Review Summary: Nobody else can bind me
Breaking the Chains has the sort of scrappy exuberance that one would expect from a debut album, but the circumstances behind its creation are a little more convoluted than most. Initially recorded in 1981 as lead singer Don Dokken’s solo album, having gotten his foot in the door as a Blackout-era Scorpions understudy, it also included a ragtag of musicians from Ratt, Xciter, and even Accept’s Peter Baltes in spots. While the final version released in 1983 featured an attempt at a more polished remix and a consolidated lineup that included guitarist George Lynch, drummer Mick Brown, and one-time bassist Juan Croucier, one can still find traces of those murky origins.
However, Breaking the Chains also establishes the strong ear for melody that would give Dokken multiple hits over the next decade. The opening title track is the first of these staples, kicking off with a headstrong stomp that sees the verses’ vocals weave around its chugging riff and infectiously motivated lines in the chorus. “I Can’t See You” and “In the Middle” also benefit from that melodicism, the former working as a sturdy up-tempo number with a catchy layered chorus and the latter halting the momentum with some cleaner textures and a restrained rhythm that’s just heavy enough to keep from going into ballad territory.
Speaking of heavy, that rough-around-the-edges execution also invites a more aggressive feel than many of their pending peers in the hair metal scenes combined with Lynch’s post-Van Halen shredding prowess. “Night Rider” reaches the driving speeds that wouldn’t be too out of place under Judas Priest’s wheels while “Live to Rock (Rock to Live)” is a pounding onslaught between the chorus’s call-and-response gang shouts and drums whose booming echoes are dated but powerful. It all culminates with the closing “Paris is Burning,” a live recording that brilliantly conveys the scorching riffs and soaring chorus that make it another early highlight.
Alas, the album is rounded out and brought down by some lesser tracks. “Felony” and “Young Girls” are burdened with lyrics detailing the sort of teenage dalliances that make for some icky listening; the former somewhat makes up for it with a memorable chorus and funky shuffle (though the “she was just a CHIIIIILD” falsetto toward the end doesn’t exactly help) while the latter doesn’t offer anything too exceptional beyond its weirdly crisp guitar tone. Similar could be said for “Stick to Your Guns,” a decent rocker that forces the sort of hook that subsequent anthems would exert with much more conviction.
While the growing pains on Breaking the Chains can make it fall short of essential glam metal status, there’s ultimately enough going for it to be grouped in as a solid start of Dokken’s classic era. The band was still clearly finding its footing, showing off their individual talents nicely but still feeling out their chemistry as a group, and the production lacks the certain oomph that would’ve pushed it further. But at the same time, the songwriting offers plenty of potential with enough highlights already on display. It may be overshadowed by the promise of better albums to come, but there’s enough underdog appeal to make up for its shortcomings.
