Nightfly When Dokken split for the first time guitarist George Lynch shortly after put together Lynch Mob which included Dokken drummer Mick Brown in the original line-up. Their first two albums, Wicked Sensation in particular, were excellent melodic metal/hard rock albums that equalled if not even bettered anything Dokken had released. Since then Lynch has released a number of albums, some as Lynch Mob, with mixed results though nothing matching those first two post Dokken albums. The low point was Smoke This, a rap metal album released in 1999.

Rebel features vocalist Oni Logan who returned for 2009’s Smoke And Mirrors and it has to be said that Lynch Mob seem to raise their game when he’s around, a fine singer in the classic rock tradition. I’m pleased to say that Rebel is also their best album since their eponymous second album. It opens with Automatic Fix, a mid-paced slab of melodic metal featuring a classic twisting Lynch riff and solo and sets a high benchmark for the rest of the album which it never quite manages to reach. That’s no poor reflection on the other 10 songs - there are some fine moments for sure but Automatic Fix sets the bar so high. Naturally Lynch turns in a fine performance as always but more importantly he’s come up with his strongest hook laden collection of riffs for some time and this album really grooves.

The production is really good, highlighting the strong performances of all – the rhythm section of Jeff Pilson – bass (also ex-Dokken) and Brian Tichy (ex-Whitesnake) - drums is unfussy but solid as a rock though Tichy throws in some excellent fills when required. Logan’s voice is the icing on the cake – just as good as he was on Wicked Sensation 25 years ago and hasn’t lost any of his range or power.

Rebel is sure to delight Lynch Mob fans - whilst they are unlikely to ever match that debut this will do very nicely for now and as good as you could hope for.

Stephen As I didn't expect any classic Dokken reunion soon back in 2009, the return of Lynch Mob with original singer, Oni Logan, is also a surprising move that really sparks my interest. I'm one of Lynch's biggest fans, so without any hesitation, I rushed to buy this out as soon as it's released. My impression is a bit mixed as even no sign of degradation in George's technique and Logan's pipe, the whole songwriting goodies are kinda blurry and felt flat.

Some songs are really strong, just like the explosive opener, "21st Century Man", the wacky guitars coupled with stunning vocal is simply unbeatable. "My Kind of Healer" is a good groovy toe-tapper track with some crunchy riffs. The last section of the album also contained many killers such as "Where Do You Sleep At Night" with a tight harmonic vocal, classy composition, and check out Logan's marvelous vocal delivery, he nailed it magically well; "Madly Backwards", a raucious headbanger tune; "We Will Remain", a fine melodic metal in a very-aggressive stance; and "Before I Close My Eyes", is the most radio-friendly track of the album, and also one of my big fave.

While half of the tracks are great, the rest are totally average, if not poor. Take some examples, "Time Keepers", Lynch's solo is stunning but the whole song is passable, or "Let The Music Be Your Master", it's like they're just jamming in the studio with no direction. Or maybe, "The Phacist", another decent filler in my book. I expected more out of "Smoke And Mirrors" but kinda disappointed in some ways. However, I raised a glass of beer for their versatile musicianship and the crystal clear production. If only those weaker songs are crafted better, I'd award them more, but for now, 3.5 stars is good enough.

Stephen The follow-up album to the debut "Wicked Sensation" was released in 1992 by Elektra only to flop in sales after grunge hit the airwaves and record stores. Though the debut was considered their best work by many fans, in my opinion, this is the peak performance of post-Dokken era of George Lynch in terms of songwriting capacity and musical exploration. Robert Mason, who came from nowhere and later joined the blues-based band called Cry of Love, also has a better voice than the former Oni Logan, either in studio or live.

Lynch composed the whole songs in this album and created many explosive tracks such as "Tangled In The Web", "No Good", and "When Darkness Calls" that burst out George's ultimate solos. The tribute to Freddie Mercury in "Tie Your Mother Down" is also considered one of the best cover song of all time. I also have a great fond of the dark and mysterious ballad "Dream Until Tomorrow", the heart-screamer "Cold Is The Heart", and the Dokken-fueled "I Want It". All in all, this is one hell of an album, a new level of Lynch Mob, a classic!

NJCat_11 Following his departure from legendary Glam Metal band Dokken, George Lynch didn't lose any of his swagger, as this album is chalk full of the groovy guitar riffs any Dokken fan can recognize.

Covering the vocal duties for this debut, Oni Logan is a step up from Don Dokken when it comes to the clarity of his voice, however, he tends to be a bit too generic, lacking the raw emotion that Don had (and still has). As with most Glam Metal bands though, the vocals are still very good, as generic as they may be.

My favorite tracks here are the first and the last, being the title track and "Street Fightin' Man." All the songs in-between are great as well, especially if you like the man the band is named for.