Iconic American rockers DOKKEN are set to unveil their 13th studio album, “Heaven Comes Down,” on October 27 through Silver Lining Music
Serving as the successor to 2012’s “Broken Bones,” this album was expertly produced by Bill Palmer and Don Dokken and skillfully mixed by Kevin Shirley, known for his work with AEROSMITH and IRON MAIDEN.
The official music video for the album’s second single, “Gypsy,” is available for viewing below. Collaborating extensively with Bill Palmer at his Santa Fe studio over the course of a year, DOKKEN‘s signature flavors remain as potent as ever. However, they’ve infused a touch of desert essence into “Heaven Comes Down,” lending the album a newfound depth not previously explored in the DOKKEN discography.
“While writing the new record, we had written a lot of music, but I sometimes got stuck with the lyrics so I decided to go camping,” explains Don. “I came across a woman wearing a lot of necklaces and jewelry. She was driving an old wagon with one horse and she was stuck in a hole. I asked her if she needed help, but she said, ‘No. The sun will be up soon.’ She had a fire going and invited me to have some food that was cooking in an old pot, so I did and we began to talk.
“She spoke in broken English and looked Navaho. There is a reservation here in New Mexico. The first thing she said to me was, ‘You make music,’ and I was intrigued by that, so we sat there for several hours and talked. She looked very old yet wise. She told me about her life living on the reservation and I told her about my life. She told me I had lost my way, which I found funny since she seemed to be lost but wasn’t. It was pitch black. She looked up and said, ‘The stars guide me,’ and started speaking Navaho. I found the experience very surreal.”
Don concludes: “I got my jack out of my truck and lifted up her wagon. We both gathered a lot of rocks and filled the hole so she could get her wagon unstuck, and then she just walked away and started to drive off without saying a word, but then she shouted back to me and said, ‘The sun is coming up… you need to go, the coyotes and mount lions will be hunting soon’… Very wise advice.”
If you’re craving some high-energy rock, look no further than “Fugitive,” featuring the shimmering guitar prowess of Jon Levin, a valued member of the band for over two decades. And for those yearning for heartfelt ballads, make your way to “I’ll Never Give Up,” which soars with its Coliseum-sized chorus, complemented by Levin’s remarkable solo. “Heaven Comes Down” consistently delivers on both fronts. “Just Like A Rose” effortlessly merges the Pacific Coast Highway with desert landscapes, propelled by smooth, irresistible rhythms.
Meanwhile, “Saving Grace” carries an enigmatic edge. Yet, it’s “Santa Fe” that stands out, as Don Dokken opens up with what can only be described as a “life-moment biography.” This stripped-down, acoustic arrangement provides the perfect backdrop for Dokken’s soulful, road-worn vocals, making it a potential career-defining moment for DOKKEN.
Don Dokken makes one thing abundantly clear: he is excited about his new record and the future, and wholly uninterested in revisiting a DOKKEN past which has centered too much on the off-stage and out-of-studio swirl.
“I’m so tired of hearing about the fighting and the ‘this’ and ‘that’… this is about a new record,” he declares, “a new record with my new band. It’s been a long process, but at the end of the day, I think we have lightning in a bottle.”
“Heaven Comes Down” will be released on CD digipak, 12-inch vinyl album in black and color variants, digital formats and special D2C products and bundles.
Track listing:
01. Fugitive
02. Gypsy
03. Is It Me Or You?
04. Just Like A Rose
05. I’ll Never Give Up
06. Saving Grace
07. Over The Mountain
08. I Remember
09. Lost In You
10. Santa Fe
According to Don, 15 songs were recorded for “Heaven Comes Down”, with the original plan to include all of them on the LP.
In August 2020, DOKKEN released an album titled “The Lost Songs: 1978-1981” through Silver Lining Music. This collection showcases material crafted and recorded by the eager and youthful Don Dokken as he embarked on a musical journey that spanned both Southern California and Northern Germany. The album features captivating sleeve art by the renowned U.S. artist Tokyo Hiro, known for his work with legends like MOTÖRHEAD and MOTLEY CRÜE.
Notably, DOKKEN‘s classic lineup, comprised of Don Dokken, guitarist George Lynch, bassist Jeff Pilson, and drummer “Wild” Mick Brown, reunited for a brief Japanese tour in October 2016. This marked a remarkable return to the stage for all four members, breaking a 21-year hiatus.
For fans eager to relive this memorable reunion tour, a DOKKEN concert DVD titled “Return To The East Live (2016)” was released in 2018, providing a captivating glimpse into their triumphant return to the live music scene.
