Back for the Attack

Template:For Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Under Lock and Key1985Beast from the East1988studioBack for the AttackDokken - Back for the Attack.jpgDokkenTemplate:Start dateDecember 1986,<ref name="Central">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
August 1987<ref name="Central" />Template:Flatlist*Glam metal

• heavy metal
• arena rock63:02ElektraNeil Kernonx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

Back for the Attack is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Dokken, released on November 2, 1987, through Elektra Records.

Back for the Attack was certified Gold and Platinum on January 14, 1988.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album sold about 1,5 million records worldwide.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

A remastered edition featuring a bonus track was reissued in 2009 through Warner Music Japan. It is the band's best-selling album, reaching No. 13 on the U.S. Billboard 200<ref name="Album">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and remaining on that chart for 33 weeks.<ref name="Billboard">[[[:Template:BillboardURLbyName]] "Dokken - Chart history"]. Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2015.</ref>

Three singles also charted on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart: "Dream Warriors" reached No. 22, "Prisoner" at No. 37, and "Burning Like a Flame" at No. 20 as well as No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100.<ref name="Singles">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The single "Dream Warriors" was originally released in February 10, 1987,<ref name="Central" /> as the theme song for the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.

The album title for Back for the Attack was taken from an earlier Dokken song of the same name, recorded during the sessions for Under Lock and Key (1985) and released as the B-side to "Dream Warriors". It was later included in the 2009 remastered edition of the album as a bonus track.

Critical reception

Barry Weber at AllMusic wrote that Back for the Attack "certainly isn't Dokken's greatest album, yet it remains a worthwhile listen". He praised the band for sounding "tighter than they ever have before", with frontman Don Dokken and guitarist George Lynch being "at the top of their game."<ref name="AllMusic" />

Canadian journalist Martin Popoff praised the album, which "offers length, variation and a sense of ambition as never before", and called it "one of those lost records brimming with bravado" but not so unique to be "one's life soundtrack". He added that the "excruciating" circumstances of its recording took their toll as the band tried to assemble "a more competent, mature, substantial record".<ref name="Martin" />

Paul Elliott at Classic Rock called it "arena rock with a heavy metal edge" and "an album filled with anthems", while remarking that "it was with this album that their glory days ended".<ref>Elliott, Paul (June 12, 2015). "Dokken: Back For The Attack". Classic Rock. Future. Retrieved May 2, 2024.</ref>

The album was ranked number 12 on Metal Rules list of the Top 50 Glam Metal Albums.<ref name="Rules">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Track listing

All Credits adapted from the original LP.<ref name="Credits">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

Personnel

All credits adapted from the original LP.<ref name="Credits" />

Dokken

• Don Dokken – lead vocals
• George Lynch – guitar
• Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals
• Wild Mick – drums, backing vocals

Production

• Neil Kernon – producer, engineer
• Toby Wright, Matt Freeman, Eddie Ashworth, Andy Udoff, Steve Klein, Stan Katayama – assistant engineers
• Steve Thompson, Michael Barbiero – mixing at Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York
• Bob Ludwig – mastering at Masterdisk, New York

Charts

Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart

Chart (1987–1988)	Peak position
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	18
Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	21
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}