then. For what it’s worth, I think the first side of BFTA is great.
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It’s got brilliant songs on it definitely. Just too much filler eh?
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Second side loses steam. Probably a bit too long… and the Dream Warriors track is pretty rotten.
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Hehe I quite like that one.
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Haha! I knew you’d say that!
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HMO, I now hope to one day write a lushly ominous (or ominously lush) guitar intro!
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Many have tried…
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Great write-up and great album. I love ‘When Heaven Comes Down’ and the title-track especially.
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Those are definitely highlights. Awesome tunes.
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I have this (completely erroneous, I know) image in my head of bands in studios, everyone contributing, everyone getting along, perfect moments being captured on tape and high fives all around. That’s how I’d want it to be, anyway. That these couldn’t even man up and do their frickin’ JOB without being children about it and needing to be seperated (like children) makes me tired.
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I don’t get it either. It’s beyond childish. Get a real job and let someone else have a go.
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First band I ever saw live, still haven’t bought anything of theirs though. Maybe this would be a place to start.
If only Rock Candy got with us vinyl hipsters.
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If I ever come across a vinyl copy, it’s yours. When did you see them?
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Supporting AC/DC at Wembley – I vaguely remember the drummer beign in some sort of cage-type contraption.
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Probably just to protect himself from his bandmates.
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Haha Definitely. I love all those metal soap operas from the 80’s – you just don’t seem to get them these days.
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It’s entertaining but tiring too, like Aaron says. Reading through the liner notes of the Dokken albums and the amount of drama… no need. I doubt Dokken were probably really any worse than a lot of others though. I think they probably just didn’t bother to hide it like other bands?
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I have a Nuclear Assault LP here for you too.
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Ooohhh
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… Ahh – Just a little bit!
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Poetry.
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Damn you, Scott. I didn’t even KNOW about this release. Going to look for an affordable copy now. Fuckin’ ‘ell!
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First four Dokken albums (and Beast From The East) have all been done by Rock Candy.
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Stop it! Stop stop stop it!
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Tight write up, Scott. Tooth and Nail is major ear worm territory for me. I gotta be careful re-visiting it. That vocal harmony section in Heartless Heart is crafty. I think the old cassette’s artwork wasn’t bad either. https://www.discogs.com/Dokken-Tooth-And-Nail/release/4099537
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