by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Like 1995's Dysfunctional, Shadow Life captures the reunited Dokken going through the motions. The band sounds tighter than before, due to a year of touring and also the talents of producer Kelly Gray, but the group still has trouble writing memorable hooks and songs. In such a setting, George Lynch still shines -- after all, he doesn't need a full song to demonstrate his technical prowess -- but the lack of real songs makes Shadow Life a chore.