A new year is finally, blessedly, bringing us some new music. After too long away, we’ve got new jazz, new indie pop, new metal and a sleighful of notable reissues to delve into.

What do you get when you mix the three original members of Dokken who were not named Don Dokken with drummer Brian Tichy and guest shots from a few of the best singers in the hard rock realm? A surprisingly solid and vibrant record.

As I look back over 2011′s releases, I realize that maybe it wasn’t quite as good a year in the metal world as I thought.