LETHAL — Your Favorite God (review)

LETHAL — Your Favorite God album cover EP · 1995 · US Power Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Your Favorite God" is an EP release by US progressive/power metal act Lethal. The EP was released through Massacre Records in 1995 and bridges the gap between the band´s debut and second full-length studio albums "Programmed (1990)" and "Poison Seed (1996)". There´s been one lineup change since the debut album as guitarist Dell Hull has been replaced by David McElfresh. The original version of the EP featured 5 tracks, while the 1997 reissue features the bonus track "Balancing Act".

The music on the EP continues the progressive US power metal style of "Programmed (1990)" but adds a more heavy and dark edge to the band´s sound. Progressive metal had changed rapidly in the years between the band´s debut album and "Your Favorite God", and while Lethal still sound like themselves (guitar/vocal driven progressive power metal rooted in 80s heavy metal), they´ve clearly also listened to the contemporary version of progressive metal and developed their own sound with it. Hard edged chugging riffs weren´t exactly the order of the day on "Programmed (1990)", but you´ll find plenty here.

The musicianship is on a very high level, which is no surprise if you´re already familiar with "Programmed (1990)". Lead vocalist Tom Mallicoat is still a great asset with his high pitched singing style, but he is actually a bit more varied on this release using lower registers and a more raw singing style too. Lethal is a very sophisticated band in the way they arrange their tracks and in how they incorporate details, but structurally this is still pretty basic vers/chorus based tracks, with the rare excursion into more progressive territories. The first four tracks on the EP are heavy and dark, but "The Real", which closes the original version of the EP, is a power ballad type track, which is slightly lighter in mood.

"Your Favorite God" is a well produced release with a dark and heavy sound, which suits the heaviness of their "new" style well. While I´m not completely sure that I prefer this new heavier progressive/US power metal sound to the more melodic US power metal style of Lethal´s debut album, I understand the need to change with the times and add some heaviness to their sound. Not that it did anything for them commercially, and artistically they still lack a 100% unique sound to elevate them to a higher level. Still a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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